Hundreds rally to focus on kids

Several hundred advocates braved the rain this President's Day and marched to the Capitol Steps to convey a simple message: Kids come first.

·          Kids need a great basic education, and most important, kids need it fully funded. Kids need to be kept healthy and safe. And most important, kids need champions. TAKE ACTION

The rally was part of Washington State PTA’s annual Focus Day. This is the day members focus on Olympia and tell our state leaders that kids come first. It is also the day key legislators meet with members to let us know what’s ahead and how we can better focus our work.

HB 2127, House operations budget; feedback

Update: In this response I overlooked a cut to small high schools that would have indeed been significant to the students and staff involved. Fortunately that funding was restored in a later version of the bill. This budget proposal otherwise kept allocations the same for Basic Education, but made cuts to some education enhancement programs. - RH

To: House Ways and Means Committee
Re: HB 2127, House operations budget

Dear Chairman Hunter and committee members,

Improving and funding basic education is Washington State PTA’s top priority and we are heartened that there are no additional significant cuts to K-12 proposed in your 2012 supplemental operating budget.

HB 2538, WaKids; testimony in support

To: Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee

Re: WaKids, HB 2538

Dear Chairwoman McAuliffe and committee members,

I wanted to follow up on my testimony in support of HB 2538, which moves up implementation of WaKids’ inventory of skills. Washington State PTA continues to support WaKids and looks forward to statewide implementation.

With WaKids the focus is on understanding each student’s particular needs and using that information to build strong relationships with the family so that, together, family and educator can better support the child.

House releases budget

House Ways and Means budget writers released the "first draft" of the 2012 supplemental operating budget, PSHB 2127.

Action Alert: Tell legislators - no cuts to schools; keep kids healthy and safe
Highlights:

• No additional cuts to basic education
• $400 million "delay" in school payments and levy equalization payments

House budget to be heard Feb. 21

Grassroots Connection: Update from Olympia

The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a public hearing on its proposed supplemental budget Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 3:30 p.m., in Room A of the John L. O'Brien Building on the Capitol Campus.

The hearing will be on the substitute bill by Rep. Hunter. The current version of HB 2127 is the governor's proposal, prefiled by Rep. Hunter at the request of the governor. I will post a link to the substitute when it becomes available.

Evaluation, budget updates from Olympia

EVALUATION BILL ADVANCES

The House Education Committee passed ESSB 5895 out of committee today. It passed the Senate last week, 46-3. Bill analysis.
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BUDGET NEWS
Revenue Forecast: Up $96 million — good news for lawmakers
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House budget expected next week; Senate budget shortly thereafter
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Alternative House budget released

Time to check in with legislators

CORRECTION: No town hall for District 37 (southeast Seattle) this weekend.

Townhalls are this weekend -- see list, below

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FOCUS DAY IS MONDAY! Kids activities starting at 9 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. march to the capitol steps; noon rally

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Evaluation compromise clears Senate, on to House

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Early learning pieces advance, but key components still being worked on

Compromise evaluation bill clears Senate; on to House

Senate votes on compromise legislation for teacher, principal evaluations
Roll call: 46-3

Striker SSB 5895

Tell legislators: THINK KIDS

Dear advocates,

Children are the heart of PTA work. Help them out by sending a valentine on their behalf. It will help keep children’s issues front and center as the House and Senate move bills off the floor February 13 and 14.

Sample message is included in Action Alert. TAKE ACTION.

If you like, ask your legislators to support a particular bill. See list, below.

Evaluation bills are about helping kids learn

STATE’S WORK USES A GROWTH MODEL, NOT A BLAME MODEL

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Dear advocates,

The evaluation work being piloted in this state is about taking responsibility for the needs of students and the support that requires. The teacher, principal, school district, family and greater community all play a role in helping kids learn. The evaluation work is one piece of the puzzle. It's the part that lets teachers and principals know how they are doing, and helps them identify what they can do better.

Tell them you care

Universal early learning cleared committee (2SHB 2448); evaluations are back on the agenda (SSB 5895 and SSB 5896); and taking care of kids’ well-being and education will be front and center of budget discussions.

So send a valentine to your legislators. They need some cheer. We (heart) kids Action Alert

What does "student growth data" mean, anyway?

