Soundview Uniserv Council

Professional Development Network

Find trainings in your zone and learn about WEA trainings on a range of topics, including:

• Closing the Achievement and Opportunity Gaps
• Teacher Evaluation
• State Learning Standards
• Certification: Home Stretch and Jump Start
• Special Education
• Advocacy and Organizing
• and more...

McCleary & School Funding Back in Court Sept. 7

On Sept. 7, the Washington Supreme Court will once again hold a hearing for state officials to explain why they haven’t complied with the court’s demand for a plan to fully fund public schools.

In Washington state, public education is a civil right guaranteed by the state Constitution. A quality public education gives all children the opportunity to be successful. Yet every day the state fails to fully fund basic education, we are violating our children’s civil rights.

WEA opposes those three proposals:

• Restricting local decision-making
• Eliminating locally bargained TRI pay for teachers
• Requiring all K-12 employees to bargain salaries and benefits with the state instead of their local school district

The 2016 Legislature created yet another committee to study school funding (the fifth or sixth such group, by some accounts). Earlier this summer, the committee held hearings and solicited recommendations from stakeholders.

Regardless of their ZIP Code or family background, the basic education our children deserve is pretty basic:

• Fund smaller class sizes in every grade level and additional support staff as required by I-1351, which is now the law.
• Fully fund competitive, professional base pay and benefits for all K-12 school employees, and maintain flexibility for school districts to supplement educators’ pay beyond the base state salary.
• Fund 10 days of professional development.
• Fund the full cost of supplies, curriculum, operating costs and transportation, and make sure all schools are equipped with modern technology.
• Fund specific student needs, including special education, gifted, learning assistance program, and transitional bilingual education for English language learners.
• Fully fund school construction to modernize existing schools, build new schools and expand classroom capacity.
• Protect levy funding and preserve local control of public schools.