It took two special sessions, but at the end of the day – or in this case the all-nighter – state legislators crafted a budget that helps protect children. Cuts from past years were not restored, and K-12 education in particular faces a long road to adequate let alone ample funding. But the cuts stopped.

Education and programs that keep children healthy, fed and safe were maintained, and the legislature committed to figuring out how to add billions of dollars to basic education to meet its legal obligations. The “payment plan” is due by the end of the year. It needs to propose budget strategies and/or revenues to pay for 2009’s expanded definition of basic education, and 2010’s phase-in plan.

In the session’s last days, the legislature also reached agreements on K-12 health-insurance benefits, early retirement benefits for future state employees, and a balanced budget requirement. It also passed a capital budget that authorizes nearly $1 billion in general obligation bonds for capital projects that the state predicts will translate to 18,000 new construction jobs.

In the end, there was no sales tax proposal to buy back education. But one tax break – to large out of state banks – was repealed. The money will not, however, be designated for K-12.

Read more »

Ramona Hattendorf
Government relations coordinator
Washington State PTA
www.wastatepta.org

Wednesday, April 11 from 12-1 p.m.

888-863-6102

Increasing access to high quality early learning programs and improving transitions into kindergarten are priorities of Washington State PTA.

2012 legislative priority

Public education and funding, Long-term legislative principles

Excellent Schools Now and A+ Washington are hosting a telephone town hall on the importance of early education and efforts to expand it. Featured speakers include:

·         Bonnie Beukema, Assistant Director for Outcomes and Accountability at Department of Early Learning

·         Heather Cope, Policy Director for the League of Education Voters

·         Frank Ordway, Director of Government Relations for the League of Education Voters

Preparing all students to succeed in school and life starts with a solid foundation of investments in high-quality Pre-Kindergarten through 3^rd grade education. Studies have shown that children who participate in high-quality, aligned pre-kindergarten through 3^rd grade learning have lower rates of special education referral, fewer behavior issues, higher overall school attendance, improved test scores, higher graduation and college participation rates and lower rates of incarceration. Investments in early education help children succeed in school and sets them up for success in life.

Washington State PTA has not endorsed the full A+ Washington plan but much of it aligns with our body positions, including Strategy No. 1 – Expanding Access to High-Quality Pre-Kindergarten through 3^rd-Grade Education.

Ramona Hattendorf

Government relations coordinator

Washington State PTA

www.wastatepta.org

Still no budget – kids need payment plan

Special session ends at midnight tonight.
Still no budget deal as day ends, but lawmakers continue to negotiate (from TVW – Monday night wrap) – Gregoire pitching new proposal as deadline nears (from AP – Monday afternoon wrap) – Senate passes K-12 health insurance bill, balanced budget bill (from TVW – Saturday wrap)
The areas of negotiation continue to be a balanced budget bill, K-12 health insurance bill and pension/early retirement bill – not the budget. Yesterday the House Ways and Means postponed twice and then cancelled a meeting to take action on its version of a balanced budget bill and K-12 insurance benefits.

TAKE ACTION

In 2009, the legislature decided on a great plan for basic education. In 2012, the supreme court ruled the state was failing its paramount duty to pay for that plan and cover its legal obligations. Our state needs some resolution. We need a strategy to pay for education and maintain the safety net families rely on.  The McCleary court decision means the state must follow through on promises for significant funding increases to pay for class-size reduction, all-day kindergarten and graduation requirements that prepare all of our children for jobs, technical training or college.

Please insist that when the next session starts legislators have a payment plan ready to move — such as called for in House Bill 2824. It’s time to talk about tax structures and budgeting strategies that take care of our children and invest in their potential.

Ramona Hattendorf

Government relations coordinator

Washington State PTA

www.wastatepta.org

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Budget vote near (at least in the House)

BUDGET ACTION

The House will be voting on its version of the supplemental operating budget. ESHB 2127 has been moved to the short list of bills to take up. No word yet about possible amendments to the budget proposal.

