How will school salary cuts play out?

Dear advocates,

Short answer to the salary question: It will vary among districts. Any loss in take-home pay will depend on local contracts, local resources and how much of the staff is hired using local funds. The cut is to an allocation. Actual reductions in take-home pay may range between 3 percent (for principals) and none.

The answer will also vary among individuals. Details (and there are many!) are below.

K-12 budget points you need to know

Dear advocates,

Public education is a core function of the state and its paramount duty (per the constitution). The state is charged with ensuring equitable and stable funding.

Here are some quick points about the proposed budgets:

Basic Education 101

The legislators' proposed cuts are severe and we are concerned about the state's ability to meet its constitutional duty. Here is a primer on Basic Education.

CITATIONS FOR BASIC EDUCATION:
           
The State Constitution provides that:

• "It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders…" (Article IX, Section 1), and, 
• "The legislature shall provide for a general and uniform system of public schools. …" (Article IX, Section 2);

The courts have held:
In School Funding I and II the court interpreted these articles of the State Constitution and established important funding principles for the state, including that:

Resources for Arts Education Month

• What does the law say about arts education?
  http://artsedwashington.org/qas/what-does-the-law-say-about-arts-education
• What’s happening to the arts in our schools?
  http://artsedwashington.org/qas/what’s-happening-to-the-arts-in-our-schools
• Why is arts learning so unique in its impact?
  http://artsedwashington.org/qas/why-is-arts-learning-so-unique-in-its-impact

Contracts and school policy; using data in family engagement

1. Advancing student achievement through labor-management collaboration
2. Using data to transform family engagement

1. LABOR-MANAGEMENT COLLABORATION
Interesting reading for those of you interested in how contracts affect student outcome.

• Advancing Student Achievement Through Labor-Management Collaboration:  http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/labor-management-collaboration-program.pdf  

Update on Budget Cuts – and Outlook for out Top Priorities

Dear advocates,

The first two weeks of legislative session were hectic. In addition to the hearings, there were key meetings of the Quality Education Council and the State Board of Education, as well as ongoing meetings of the steering committee for the Teacher/Principal Evaluation Pilot. Budget hearings and money (or lack of) is coloring everything. PTA/PTSA members need to understand there are 2 budget issues.

REFORM-EVALUATIONS, SB 6696:

Hi advocates,

More food for thought (and not revenue, this time) … Wash State PTA is part of the state’s Teacher/Principal Evaluation Pilot oversight committee. At the committee’s last meeting, the Measure of Effective Teaching project was cited. I found the project’s website site interesting and thought you might as well. I particularly like that it looks at the substantive nature of teaching – not just test scores.

ADVOCATES TAKE AIM WITH TAX BREAKS:

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/print-edition/2011/01/07/advocatestake-aim-at-tax-breaks.html

Hi advocates,

The revenue coalition we worked alongside with on I-1098 is working on tax exemptions this session. I will be putting together a policy paper on this for our association’s board members (they meet later this month).

We don’t have a position on tax reform, but given our newest resolution on revenue (we should consider revenue increases that support our funding priorities) I wanted to share some information with you. The revenue coalition is basically saying given the extreme cuts we’re seeing, we should look at closing some tax loopholes. (There has been a petition circulating.) The other side equates ending exemptions to increasing business taxes at a bad time.

Again, food for thought as we go into a tough session that will have long-term consequences for our state.

Ramona Hattendor