Breaking News – Dream Act Passes House moments ago and is off
to the Governor’s Desk!
The E-Wire has been down in Olympia with Director Krainick
pushing the PTA Agenda for the past few days and the results have paid
off. With the help of members raining down messages and e-mails, our
three priority bills which had not yet been moved off the Calendar were voted
out of the House today (other significant bills concerning graduation and
credit hours passed the Senate last week).
All in all, having an active membership helps and several
legislators noted the messages coming out of the PTA were respectful and well
received. So, hats off to everyone involved and time to take a 16 hour
break before our hearings start all over again tomorrow morning. You’ve
earned it. For me, I think I will wrap up House of Cards Season 2 and be ready
for the series finale of the Legislative Session which opens tomorrow at 8AM.
For those of you who really, really, really want to know
where all the bills went that were offered this year and how the PTA factored
in on the discussion – we will post our master list in the next day or so when
the last bills sail on out of the House and Senate. It’s a big file, however,
so only for the wonkiest of policy wonks!
With that, onto the E-Wire!
Top Story is CTE Credit, Breakfast After the Bell, and DXM
Reform bills pass the House! Speaking of Breakfast – not too happy news
coming in from our neighbor to the South - http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2014/02/most_oregon_middle_and_high_sc.html#incart_river
This is a problem – in Washington State, we have made major
strides in reducing homelessness. The loss of this funding stream will
set us back quite a piece - http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/feb/15/fee-that-fights-homelessness-expiring/
Some cool bills have legs this session and have advanced
onto the next rung of the legislative ladder – read about two key opportunity
gap and mental health bills here - http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/feb/15/washington-legislature-advances-school-bills/
- a mental health reform bill here - http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/02/washington_house_passes_legisl.html
restricting “gay conversion therapy” on minor children - http://capitolrecord.tvw.org/2014/02/bill-barring-gay-conversion-therapy-for-minors-passes-house/#.UwKxavldWE4
and a Rep. Roger Freeman bill aimed at
keeping families together here - http://www.federalwaymirror.com/news/245628481.html
and finally, some Higher Ed reforms clear hurdles to advance - http://www.bainbridgereview.com/news/245687631.html
Pay it Forward Plan has Hearing this week in House Higher Ed
Seattle Times comes out in favor of enhanced Foster Care
legal rights
Moving ahead in closing the opportunity gap
Kitsap Sun Starts 6 part series on School Discipline
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2014/feb/15/taking-new-tack-school-discipline/#axzz2tb0YbUGv
– here - http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2014/feb/16/confronting-the-discipline-data/#axzz2tb0YbUGv
– here - http://pugetsoundblogs.com/peninsular-thinking/2014/02/18/race-its-complicated/#axzz2tgzMmAoP
– and here - http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2014/feb/17/no-headline---disciplineday3_021814/#axzz2tgwuqYTf
As SB 6552 is in the House awaiting action, Jeff Vincent
shares his thoughts in the Seattle Times - http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2022914115_jeffvincentoped24credits17xml.html
Common Core Across the states – http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/feb/16/truth-about-common-core-probably-lies-in-middle/
take three steps forward, - http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/02/arts_standards_review.html
And two steps back – http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/nyregion/new-york-early-champion-of-common-core-standards-joins-critics.html?ref=education
ending with a question mark - http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/18/does-common-cores-focus-on-close-reading-make-sense/
Dan Kristiansen – leader from a bygone era - http://seattletimes.com/html/politics/2022928036_kristiansenprofilexml.html
Senate Majority Caucus throws together a Transportation
Package – Senate Democrats far off http://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2014/02/13/some-senators-offer-transportation-package-others-pan-it/
KUOW Explores Delayed Start Times for Better Teen Learning
- http://kuow.org/post/sleep-deprived-teenagers-starting-school-later-could-help-them-catch
It‘s one thing to report about education, it’s another thing
to experience it close up
You know, I really hate getting this stuff confirmed
And for our moment of cuteness – I’ve had this problem
trying to hide amendments in bills – guess the squirrel can relate? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTPOSdyA7Uo
The E-wire is written by
WA State PTA Staff and Edited by Director Sherry Krainick. Have questions
or things you would like to see covered in the E-Wire? Write us at PTALEGDIR@wastatepta.org
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