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Legislation Update August 2010
Thanks to all who voted YES for the Northshore School District supplemental levy that was on the August 17th ballot. If the current trend holds, it will pass with approximately 52% of voters approving the levy. With a levy, we only need a simple majority to pass. For more information on what the levy see:
http://www.nsd.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=94045&&&&cms_mode=view
Legislation Update April 14, 2010
Last night the legislature adjourned for the 2010 session one day before the end of the 30 day special session, with passage of both a budget and revenue package. The focus of this report is on the major supplemental budget items. In my end of session report, which will be available online before convention and in hard copy form at the legislation booth at convention, I will include more bill and budget detail.
2010 Supplemental Budget – The big picture
Once again this session legislators faced a budget hole that they had to fill in order to maintain a balanced budget for this biennium. Last night they passed a final budget and revenue bills that addressed the $2.8 billion gap in the following ways:
Budget Cuts $755 million
Federal Relief Funding $618 million
Reserves and Transfers $690 million
New Revenue (taxes) $757 million
Does this budget include new spending as well as cuts?
Yes, it does. There are approximately $660 million in maintenance level increases including caseload changes related to the recession and some higher than expected program costs. During economic downturns caseloads for state services, including K-12 education, rise.
There are also $401 million in policy level increases. The largest increases are $65 million for additional inflation in employee health benefit costs; $29.8 million for new K-12 levy equalization costs and $18 million for additional worker training at community and technical colleges. For those who want to look at the full detail, which is 344 pages it is here. K-12 Education is sections 501-517, p. 181-233.
K-12 Budget Changes
Maintenance Level Increases for K-12 for the biennium due to caseload increases and other increased costs amount to $252.1 million.
Major policy increases:
· Levy equalization funding increase from 12% to 14% (part of the bill that increases local levy lids by 4%) + $29.8 million*
· Education Reform funding – Funding needed to support our state’s Race to the Top federal grant application and some follow up work to 2261 to implement the new funding distribution formulas, and new pupil transportation funding. This funding was necessary to support our top priority bills 2776 and 6696. +$5 million
Major Savings:
· 728 Funding, all funding related to this initiative has now been eliminated. Districts often used this funding to reduce class sizes and offer extended learning opportunities. -$79 million (this is on top of the $600 million that was eliminated in last year’s budget) Proposed budgets by the Governor, the Senate and the Houseall eliminated funding for I-728. There was so much agreementregarding this cut that we did not make saving this funding a coalition priority.
· Reduction in K-4 Class Size enhancement funding - Although labeled an enhancement, the K-4 class size enhancement has been funded for approx. 20 years and is considered by districts to be maintenance level funding. -$30 million*
· Bus Depreciation – Delays annual payments sent to districts so that they can replace bus fleets to the end of the expected life of buses. - $22 million
· Learning Improvement Day – The only remaining state-funded professional development day for teachers has been eliminated. – $10 million
· Grants and Statewide Programs – Many grants and programs are reduced or eliminated. -$9 million
* The two items that are starred above were on our list of education coalition priorities. Below the 4 coalition priorities are listed as well as and what happened to them in this budget. The coalition felt that it was successful in its efforts to develop common priorities(only items that we felt could be influenced or might benefit from our help made the list) and to convey them to the legislature. We also showed the legislature that the education community can work together.
1. Higher levy equalization funding to support the bill that passed this session which increased the levy lid by 4%. There is another factor related to the levy amount that school districts can collect, called the per pupil inflator. The inflator was at 4% in the original 2009-11 budget, but there was a proposal to decrease it to 1%. The 4% level has been maintained. The cost to the state to keep the inflator was minimal (approx. $7 million) compared to the amount that it allows districts to collect for schools (approx. $55 million).
2. Although K-4 class size enhancement funding has been decreased by $30 million, this result was a big improvement over the $102 million cut (which would have been complete elimination) initially proposed by the Senate.
3. Full funding for classified support staff was maintained.
4. Full funding for all day kindergarten for lowest income schools was maintained.
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Your district will already be calculating the local impact of this budget. Ask your district finance officer to share their analysis.
Legislation Update April 9, 2010
Legislature to reconvene Saturday instead of today
Legislators will be reporting to Olympia tomorrow at 2PM. It is expected that they will work every day through the end of the special session, which is Tues. April 13th to work out a final budget/revenue package.
Action Needed to Support Budget/Revenue Package
Thank you to those who have already responded to the action alert message posted yesterday!
The alert will remain alive at least through the weekend. Please continue to send messages alert link
Legislators need to know that we care about passing the revenue package and finalizing the budget. We feel that passing this package now will maximize the chances for strong support for our education budget priorities. The final state budget will have a direct impact on the budget decisions that are being made right now in your districts for next year. Let’s get this done!
New! Resolutions Proposal Submittal Form
The form for submitting resolutions proposals for consideration for the 2010 Legislative Assembly is now posted to the WSPTA website.
