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.

It's time to reinstate I-732

Voters approved Initiative 732 by nearly 63 percent in 2000. Then, the Legislature suspended it in 2003. It's scheduled to go back into effect beginning next year. WEA members expect the Legislature to fund I-732's annual cost-of-living adjustments – plus restore the money they lost because of its suspension over the last two years. As far back as last April's WEA-PAC convention, Gov. Chris Gregoire has pledged her support for educator COLAs.

"... we need to fund cost-of-living pay increases to teachers – something voters overwhelmingly supported," Gregoire said in her inaugural speech earlier this month.

WEA president urges state revenue reform

WEA President Charles Hasse testified this week at a hearing on the 2002 Washington State Tax Structure Study, AKA the "Gates Commission."

Hasse spoke after remarks by Bill Gates, Sr. Hasse, Gates and others focused on the need to revamp the state's revenue system to ensure that critical services – such as public schools – receive the funding they need.

"The state Constitution is adamant – school funding is not discretionary. Expectations for students and schools don't rise and fall with state revenue forecasts," Hasse said. "It seems so very obvious to us that if we want 21st Century schools, we can't keep education funding subject to the fluctuations of a revenue system for the economy of the early 20th Century."

WEA calls for multiple measures of achievement

WEA Director of Public Policy Miebeth Bustillo-Booth recently testified before the Senate Education Committee. Last year, the Legislature authorized OSPI to develop alternatives to the 10th grade WASL for students who fail it twice. Now, lawmakers are considering the potential changes to the assessment system. While WEA continues to advocate for removing the 10th grade WASL as a graduation requirement, WEA also believes the state should advocate for multiple measures of student achievement.

"We believe the state should promote a multiple measures approach to evaluate what students know and are able to do," Bustillo-Booth said.

Gregoire meets with WEA

WEA Executive Director Armand Tiberio and WEA President Charles Hasse met with Gov. Chris Gregoire this week to discuss mutual education priorities.

"It was a positive and productive meeting," Hasse said.

Hasse said he thanked the governor for her testimony this week before the Senate Education Committee. Gregoire emphasized the need for increased education funding and highlighted her plans for a high-level study of school funding, from preschool through higher education. Gregoire said the state's education reform efforts have failed to address money issues.

Simple majority on the docket again

It's the issue that never dies. The Legislature once again is considering legislation allowing school levies and bonds to pass with a simple majority rather than the current 60 percent supermajority. It would take a two-thirds supermajority of both the House and the Senate for the proposal to pass. Then, the
issue would go on the ballot for voters to decide, since it requires a constitutional amendment. Despite strong support from the education community and even newspaper editorials, the proposal has never passed the Legislature.

WEA lobbyist Gary King testified in support of the simple-majority proposal this week.

"For many years, the WEA and our 77,000 members have advocated for the passage of this legislation," King said.

Senate Joint Resolution 8202 and Senate Bill 5144 both relate to the simple majority.

Pro Cert needs work, teachers tell legislators

The state's professional certification program for new teachers needs work, a half-dozen WEA members told the House Education Committee last Thursday.

"This program is not helping to retain teachers," said Marshall Jett, a Seattle elementary teacher. "Many of us are beyond frustration."

Jett and other teachers described the huge financial and workload burden that the program imposes on new teachers. Professional certification, or Pro Cert, is a so-called performance-based program rather than one based solely on college credits. It often takes years and costs thousands of dollars. Teachers are required to work with teams of administrators and school administrators to determine whether their teaching is benefiting student learning.

WEA members are seeking several positive changes to Pro Cert, including: delaying the timeline, increasing funding and reviewing which teachers are required to participate.

Initial results from a survey of teachers in the Pro Cert program found widespread concern and discontent.

"I just don't think that it is necessary to have another certificate when I already have a master's degree plus 50 credits," wrote one teacher.

Contact the Legislature

Your legislators want to hear from you. After all, they were elected to represent you. There are two easy ways to make sure your voice is heard:

1) Call the Legislative Hotline at 800-562-6000. Just give them your name, address and your message.
2) Visit the WEA's Legislative Action Center via the WEA Web site. Click on the cyber lobbyist button on the left. The LAC allows you to write a personal e-mail to your legislators based on key education messages.

Committee tackles school funding issues

WEA staff and members are working with the House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Finance Structure, a group studying the way schools are funded.

Earlier this week, Edmonds EA President Dan Wilson and WEA-Cascade UniServ rep Dave Wood addressed alternative pay structures and underscored the need for more state funding and greater local flexibility. For alternative pay systems to work, the state must ensure that all educators receive a
professional salary and give districts more flexibility over salaries.

On Friday, WEA researchers will explain how locally funded TRI pay works. And a WEA lobbyist is teaming up with the Public School Employees union to discuss classified pay.

Notable quotes

"There's one thing that should be on all lawmakers' lists of priorities: ensuring that k-12 educators receive a raise in the next budget." -- The Columbian editorial, 1/7/05

"The members of the WEA look forward to working with our new governor and the Legislature on important issues facing public education to ensure that all students receive the well-rounded education they need to succeed in the 21st century." -- WEA member Herb Sargo, The Skagit Valley Herald, 1/11/05

"Legislators and governors have doled out more than 500 state tax breaks or exemptions over the years, valued at $64.7 billion per biennium budget." -- The Weekly, 1/12/05

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

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