Senate Democrats release budget proposals

The Senate Democrats released their initial budget proposal today. 

WEA President Kim Mead said that, “The Senate Democrats' budget makes progress on several key areas that WEA members have been advocating for, though it does not go far enough for all of our students or educators.”

WEA members appreciate that the Senate Democratic budget:

• Funds the new health care system for K-12 educators as negotiated earlier this year with Governor Inslee. 
• Provides a significant investment in the state need grant for higher education which will benefit thousands of eligible students.
• Invests in comprehensive paraeducator training, funding four days of training for these professionals who work with students every day.
• Funds ethnic studies, holocaust education, school safety plans and school resource officer training, social emotional learning, and other programs that will improve the lives of our students.

However, WEA members strongly encourage the Senate Democrats to invest more in critical areas:

• Fully fund special education
• Provide competitive pay for higher education faculty 
• Ensure financial stability for education retirees
• Address the needs school districts with lower property values, through levy equalization. WEA encourages both the House and Senate to work quickly on a bill that provides local communities a greater degree of local control and local flexibility over their local levies.

WEA continues to encourage all legislators to make funding these priorities a part of the final negotiated budget.