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.

Voters believe it's time to fund the COLA

WEA members believe the Legislature has an obligation to follow the will of the voters and to fully fund the COLAs mandated by I-732. Recent polling shows that 77 percent of Washington voters believe our COLAs should be restored.

Most educators have gone two years without a full COLA, and they have lost thousands of dollars in salary as a result.

WEA backs bills to improve professional certification

Two bills improving the cumbersome professional certification (Pro Cert) system for teachers have survived the first cut-off date for bills this session.

Lindsay Steele from Mukilteo EA listens closely during a recent Pro Cert Road Show.

Substitute House Bill 2212 and Senate Bill 5983 would make much-needed improvements in the Pro Cert system, including extending the timeline for earning Pro Cert.

WEA lobbyist Lucinda Young said improving Pro Cert is one of WEA's top priorities.

"It is critical to have a system that improves the skills of educators and acknowledges their professionalism," Young told members of the House Education Committee.

Key bills survive first deadline in Olympia

Wednesday, March 2 was the first cut-off date for bills this session. To survive, non-budget bills had to pass out of their committees of origin by that date.

Most of WEA's priority bills remain alive, including bills improving the professional certification system and bills calling for countywide school levies. Other WEA priorities, including compensation, are part of the budget. Gov. Chris Gregoire and the state Senate are expected to release their versions of the state budget shortly after the next state revenue forecast on March 17.

EFF lobbies against teachers

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation, funded by wealthy out-of-state businesspeople, claims it's not a political group.

Yeah, right. With funding from the Arkansas family that owns Wal-Mart, EFF continues to advance its anti-union, anti-public education agenda in Olympia.

An EFF lobbyist recently testified before the Senate education committee, urging lawmakers to base teacher pay on student test scores instead of education and experience. She said the current pay system encourages teachers to cheat and "creates perverse incentives to defraud the system with false credentials."

State revenue up, but budget shortfall still looms

State revenue is increasing by an estimated $1.5 billion in the coming biennium.

The cost of maintaining current state services is expected to exceed state revenue by about $2.2 billion, however.

That means elected leaders in Olympia are considering raising taxes or cutting services to balance the budget. WEA supports increasing state revenue instead of slashing education and other vital programs.

When lawmakers write the budget later this month, public schools must be a top priority. Education is the state's "paramount duty" according to the state Constitution. Good schools are crucial to a strong economy, and students need a quality education to compete for jobs in the global, high-tech community.

WEA members caution lawmakers against once again balancing the budget on the backs of students and educators. Two years ago, the Legislature cut more than $600 million from the K-12 schools budget. Washington's current per-pupil spending ranks 42nd in the nation, yet our academic standards are among the most stringent in the United States.

Bottom line: Great schools require investment.

Tell your legislators: COLA counts, this week and always

It's COLA Counts Week in Olympia.

Each day this week, teams of WEA members have headed to the state Capitol to lobby legislators on compensation issues -- including COLAs for school employees.

"It is necessary for educators to come down and meet with the people who represent us and the public," said Stanwood-Camano teacher Lara Brown.

Brown and three colleagues from WEA Fourth Corner visited several of their legislators this week. They asked their elected leaders for commitments on four top compensation issues:

• Restoring the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) mandated by voter-approved Initiative 732.
• Making up the COLAs that were suspended the last two years.
• Insurance funding that keeps pace with increased premium costs.
• Pension improvements, including lowering the retirement age for educators in Plans 2 and 3.

All WEA members and public school supporters are encouraged to participate in COLA Counts Week. To send a message to your legislators in support of professional compensation for educators, visit WEA's Legislative Action Center or call the Legislative Hotline at 800-562-6000.

National Board stipend should be law

WEA supports state-funded stipends for teachers who earn prestigious National Board certification.

The current state budget funds annual $3,500 stipends for teachers who are nationally certified. House Bill 2045 would codify the stipend in law, making it permanent and not subject to biennial budget negotiations.

"Research demonstrates that teachers who gain the rigorous National Board certificate are not only highly qualified but are also extremely effective in improving student learning," said Lucinda Young, a WEA lobbyist.

Countywide school levies would help equalize housing costs

WEA backs a bill that would allow voters to approve permanent countywide school levies that could be used to increase educator pay in high-cost areas.

House Bill 1484 would be used to fund regional COLA supplements for school employees. It would help equalize the salary disparities between high-cost districts and those in less-expensive areas. A previous version of the bill allowed the new levy money to be spent on professional development and student programs, but the current version is limited to employee compensation.

To send an e-mail to your legislators in support of HB 1484, visit WEA's Legislative Action Center.

Notable quote

"This Legislature must find a way to restore funding for I-732 and make up for what has been lost in previous years. Just as with deferring investments in transportation and other infrastructure requirements, deferring investments in schools is a shortsighted stopgap that damages long-term prospects for the state's economic well-being." -- WEA President Charles Hasse, The News Tribune, 3/1/05

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