A Recap of Week 1 of Regular Session

January 9 – January 13, 2011

For education advocates across the State of Washington, the prologue to the 2012 Regular Session was written four days before legislators arrived in Olympia, with release of the State Supreme Court’s much-anticipated decision in McCleary v. State.  Finding that the State has not complied with its constitutional duty to provide full, substantial, and reliable funding for the education of Washington’s children, the Court articulated its intent to monitor and hold the legislature accountable for implementing the Basic Education reforms it has already enacted by 2018.  Our Constitution calls the State’s duty to provide for Basic Education “paramount,” which the court interpreted to mean the State’s first and most important duty.

The McCleary decision gave legislators even more to think about as they returned to their duties Monday and continued to consider possible solutions for closing the remaining $1.5 billion shortfall.  In hearings this week, aimed at helping legislators better understand the Court’s decision, legislators grappled openly with the idea that the State should provide funding for education above all other areas of spending.  They also discussed their concerns about sanctions or additional lawsuits should the legislature fail to provide this funding.

In its decision, the Court did not address the current budget crisis, though it did find that the legislature cannot continue to rely on local funding sources, such as levies, to provide for Basic Education.  This reality makes a strong case for passage of a robust revenue package, without which the legislature will likely be forced to choose between making even deeper cuts to already vulnerable budget items, which may include funding for higher education, and facing further rebuke from the courts.

Now more than ever, legislators on both sides of the aisle need to know that you, your families, and your friends across the state support a bold approach to generating revenue for the programs that matter most to us, so that we do not have to choose between a constitutional responsibility to our children and protecting our state’s most vulnerable citizens.

In addition to the McCleary news, both houses this week also heard testimony about Washington’s successful application for a federally funded Race To The Top grant.  The grant will provide Washington State with $60 million in funding over four years to support innovations and improvements that will help to close the achievement gap in early learning and prepare all Washington children to succeed in kindergarten.  The Department of Early Learning reports that, under current budget allocations, the grant will require no additional funding from the state until the 2015-17 biennium, and reforms, such as improved access to preschool and expanded teacher training, will be phased in over the next few years, beginning with the lowest-income areas.

Other education developments that we have been following this week include Thursday’s news conference, led by Representative Eric Pettigrew, announcing a bipartisan coalition of support for two new education bills.  The first, Senate Bill 6202, is the latest development in a long effort to authorize charter schools in Washington State, and would also give the state increased authority over underperforming schools.  This bill will be heard by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee. Check the legislative website to find out when the hearing will be on this bill if you’re interested in attending.  

The second bill, Senate Bill 6203, would add a training and support component to the State’s new system for evaluating principals and teachers, which was enacted by the legislature last year.  With this bill, proponents hope to provide greater opportunities for teachers’ growth and development than the proposal outlined by the Governor last month.  The companion bill to SB 6203, House Bill 2427, is scheduled for public hearing before the House Committee on Education at 8 AM on January 19^th, in House Hearing Room A.

Also potentially of interest on January 18^th at 1:30 PM is the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee’s public hearing on the creation of the Office of Student Achievement.  The OSA will be tasked with increasing educational attainment in our state, although many decisions remain to be made about the role and functions of this new agency.  The hearing will be held in Senate Hearing Room 3.  To read the report produced by the Governor’s Higher Education Steering Committee, which recommended creation of the Office of Student Achievement, please click here.

Last but certainly not least, this busy first week of Regular Session began with an exciting press conference Sunday, where some of our community’s strongest advocates for women’s rights gathered to announce introduction of reproductive parity legislation.  Thank you, Judy Waring, for attending and showing your support!  This session and next, our legislators will make important decisions that will determine how healthcare reform is implemented in our state.  The Reproductive Parity Act, which was introduced as House Bill 2330 and Senate Bill 6185, is part of a long history in our state of protecting women’s reproductive rights.  By ensuring that any plan that carries coverage for maternity care also carries coverage for abortion, the Reproductive Parity Act will allow Washington women, regardless of income, to continue to make the pregnancy decisions that are best for them, in 2014 and beyond!

Questions?  Contact your lobbyist via email:  pjcrone at comcast.net