• The House convenes Wednesday at 9 a.m. for session/caucus. Sessions/caucuses are also set for Thursday and Friday.
• The Senate convenes for a session/caucus Wednesday at noon.
• You can watch the hearings live or at your convenience at www.tvw.org

WAYS AND MEANS ACTION

The House Ways and Means meets tomorrow at 1 p.m. for a hearing and possible action on nine bills, including HB 2824, which sets up a task force to develop a proposal to fully fund basic education. Its report would be due Dec. 1, 2012. HB 2824 also rolls I-728/”Student Achievement Fund” money into basic education and common schools funding.

Ways and Means will also be hearing bills that cover retirement benefits, balanced budget requirements, and public school employee insurance benefits. Agenda can be found here.

WSPTA, CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE CALL FOR SUPPORT OF FOOD PROGRAM

Education and basic services work together to create brighter futures

Children are the seeds of our future, and investing in their potential by giving them a great education is our state’s paramount duty. Yet the best teachers and the highest-quality curriculum will fall short if children show up for class hungry. Read more here.

Hosted by Washington State PTA Region 6

Wednesday 2/29/12, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Washington Middle School in Seattle.

Hear pro, con and ask your questions.

This event includes a review of national and state PTA positions on charter schools. ALL regions are welcome. Please, come hear what pro and con advocates have to say and what pro and con speakers from the academic world have to say.

Moderated by C.R. Douglas, Political Analyst, Q13 Fox News

PTA positions reviewed by Ramona Hattendorf, Government Relations Coordinator, Washington State PTA.

Panelists

·          Olga Addae: President, Seattle Education Association, (Teacher’s Union). Con Speaker

·          Rosalund Jenkins: Director, Black Education Strategy Roundtable (League of Education Voters project), Pro Speaker

·          Dr. Wayne Au: Assistant Professor, Education Program, UW- Bothell, Editor, Rethinking Schools, Con Speaker

·          Robin Lake: Associate Director, Center for Reinventing Education, UW Bothell, Pro Speaker

WHEN & WHERE

Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Washington Middle School Cafeteria

2101 S. Jackson St, Seattle 98144

DIRECTIONS

From S. Jackson Street go south on 20th Ave South, take first left onto S. Weller St, (going around the Franz Bakery). At 20th Place South, parking lot is on your right, school entrance is to the left.

Questions: contact Heidi Bennett, WA State PTA Region 6 Legislative Chair

heidi@bennettdirect.net

REGION 6:

Seattle, Shoreline, Northshore & Vashon Island

As always, please remember to contact your elected legislators with your input on these important issues. Find your legislators at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

ESSB 5895 Certified Employee Evaluations

This bill has now passed out of the House Education Committee and it passed the Senate last week, 46-3.  It is scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 p.m. today.

Bill analysis at:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/5895-S.E%20HBA%20ED%2012.pdf

SB5896 Implementing revised teacher and principal evaluation systems

Senate Bill Report  http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5896%20SBR%20WM%2012.pdf

According to the Wa state PTA Government Relations Coordinator: These 2 bills (5895 & 5896) could work in conjunction or separately, so if you’re tracking either, you may want to track both. SSB 5895 essentially codifies recommendations for implementation, allows for a three-year phase in and designates funds for evaluation training. SSB 5896 addresses using the evaluations to ensure staff assignments support the learning needs for all the students in the district, giving specific attention to high-need schools and classrooms (per state law); requires educators to be proficient or distinguished before being granted “continuing contract status” (what some think of as “tenure”); and moves more aggressively to exit the few poor performing teachers from the system. (If experienced teachers or principals get two unsatisfactory ratings in a row, they would lose continuing contract status. This means they could be fired at will. Provisional employees, currently those in their first three years of employment, can be fired at will. There are no requirements other than length of service for moving out of provisional status.)

