Taking Action in Olympia - January 29, 2021

Session Week 3, January 29, 2021

Moving our priorities from bills to laws

This week, several of the bills WEA supports moved out of committee or on from their house of origin.  This is fantastic news and a great chance for a refresher on the legislative process.

Our state’s legislative process is a little different from that of Washington, DC, so just a quick refresher!  The legislature has this dry but handy overview.  Or, here’s a far simpler graphic.  Note that most education bills become law that June or July so they are in place for the start of the school year. 

Stay tuned as more of our priorities move through the process, including several that passed their house of origin this week.  Keep reading!

What happened this week?

Fully fund schools

·         Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic through state actions supported by federal funding --  HB 1368 – The House Appropriations committee heard a bill that will swiftly send out the recently enacted federal funds passed by the US Congress in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act,  K-12 funding is provided to school districts in our state using the Title I allocation which means funding is provided to schools giving a greater weight to high-poverty schools.  Low-income communities have been disproportionately affected by the impacts of COVID.  For all these reasons, WEA testified in support of this bill to expedite these federal funds to our schools.

·         Student transportation funding – SB 5128 – would fix the funding formula for people transportation to make districts whole during COVID. WEA testified in strong support in the Senate Ways and Means hearing yesterday.

·         K-12 staff salary review -- HB 1266 – would create a committee that reviews basic education compensation, considers changes to recruit and retain a diverse workforce, and recommends adjustments for the legislative review and rebase in 2023.  The committee will include educators as well as community members and state policy makers. WEA testified in favor. Scheduled for a committee vote this coming Monday.

·         Furloughs and wage freezes in higher ed -  SB 5323 – would suspend I-732 cost of living increases and create furlough days in higher ed.  WEA testified against on Thursday. 

·         Pension protections – SB 5021 -- Steps to protect pensions from the impact of furloughs and temporary layoffs were passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday.  WEA supports.·         Charter schools – HB 1195 – would extend the time frame for establishing charter schools.  WEA opposed in its hearing this week.

·         Vouchers –SB 5200 – This bill, under the disguise of scholarships, would allow public tax dollars to be used for private school tuition, reducing the funding for public education. WEA strongly opposes and testified against this (Friday) morning.

·         Deferral of local levy payments  - HB 1332 –would allow some property owners delay their April property tax payment until October had a public hearing in the House Finance committee.  WEA expressed concerns with this proposed legislation as it would affect school district operations and debt service payments for the current school year.  WEA is seeking to have the bill amended to allow school districts no-interest lows to bridge school district cashflow until the deferred tax payments are collected.

·         Creation of a state public bank - SB 5188 - received a public hearing this week in the Senate Business, Financial Services & Trade committee on Thursday.  WEA’s continuing resolutions supports the creation of a public cooperative bank.  This bill will most likely not advance past this public hearing as has been the fate of this policy idea in prior sessions.

·         Allowing school districts to enter financing agreements with private companies - SB 5181 - had a hearing in Senate Early Learning and K-12 committee Friday. WEA testified with concern as this bill is creating a band-aid approach instead of focusing on the systemic funding problems with school construction such as the supermajority requirement for school bonds and the lopsided state and local partnership for funding school construction. 

Improve equity, dismantle racism, meet the needs of all students

·         Professional development on equity, cultural competency, and dismantling racism – SB 5044 – This is a WEA priority bill that would advance racial equity in our schools by ensuring that every educator, including administrators, has an understanding of equity issues.  WEA members testified in favor when heard in committee and the bill passed in the Senate and is now headed to the House.

·         Eliminate the edTPA – HB 1028 – The edTPA is a barrier to creating a more diverse and inclusive educator workforce. It’s a WEA priority to pass this bill to eliminate the edTPA requirement and replace it with rigorous standards for student teachers to demonstrate their skills.  The bill passed out of the House Education committee unanimously and will next be scheduled for a hearing in Appropriations.

·         Increase language access in schools – HB 1153 –  would require districts to implement a language access program for culturally responsive, systemic family engagement and directs OSPI to establish a language access technical assistance program.  WEA testified in support.  It is now scheduled for a committee vote this Thursday.

·         Revise school attendance rules and procedures – HB 1113 -   would update school attendance law to reflect a focus on multi-tiered supports and interventions to better support rather than punish students.  WEA testified pro.  It was passed out of the House Education committee on Thursday and will now be sent to House Rules.

·         Diversity and equity training for higher education – SB 5227 – would establish for higher education faculty and staff a professional development program on diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.  WEA supports.  The bill was heard in the Senate Higher Ed and Workforce committee on Tuesday.

·         Education access post-incarceration – HB 1044 – would ease the transition from incarceration to postsecondary education.  WEA supports.  This passed the House College and Workforce Development committee and has been referred to House Appropriations.

·         Mastery-based learning – SB 5249 – would continue a work group to develop a WA state profile of a graduate describing the cross-disciplinary skills a student should have developed by the time they graduate high school.  WEA testified in favor in its Monday hearing.

·         Fair access to transcripts – HB 1176 – would eliminate the requirement that all expenses and fees be paid in full before a student’s official transcript can be released.  WEA supports and testified in favor.  It is scheduled for possible committee vote Thursday.

