Parents are strong advocates for our children
and community and are encouraged to communicate their opinions to the PTA, their
legislators and representatives on issues that impact education in
Washington State.
Washington State PTA's primary
legislative focus are the following five issues:
|
- Basic Education Funding
- Strengthening Math and Science Curriculum and Education
- Washington State Assessment System Improvements
- Support State Board of Education Core 24 Framework
- Support Rational Approaches to Teacher Compensation
|
Vote by February 9th! Look for your ballot in the mail. Click
here for important ballot
issues
More information on these topics is available at the
Washington State PTA
web site.
The Washington legislature is currently considering HB 1410 and SB 5444 the
final proposal put forth by the Basic Education Task Force. To learn more
about these bills or ways to contact your legislator to support them, please
visit the Stand for Children
website.
To learn more education legislation:
|
PTSA Passes Resolution Opposing I-1033 and Supporting Passage of
Issaquah School Levies
The Cougar Ridge PTSA passed a resolution supporting a NO
VOTE on I-1033 at its October 15th PTSA Joint Board and General Membership
meeting. This
makes our PTSA a part of a broad coalition opposing I-1033 because of the
measure's devastating impact on education and other important services
across the state. Initiative 1033 would have major consequences on
education in Washington State by making $1.5 billion of recession-era cuts
to K-12 education permanent in our state. Our
PTSA now joins organizations such as the Greater Seattle Chamber of
Commerce, Microsoft, the Children’s Alliance, the Nature Conservancy, AARP
Washington, Washington Education Association, Washington State Hospital
Association and many others opposing I-1033. Initiative
1033 will be on the ballot this November and we
hope you’ll join our efforts in voting NO on I-1033! For more
information go to http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/PreviousElections/2009/GeneralElection/Pages
or contact the PTSA Legislative Chair, Shelly Hall at
rogers-hallfamily@verizon.net.
The PTSA also passed a resolution supporting Issaquah's three
levies that will be on the February 2010 ballot. Many
basic education funding needs such as textbooks and technology, are not
fully covered by the state. This means that nearly all of the state's
295 school districts must ask local communities to cover about 20% of basic
needs by approving local levies. Levies are intended to cover
on-going costs of a school district. The Issaquah School District
plans to present three levy measures to the voters on the February 2010
ballot that include: 1) a renewal of the Maintenance and Operations Levy for
basic operations of schools; 2) a Transportation Levy to preserve the school
bus depreciation schedule; and 3) a Capital Levy to fund critical building
repairs and educational technology. For more information on the proposed
levies go to http://www.issaquah.wednet.edu/district/levyor
contact the PTSA Legislative Chair, Shelly Hall.
|
Legislation