PSHB 2127 First draft of 2012 supplemental operating budget from the House Ways and Means budget writers, released this week.   There was a public hearing on 2/21.  No status update yet.  Use this link to track this bill.

Highlights:

• No additional cuts to basic education
• $400 million “delay” in school payments and levy equalization payments
• Some cuts to education reform programs, mostly to reductions in bonuses for National Board Certification
• $222.4 million in reductions in health care and human service programs

Related Links:

Press conference  http://www.tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwplayer&eventID=2012020162

TVW blog: http://www.tvw.org/capitolrecord/index.php/2012/02/house-democrats-release-supplemental-budget/

Striking amendment: http://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/Budget/Detail/2012/HOBillStriker0221A.pdf

Summary re striking amendment: http://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/Budget/Detail/2012/HOoverview0221A.pdf

Agency detail: http://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/Budget/Detail/2012/HOAgencyDetail0221A.pdf

Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge

Our state is one of the grant recipients. This grant focuses on improving early learning and development programs for young children by supporting states’ efforts to:

• Increase the number and percentage of low-income and disadvantaged children in each age group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are enrolled in high-quality early learning programs;
• Design and implement an integrated system of high-quality early learning programs and services; and
• Ensure that any use of assessments conforms with the recommendations of the National Research Council’s reports on early childhood.

Visit the following link for more information. http://www.del.wa.gov/government/racetotop/

HB 2448 Creating the high-quality early learning act

This one is still working its way through the legislature. The bill analysis can be found at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/2448%20HBA%20ELHS%2012.pdf

Visit the following for more information including links to TVW videos:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2448&year=2011

Related Washington State PTA positions

If any of the links below don’t work, please visit the following link for more information about the state PTA’s legislative positions. http://www.wastatepta.org/advocacy/index.html

2012 legislative platform, No. 1:

Improving basic education – This includes implementing and funding a new definition that emphasizes and supports college and career readiness and that improves the system of delivery, as laid out in ESHB 2261 (passed 2009), and SHB 2776 and E2SSB 6696 (passed in 2010)

2012 legislative platform, No. 4:

Changing layoff policies to include more than just seniority

2012 legislative platform, supported:

Adopt strategies to eliminate achievement gaps and improve educational opportunities

Long-term legislative principle, Public Education Policies:

Washington State PTA shall identify and initiate education and action on public policy that will strengthen public education for our state’s children and youth, including:

o   Continued support for education reform efforts

o   Reducing the achievement gap

o   Reduction of high school dropout rates

Resolution, EXCELLENCE IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM 4.3, Adopted, 1983

Resolved, That the Washington State PTA work together with other members of the education community to recommend improvements for evaluative procedures and/or changes in policies, where needed, that will enable the schools to encourage and reward those educators who upgrade their skills and work effectively in the schools and to provide counseling for those who need to become more skilled or those who need to consider other employment; and be it further

Resolved, That the Washington State PTA encourage local units and councils to provide information to members of their school communities on procedures for expressing concerns about staff members.

The Charter School forum has been rescheduled to February 29th, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Washington Middle School. The following link contains the agenda and address. http://www.wastatepta.org/advocacy/headlines/PTA_Public_Charter_School_Forum.pdf

February 20th is the PTSA Legislative Focus Day. You can join other PTSA members to show your support for the issues that matter to you. There will be a rally and other activities  in Olympia. While you are there you can stop in to visit your elected representatives.