Education, 2/10/12 8:00 am

House Full Committee, House Hearing Rm A, John L. O'Brien Building, Olympia, WA
Work Session: Use of Student Growth Data in Educator Evaluations.
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Dear advocates,

So just what DOES “multiple measures of student growth” mean?

Finally – A hearing for Fund Education First bill

UPDATES:
Legislators propose 'Education First'  - Spokesman Review
Alternate budget spends $580M more on education - The Olympian

Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/2012/02/02/1974856/house-gops-budget-spends-580m.html#storylink=cpy

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TAKE ACTION - Tell your legislators to phase in basic education plan
TVW tape - 1/31 hearing in House Education Appropriations
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Many thanks to PTA members Chad Magendanz and Moneika Rupert who testified Tuesday in support of HB 2533 - Prioritizing expenditures for K-12 education within the state appropriations process. President Novella Fraser also submitted a letter of support, and I provided the “official” WSPTA testimony. This bill aligns with our No. 5 priority – Fund Education First.

The bill requires all appropriations for K-12 basic education, together with appropriations for other K-12 education programs, to be enacted into law before the legislature takes executive action on other omnibus appropriations legislation.

Another blow to basic education, funding

BILL WOULD KILL 24-CREDIT COLLEGE AND CAREER-READY DIPLOMA
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Set requirements below what most schools currently require
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Dear advocates,

Yesterday afternoon a bill was heard that would redefine basic education to include only 18 credits and not the 24 in the college and career ready diploma outlined in 2009’s HB 2261.
The rolled-back definition in this new bill, HB 2411, was supported by the Washington Education Association (teachers union) and Washington State School Director Association (school board association).

Lab schools, charter schools get House hearing

Dear advocates,
The charter discussion continued in the House Education Committee today. I strongly encourage you to watch the TVW video:

• Jan. 20, 2012 House Education Committee hearing on HB 2428, a bill that would allow a limited number of charter schools to operate in Washington and that would set up a statewide district called a transformation zone.

Early learning bill gets hearing Jan. 20

HB 2448 - Creating the high-quality early learning act

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House Early Learning & Human Services

1/20/2012, 1:30 p.m.
House Hearing Rm D, John L. O'Brien Building, Olympia, WA
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Related WSPTA 2012 priority: Early learning
Also supported as a National PTA priority (see page 7 of the policy brief)

Hearing recap and testimony on charter schools

A work session on Washington’s Innovative Schools and a public hearing on SB 6041, lighthouse school programs; and SB 6202, establishing alternative forms of governance for certain public schools

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TVW video:

2012 Designated Innovative Schools

Overview of TAF Academy

Charter school, transformation zone chart

Dear advocates,

Innovation was the theme at this morning’s gathering of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee. First senators heard an overview of the state’s designated Innovative Schools and a presentation by the TAF Academy, a public-private partnership that operates STEM-focused schools in Federal Way and Renton. (STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

Evaluations, early learning, juvenile justice, charters

Dear advocates,

LOTS of issues from our 2012 platform to weigh in on or track this week, from implementing the revised evaluation system, to charter schools, educational opportunities, early learning and juvenile justice. Plus issues included in our legislative principles and resolutions.

This week’s legislative agenda has been updated several times and several hearings or work sessions have been canceled or delayed due to snow.

DAILY AGENDAS – Always check before heading to Olympia. They can change

TVW SCHEDULE – Watch hearings live on TV or web; they also archive them

WSPTA Top 6 and other supported issues

Reform bills introduced in House and Senate

ADDRESS EVALUATIONS, CHARTERS AND ‘TRANSFORMATION ZONES’
Press conference
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WSPTA statement on implementing new teacher and principal evaluations
Re: : HB 2427/SB 6203

Washington State PTA is proud to serve on the Teacher and Principal Evaluation Pilot Oversight Committee and is strongly supportive of the work underway to promote professional growth. We look forward to student-focused evaluations that give educators the feedback they need to progress from a beginner with basic skills to an experienced professional with distinguished skills.

Court to state: No more delays on K-12 funding

UPDATE 2/3/12: TAKE ACTION - Tell your legislators to phase in basic education


Dear advocates,

In a clear win for children, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled unanimously today that the state was violating its constitutional paramount duty to amply fund K-12 education. The ruling

This is a historic victory, and starting today we have a new conversation. No longer are we going to petition over loss of school days or access to all-day kindergarten.

Starting today, the cuts stop and funding starts.