Gov. Inslee's Budget Expected Soon
Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to release his state budget plan next week.
His budget will set the bar for later budget plans from the Senate and House. We need Gov. Inslee to invest in smaller class sizes in every grade level and support staff to meet individual student needs -- in addition to competitive, professional pay for all school employees.
Email the governor about school funding.
The 2017 Legislative session starts Jan. 9. WEA is organizing the Rally for Student Civil Rights & Amply Funded Public Schools on Jan. 16 (MLK Jr. Day) on the Capitol steps in Olympia from 10:30 am to 11:20 am, including a march to legislative offices. From 11:30 am to 12:30 pm we’ll hand-deliver the Student Bill of Rights to all legislators. Parents, students and community groups are encouraged to join us, with an emphasis on Western Washington. The NAACP and Washington's Paramount Duty are co-sponsors.
Saturday, March 11, WEA UniServ councils and locals are organizing back-home legislative accountability meetings focused on school funding.
Saturday, April 15, we’re organizing a big school funding media event at the WEA Representative Assembly in Spokane and inviting WEA members and supporters from all over Eastern Washington.
The regular legislative session is scheduled to end April 21, but special sessions are likely. We need to continue to put pressure on the Legislature to fund smaller class sizes and professional pay and to protect local bargaining rights.
This summer, more than 160 WEA locals have open contracts. Whatever happens this session will affect those bargains.