The following link has the information for this event.  (sounds very kid friendly if you have children who are too young to be in school that day) http://www.wastatepta.org/meetings/focus_day/index.html

Your legislators and their location at the Capitol can be found at the following link. http://www.leg.wa.gov/pages/home.aspx

The following link contains the state PTA’s legislative priorities for 2011 and 2012 as well as an update from the 2011 session. http://www.wastatepta.org/advocacy/archives/session_2011/2011_Focus_On_Schools.pdf

For information about the current status of the PTA’s legislative priorities go to: http://www.wastatepta.org/advocacy/session_2012/index.html

2012 High School Information Night, is taking place at Roosevelt on February 2, 2012. This event will give potential 9th grade families and other families new to the RHS community a chance to listen to a student panel talk about life at Roosevelt, to meet with department heads about curriculum, tour the school, and visit with club and sports representatives. The event will start at 7:00 p.m. in the Roosevelt Theatre. Contact the Counseling Office, 206-252-4827 or the Main Office, 206-252-4810, with questions.

Nathan Hale High School Informational Evening for Prospective Families:
Tuesday, February 7th 6:00 – 7:00PM

• Table Fair in the Commons area will include information about student activities and parent groups.
• Building tours will leave from the Commons area
• NHHS Presentation at 7:00 – 8:30PM, Questions & Answers in the Performing Arts Center
• Note – changes from previous years: This event is not the “Rigor and Relevance Night” format of previous years with the panel of teachers. The format this year is similar to what our day tours have been in the past – tours of the building then a presentation by Jill followed by a student panel for questions and answers.
• We will not be doing a day tour this year. With the new student assignment plan, a number of schools have moved away from scheduling day tours.

Tina Tudor, 9^th grade coordinator. Her contact info is tmtudor@seattleschools.org and 252-3706.

Ingraham High School Open House Information:

Open House 2012
February 1^st – 7:00 PM – Ingraham Auditorium

IB Information Night
February 8^th – 7:00 PM – Ingraham Library

APP Information Night
February 15^th – 7:00 PM – Ingraham Library

Daytime Tours
February 15^th – 8:15 AM – 9:45 AM
March 7^th – 8:15 AM – 9:45 AM
Daytime tours begin in the school Auditorium.

Questions? Call the Main Office #206-252-3888.
All Tours and Open Houses are for parents and students. There is no need to RSVP for tours or the night open houses.

Tours at Cleveland High School:

The school tour on February 15^th has been postponed. More information will be posted when available.
The March 21st tour has been rescheduled for March 6^th (Tuesday) because the Open Enrollment form is due to the district on March 9, 2012.

Interested families should email Tina Camero to reserve a spot on the tour. Families must arrive by 8am and check in with the main office where a student representative will escort them to room 1201. There is a brief presentation and then proceed with a tour of both academies, School of Life Science and School of Engineering & Design. There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Chief Sealth International High School Prospective Student Open House:
Thursday, February 9, 2012
5:45 – 8:00 p.m. / main entrance
2600 SW Thistle Ave, Seattle WA 98126 / (206) 252-8550
http://chiefsealthhs.seattleschools.org/

You are officially invited to our annual open house for prospective students and families. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from administration, teachers, parents and students. Activities include:

• Entertainment by the CSIHS Marching Band
• An information session on the International Baccalaureate program
• Building tours
• Desserts and beverages provided by the PTSA and YMCA
• Surprise student performances

In addition, interested families will have the opportunity participate in a series of school-day tours.

• NEW DATE! Tuesday, February 14 - 10:00-11:30am (Madison & Pathfinder students)
• Tuesday, February 7 – 10:00-11:30am (Private schools and other middle schools)
• TBD – Denny Middle School Tours
• Shadow Day – current 8th graders can shadow a 9th grade student for the first 3 classes of the day: Monday, February 13, 8:15-11:30am. Parents of interested students should email Laura Robb at lkrobb@seattleschools.org.

STEM @ Cleveland High School, Campus Tours:

Middle school students and their families are welcome to visit Cleveland High School. We will visit classrooms to observe, to ask questions and to participate! Tours begin at 8am in the school auditorium and end at 10am. Please email Tina Camero at ticamero@seattleschools.org to reserve your tour date. Cleveland High School | 5511 15th Ave. S.| 206.252.7800

Plus receive more information on:

• School of Engineering & Design – February 15th
• School of Life Sciences – March 21^st