·         Equity and economic inclusion -  SB 5241 – would create community grants to promote equity, economic inclusion, and stable financial foundation for people experiencing poverty, with a specific focus on people of color and rural communities.  WEA supports this legislation during its public hearing on Tuesday.  WEA expects this bill to pass from the policy committee and on to the fiscal committee next Thursday.

·         School based health centers -- HB 1225 – would allow districts to establish in-school health centers.  WEA supports.  This bill was heard in committee on Monday and is scheduled for executive action on Wednesday.

·         Learning assistance program funding – HB 1208 – would create more flexibility for the learning assistance program funding to better address learning gaps and mental health needs. WEA supports. Now scheduled for a possible vote on Thursday.

·         Broadband expansion – HB 1336 - Authorizes public utility districts, ports districts, cities and towns, and counties to provide retail telecommunications services.  WEA membership passed a new business item in 2020 to lobby the legislature to regulate internet access as a public utility.  WEA supports this bill which had a public hearing on Wednesday this week and expects this bill to move out of the policy committee next Friday.

Address the challenges presented by COVID-19 recovery in schools

·         Create a bridge year pilot program – SB 5265 – would create pilot programs in high schools allowing students to defer graduation from high school in order to pursue additional learning to make up for COVID challenges.  WEA testified pro in its committee hearing.

Ensure school safety

·         Grants for teaching media literacy – SB 5242 – would direct the OSPI to create a grant program to support school librarians in teaching media and digital literacy.  WEA supported this bill in its Monday hearing.

·         Safe drinking water – HB 1139 – would direct the Department of Health to test each school for lead in the drinking water, disclose lead testing levels publicly, and make available technical guidance to help districts reduce lead levels.  WEA supports.  Now scheduled for a possible committee vote on Thursday.

What’s new next week?

Fully fund schools

·         Wealth Tax - HB 1406 - will create a tax of less than one percent for the wealthiest in our state who hold stocks and bonds valued in excess of $1B.  This bill would create a wealth tax based on a constitutional amendment WEA helped pass in the 1930’s.  WEA members passed a new business item in 2020 to lobby the legislature to pass progressive tax reform that lowers the tax burden on most Washingtonians and requires wealthy individuals and corporations to pay their fair share.  WEA will testify in support of this bill and HB 1297 creating a working families tax exemption.  These two policies paired together will help balance our state’s regressive tax structure.

Improve equity, dismantle racism, meet the needs of all students

·         Higher ed supports for homeless and foster care students - HB 1166 – would expand access to the homeless and foster care college students pilot program.  WEA supports.  This bill is up for a possible committee vote on Monday at 3:30 p.m. in the House Appropriations committee.

·         Disclosure of low-cost higher ed course options - HB 1119 – would notify students of courses with low-cost instructional materials and open educational resources at the four-year institutions of higher education.  WEA supports.  Its hearing is Monday at 3:30 p.m. in the House Appropriations committee and possible committee vote on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

·         Provide menstrual products in schools – SB 5070 and HB 1273– would create a requirement for school districts to provide sanitary napkins and tampons in all female- and gender-neutral-designated restrooms. WEA supported in its committee hearings.  Will be heard in House Appropriations committee on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. with a possible committee vote on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

·         Eliminating school lunch co-pays -- HB 1342 – would remove lunch copays for students who qualify for reduced-price lunches.  Current program is K-3, this bill will make it PK-12.  WEA members passed a new business item in 2020 to lobby the legislature to make all meals free for K-12 students. WEA will testify in support of this bill on Tuesday in the House Appropriations committee.  WEA expects this bill to pass out of the fiscal committee on Thursday.

·         Eliminating indigenous mascots - HB 1356 – would prohibit the inappropriate use of Native American names, symbols, or images as public school mascots, logos, or team names.   WEA supports.  It will be heard on Friday at 10:00 a.m. in the House Education committee.

·         College in the high school - HB 1302 – would allow students who take college-level classes in their high schools to receive college credits.  WEA will testify pro on Friday at 10:00 a.m.in the House Education committee.

·         Fair access to transcripts - HB 1176 – would remove regulations authorizing high schools to withhold transcripts for certain students.  WEA supports.  Up for possible vote in the House Education committee on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

Address the challenges presented by COVID-19 recovery in schools

·         Graduation access - HB 1162 – would add additional options for students to achieve graduation requirements.  WEA supports.  Up for a possible vote on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the House Education committee.

·         Computer science education - SB 5299 – would mandate the availability of computer science courses in high schools and allowing the use of computer science credits for the purpose of graduation requirements.  WEA will testify pro.  Heard in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education committee on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Ensure school safety

·         Educator secondary trauma - HB 1363 – would require school districts to adopt policies and procedures to prevent and address secondary trauma in the K-12 workforce.  WEA supports. Heard in the House Education committee on Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. and up for possible committee vote on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

·         Behavioral health resource information - HB 1373 – would require public schools to publish on their websites contact information for depression, suicide prevention, and other mental health support organizations.   WEA supports. Heard in the House Education committee on Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. and up for possible committee vote on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

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