The State Board of Education is holding their November 13 -14, 2014 board meeting in Vancouver. The agenda and meeting materials are available on their website at: http://www.sbe.wa.gov/materials.php. They have scheduled time for public comment on November 13 at noon and November 14 at 11:45 a.m. Because those times aren’t always convenient for working educational leaders, they are extending an invitation for a separate community meeting in Vancouver for Superintendents, School Board Members and Legislators on Wednesday, November 12 at 5:30 p.m. at ESD 112, Skamania Room, 2500 NE 65th Ave, Vancouver.
The constitution is clear; the state’s top priority is the provision of basic education to every student in Washington. Enhanced revenue and sustainable funding are necessary to comply with the paramount duty, without harming programs students need to be successful in school and in life.
Full-day kindergarten, smaller class sizes and new graduation requirements can only be implemented with additional classroom space in most districts, and new schools in some. State support for the actual costs of construction, bond approval with a simple majority, and changes to the Growth Management Act are required to make these reforms possible for all students.
What goes on in the classroom matters most for student success. Eighty hours per year for teacher professional development, and support for the Teacher and Principal Evaluation Project (TPEP), means more interesting lessons and more engaged students. Funding the actual costs of materials, supplies and operations (MSOC) will enhance the learning environment and classroom experience for every student in Washington.
Schools are often obliged to comply with specific legislative requirements, without adequate funding. For example, Special Education law is unambiguous; schools must provide all services specified in students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs). However, costs vary according to the needs of each student in the program and the state does not provide enough funding to offer all required services.
Reforms take time. We must stay the course with current reforms, determine what’s working, and make corrections along the way.
http://wssda.org/Portals/0/legislative/priorities/2014/Legislative%20Priorities%202015%20(web).pdf