We encourage you to look at our current legislative principals, resolutions and short term platform to help inform your proposal. All current positions can be found on our website here You can also propose that current resolutions be amended.
Below is a brief description of resolutions.
Washington State PTA Resolutions are long term issue positions which have been submitted to the Resolutions Committee by members, units, committees or councils. Once accepted by the resolutions committee and approved by the Washington State PTA Board of Directors, they are voted on by delegates to the legislative assembly or the state convention. Resolutions are reviewed annually, when they can be combined, amended or recommended for retirement. Resolutions are a resource which can be cited by members, the Board, committees and staff to represent the PTA positions.
Legislation Update March 26, 2010
Governor Gregoire will sign many education bills, including our top priorities, on Monday, March 29 from 1-3PM at Auburn High School. Follow the link below to the Governor’s bill signing page. Click on the date to see the full list of bills. There is also a link to help you get directions to the school.
PTA member Pat Montgomery of Auburn said that the gym holds plenty of people. You are welcome and encouraged to attend! There will also be 150 students in the gym for the signings.
Some bill highlights:
· SHB 2776 – Important follow up to the education finance reform bill, 2261, that passed last year. Puts new funding formulas into statute and schedules some of the phase-in of new funding beginning in 2011.
· E2SSB 6696 – Addresses many issues that are needed to strengthen our state’s federal Race to the Top application. Much of this bill also follow up on 2261.
· 2SHB 2731 – Implementing a program of early learning for educationally at-risk children.
· SHB 2801 – Adds anti-harassment strategies to current school district policies
Legislation Update March 15, 2010:
Here is a nice summary of what happened with the education bills in this session. I will update again after the special session ends:
2010 Legislative Session Wrap-up
Race to the Top — SB 6696, as passed Legislature, includes:
· STEM TRI reporting
· language that OSPI will recommend whether state should implement one evaluation system statewide
· principal tenure language for districts with more than 35,000 students (Seattle) – Rep. Carlyle’s amendment
· state intervention authority in lowest-performing schools
· ability for non-higher education institutions to offer teacher preparation programs
Legislative leaders: Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, Sen. Eric Oemig, Sen. Curtis King
Basic education reform — HB 2776, as passed Legislature, includes:
· K-3 enhancement to class size of 17: begin in 2011-13 biennium and start with highest-poverty schools; fully implemented by 2017-18
· increased MSOCs in 2015: allocation of $517.91, adjusted for inflation each year; beginning 2015-16 allocation of $1,082.76
· phase-in of all-day K: continued phase-in in 2011-13 biennium; fully implemented by 2017-18
· phase-in of new transportation system: begin in 2011-13 biennium; fully implemented by 2013-15 biennium
Legislative leaders: Rep. Pat Sullivan, Rep. Marcie Maxwell, Rep. Skip Priest, Rep. Bruce Dammeier
Early learning — HB 2731 and SB 6759, as passed Legislature, includes:
· creation of an early learning entitlement program for 3- and 4-year-olds fully implemented by 2018-19
· study of possible inclusion of early learning in basic education
Legislative leaders: Rep. Roger Goodman, Sen. Claudia Kauffman, Rep. Ruth Kagi, Rep. Pat Sullivan
Local levy funding — HB 2893, as passed Legislature, includes:
· phantom dollars in levy base
· increased levy lid by 4 percent
· increased LEA to 14 percent
Legislative leaders: Rep. Kathy Haigh, Sen. Eric Oemig
Bills we were happy to see fade to black:
· HB 2915/SB 6553: delay of math and science graduation requirements
· HB 3025/SB 6778: 15-credit high school credits for graduation
provided by LEV
Legislation Update March 12, 2010
Thank you to all who voted in the Levy/Bond election. I'm happy to report that Northshore passed all three measures that we had on the ballot.
And big news from the state legislature: The following bills passed today in a last minute vote. This is great news for our schools:
Ø Race to the Top — SB 6696
Ø Basic Education Reform – HB 2276
Ø Early Learning — HB 2731 and SB 6759
Ø Local levy funding — HB 2893
Read more about these bills here: http://www.educationvoters.org/session2010/
Previously you might have heard the Governor saying that Race to the Top is a “go home” issue, meaning no one goes home until this legislation is finished. She got her wish, and now Washington can make a much more credible case for Race to the Top funds. The bill also represents important and much needed change that should improve student achievement and reduce the achievement gap. Included in the bill:
Ø Authorization for state intervention in low-performing schools. Requires districts with schools performing in bottom five percent to submit an action plan identifying measures that will be taken to turnaround the school.
Ø Development of a state accountability index. Designed to identify high- and low-performing schools.
Ø Extension of teacher provisional status. Lengthens the time in which a teacher is without tenure from two years to three years.
Ø Development of new evaluation criteria for teachers and principals and establishes a new four-tiered evaluation rating system Creates new evaluation criteria for teachers and principals evaluation, and calls on districts to design new evaluation systems using a four-tiered rating system. Measures of student growth data can be used, when available and relevant.
