We are making progress on education reform! 

In a historic show of support for basic education reform in Washington state, the House voted 71-26 to support systemic changes in public education.  The House bill includes phased-in all-day kindergarten, the Core 24 program (the state board of education’s proposal to increase the number of required graduation credits from 19 to 24) and  preschool for low-income children.   It also includes an increase in hard to find transportation dollars, greater school accountability and gifted education. 

Speaking passionately from the floor, Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-5th, asked his colleagues, "The children in our school system are less educated than their parents.  If not now, then when?"  One of the key members of the Basic Education Finance Task Force and a prominent supporter of basic education reform, Rep. Ross Hunter, D-48th, said the current system is "a meaningless set of formulas" that "drives us to make crazy decisions." 

The LWSD’s entire legislative contingency supported House Bill 2261.  The Senate passed the much weaker companion bill, ESB 6048.  The goal of the WSPTA is to have the House bill be the bill that makes it through the session.  Tell your legislators that you support HB 2261!

Kathleen Reynolds
Legislative Chair