Welcome to Outlook

Welcome to the Washington Education Association's Legislative Outlook, a regular update on what's happening in Olympia. The paper version of Outlook is mailed to every WEA building representative in the state. (If you are a rep, please post Outlook on your WEA bulletin board.) You can subscribe to the e-mail version of Outlook by sending an e-mail to Lyris. Include the words "subscribe weaoutlook" in the body of the message. A printable version of Outlook is available online (Adobe PDF file). Questions? Contact Rich Wood in the WEA Communications Department.

Gregoire has a detailed education plan

Gubernatorial candidate Chris Gregoire has a detailed plan for public education.

Here's an excerpt:
• Make early childhood education a priority.
• Improve the Washington Assessment of Student Learning
(WASL).
• Modernize the funding system, revise levy passage
requirements to a simple majority.
• Increase public school safety.
• Create an education cabinet to bring all education voices
under one roof.
• Address the "math gap" in our public schools through
incentives.
• Reduce remediation through partnerships among
secondary and post-secondary schools.

The WEA Political Action Committee supports Gregoire for governor. Her complete education platform can be read on the Chris Gregoire's Web site.

Educators support Craig Pridemore for state Senate

Craig Pridemore supports public schools and students.

That's why he is recommended by members of the Washington Education Association Political Action Committee.

Since 1998, Pridemore has served as a Clark County commissioner. Now, he's running for the 49th District state Senate seat held by Don Carlson.

Pridemore opposes relying solely on the WASL to make high-stakes decisions about students and schools. He believes the Legislature should uphold Initiative 732. He opposes charter schools. And he vows to fight for increased school funding.

Although Carlson is a former teacher, Carlson voted for the budget that failed to fund I-732. He also voted for charter schools, which Washington voters have rejected twice.

Pridemore's proven commitment to kids, schools and our profession is why members of the WEA Political Action Committee support his candidacy.

News stories question Rossi's career

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi emphasizes his experience as a real-estate tycoon. But Rossi's campaign has come under fire for misleading voters about his professional status. For months, Rossi's campaign has described him as a commercial real-estate "broker," when in fact, he is not a broker. He's a salesman, and under the state's licensing laws, there is a big difference.

Rossi deflected blame for the inaccuracy. The Seattle P-I reported: "He said other people wrote his legislative biography and campaign finance reports to the state that mistakenly described him that way."

Read the complete story: "Campaign 2004: Rossi clarifies professional status" on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Web site.

Another news story dug deeper into Rossi's relationship with a crooked businessman who spent time in jail for defrauding clients. According to The Seattle Times, Rossi worked for the man for nearly eight years, even after questions arose about the man's honesty.

"The people who got hurt were little old ladies," accountant Stuart Looney told The Times. "Schoolteachers who put in their life savings."

Here's an excerpt from The Times: "In an interview, Rossi offered sometimes-conflicting explanations for his decision to continue working for Heide. He said he was ignorant of harm done to people, he thought everyone was going to be repaid, and that he naively trusted a man who had treated him fairly."

Read the whole story, "As young salesman, Rossi stuck with his boss amid fraud scandal" on The Seattle Times Web site.

Coalition challenges pro-charter TV ads

Judith Goldberg president of the League of Women Voters, and member of the Reject R-55 coalition, contacted TV stations across the state this week, calling into question and requesting action on the inaccuracies contained in the Approve R-55 TV ads currently airing statewide. Here are some excerpts from her letter:

"I am writing to bring to your attention that your station is currently airing an advertisement from the campaign to approve Referendum 55 that cites incorrect information and is misleading.

"…In 2002-03, the cohort dropout rate for students of color was 32.5 percent, which is significantly less than the 50 percent cited in the advertisement at issue.

"…the campaign to approve Referendum 55 should, at the very least, reveal the meaning of the figures they cite and should disclose how it arrived at the 50 percent "minority" student dropout rate.

"…Ultimately, these sorts of advertisements represent the worst in modern American politics. Last election cycle, stations around the country refused to air several such ads not simply for falsehoods, but because the ads were deemed 'misleading,' 'unfair,' or 'one-sided.' To the extent that stations are consistent, this advertisement should not continue to air."

Doyon backs Billings

Former candidate Juanita Doyon is backing Judith Billings in the race for state superintendent of public instruction. Doyon received about 8 percent of the vote in the Sept. 14 primary election.

"We’ve made much progress in informing the public about the problems with WASL, No Child Left Behind and the current reforms that have taken over our schools," Doyon said. "But the fact remains it will take new leadership in the superintendent’s office to make needed changes and get our schools back to serving children instead of worshiping the WASL."

Billings also is recommended by the WEA Political
Action Committee.

3 reasons to reject R-55

When you’re talking about charter schools, remember these key points:

• Charter schools were rejected by Washington state
voters, twice. In 1996 and in 2000, charter school
initiatives were resoundingly defeated. Yet, in a late-hour move last session the Legislature passed a charter school
law, going directly against the will of the people.
• Charter schools take money from existing schools
instead of funding voter-approved initiatives. Washington voters know what works to improve our schools. That’s why voters approved two initiatives for smaller class sizes (I-728) and cost-of-living increases for educators (I-732). But instead of funding these initiatives, the Legislature adopted charter school legislation, which would drain nearly $100 million in the coming years from existing public schools.
• Charter schools lack accountability and exhibit poor
student performance. Taxpayers foot the bill for charter schools even though they are exempt from many regulations and they’re managed and operated by private non-profit corporations, rather than local elected school boards.

Notable quote

"The education system is not set up to give teachers health care," Jason Bontrager, who is challenging WEA-PAC-recommended Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, The Seattle Times, 9/22/04

"Voters should approve Initiative 884, the education trust fund, and provide schools, colleges and universities with a much-needed infusion of resources," The Seattle Times, 9/26/04

Please contact Rich Wood if you questions or comments about the content in Legislative Outlook.

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