Ø Consideration of a single, statewide evaluation model. Requires the Office of Public Superintendent of Instruction to provide recommendations to the Legislature by DATE on if a single statewide evaluation model should be adopted.
Ø Authorization to transfer ineffective principals. Allowsschool district superintendents with more than 35,000 students to transfer ineffective principals to a subordinate position in the district.
Ø Authorization to increase salaries for staff that implement innovative programs. Allows school districts to increase the salaries of teachers and staff involved in implementing innovative activities designed to close the achievement gap, encourage a focus on STEM subjects or provide an arts education.
Ø Expansion of alternative route preparation programs. Allows for four new alternative teacher preparation programs for teachers.
Ø Authorization to adopt Common Core standards. Authorizes Superintendent of Public Instruction to provisionally adopt the Common Core standards by August 2, 2010. Requires SPI to submit a report to the House and Senate education committees by January 1, 2011 comparing the rigor and specificity of the Common Core with our state standards and providing an implementation timeline with associated costs. Authorizes SPI to adopt Common Core at end of the 2011 session unless otherwise directed by Leg.
On Monday at noon, the legislature will reconvene in a special session to wrap up the budget. This session will likely go about a week and must resolve the current conflicts in the House and Senate budgets and sources of revenue. While we’re excited about the legislative victories, we remain concerned and focused on the proposed cuts to education. Specifically;
Ø Financial Aid for middle class and low income college students
Ø Affordable early learning for low income, working parents
Ø K-3 Class size enhancements
Ø National Board Certified teacher bonuses
Ø Navigation 101
Northshore Levy/Bond election - February 9, 2010
Please remember to vote in the upcoming bond/levy special election for our Northshore schools. Ballots will be arriving in the mail and must be filled out and mailed back - or dropped in a ballot box - by Tuesday, February 9th. We need every vote.
Together, these measures support student learning.
The Capital Projects Bond would continue the district's long-term facilities plan to maintain and renovate aging schools and provide key infrastructure support for classroom learning.
The Renewal Education Operations Support Levy would renew an expiring levy that provides 20% of the District's budget for daily operations and educational programs.
The Renewal School Technology Levy would renew an expiring levy to continue to provide technology and training to enhance classroom learning.
For more information visit http://www.nsd.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=89961&linkid=nav-menu-original-4-1
Do your part for kids - VOTE!
Special Session Update
Most legislators returned to their home districts last night until further notice. Leadership and negotiators have stayed to work out the final details of the budget/revenue package.
No Child Left Behind: It is likely that this legislation will be reauthorized this year or early next year. The National PTA focus is on strengthening the parent engagement pieces of this act. The main messages are:
· Include incentives to schools to engage parents, while also providing information about best practices.
· Safeguard and strengthen Parent Involvement Resource Centers by tightening their role to providing research-based practices.
· Increase the Title I set-aside for parent engagement from 1% to 2% and provide specific guidance on effective strategies, such as home visitation or parent leadership academies.
Legislators were generally receptive to suggestions for improving the effectiveness of parent engagement. The hope is to move away from the low level of compliance with parent engagement policies that occurs now, towards the use of proven strategies that will actually impact student learning.
Federal Budget Outlook: Stan Collender, an experienced budget analyst, provided insights about the long term prospects for increases in federal education funding. Due to a variety of factors, the long term outlook is not encouraging. He believes that in the near future any new commitments will be limited and may need to be accompanied by new sources of revenue.
State Board of Education Meeting took place on March 17-18
The State Board of Education is a critical education policy leader. Prior to 2005 the board focused largely on administrative issues. That year the legislature expanded its role so that they would provide broad leadership in strategic oversight and policy development for K-12 education. The legislature often asks the State Board to develop its policy ideas into proposals that can be implemented. Recent examples of this are proposals for a third credit of math (implemented), an accountability system to address low performing schools (implementation to begin this year) and increases in graduation requirements or CORE 24 (still in process). flyer explaining Core 24 in more detail
The president of the State Board of Education, Mary Jean Ryan is also on the steering committee that is preparing our state’s federal Race to the Top application, which could net the state from $150-200 million for education reform programs. This application is due June 1, 2010.During the meeting there was discussion about components of our application that go beyond the recently passed legislation 6696, which has been described in other emails. The state must develop an application that is based on a well conceived plan that includes a “theory of action”. They must also secure commitments from individual districts to implement the plan.
Highlights and meeting materials have now been posted to their website http://www.sbe.wa.gov/ Go to the meeting materials page.
The next State Board of Education meeting in May 13-14 at the Spokane ESD office. See their website exact location. The CORE 24 implementation task force will present its final report at this meeting. During the meeting there will be a substantial work session devoted to this topic. The public is welcome to attend these meetings. There is also opportunity provided for public comment. The full agenda will be posted closer to the meeting date.
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