The House is debating a bill to try to qualify for Race to the Top money and implement the new funding formula for schools over time.

“We’re no longer talking about Race to the Top, Mr. Speaker, we’re talking about race to the middle,” Rep. Skip Priest said. He said the provisions in the bill are not enough to win the federal grant money. But, he said, it’s critical to pass the bill — with the funding and Race to the Top provisions — now to keep the state moving forward.

Rep. Marcie Maxwell said she met with children from her district this morning. “I just want to strongly support it and say that every one of those kids is worth it,” she said.

Rep. Bruce Dammeier: “I am one that wishes it were bolder, that wishes we were moving a little stronger to the Race to the Top areas. We have an opportunity here and I wish we were taking advantage of it.“  He said the bill has a significant fiscal note, but he’s voting yes.

Rep. Mark Miloscia said he works as a substitute teacher. “I do appreciate a lot of the elements of this bill, I’m going to be a reluctant no… we don’t many times actually have true reform that actually has real accountability,” he said, and this bill doesn’t hit the mark.

Rep. Tim Probst said it’s a bill he’s proud to vote for. “We talk a lot about education and taking care of our kids … last year we had a major education reform and one of the things that we talked about is usually we do reform and we don’t follow it with funding and how that’s no way to make things happen,” he said, “And here we are keeping the promise.”

Rep. Reuven Carlyle said he’s torn and that the state is so much more than what its become. “If we were designing state government today with the depth of our Constitution’s commitment to public education, what would state government look like?” He said it would likely look different — with bigger commitments to education and public health.

Rep. Gary Alexander: “There is no money, Mr. Speaker, no money to address this requirement.” He said they’re setting up obligations in future budget periods that the state will not be able to pay for. “Don’t tell me about the fact that we funded it because we put it in the fiscal note,” he said. “I am just as dedicated to the education of our children as anybody on this floor, but until you show me the money — show me the money in the budget — I can’t vote for this.”

Update: The House passed the bill 76 to 22.

Tags: education, Reform

Sen. Joe Zarelli’s bill to reduce the local levy and increase property tax — providing the revenue to schools and evening out the playing field for levy-dependent schools — is scheduled for a hearing on Monday.

I usually don’t  post when a bill gets a hearing, but this bill got lost in the shuffle of Tuesday. Here’s what I wrote earlier this week.

Update: I just heard back from Sen. Zarelli. I asked him to explain how the tax plan works in a bit more detail. Here’s what he had to say:

“The proposal is revenue neutral (raises the same amount that it decreases) and has the effect of lowering overall property taxes for about 67% of the represented payers around the state.  In doing this it takes away half of the local levy authority (cuts it from 24% to 12%) and raises the state levy by a commensurate amount, thereby resolving the argument that districts have made around the state not paying for basic education operating costs, because the levy would be collected and allocated by the state.  All districts would see no reduction in funding but many would see an increase in funding. My argument is that if these costs are state responsibilities than the tax ought to apply uniformly (equally) across the state per the constitution.”

The hearing will be Monday at 1:30 in the Senate Early Learning Committee.

Tags: education, local levy, property tax

Sen. Joe Zarelli introduced a bill to reform the way the state funds education. In a press release, he said the bill would generate $900 million more a year despite the state’s financial predicament.

How? The bill would reduce all school district levy authority by 12 percent and increase the state’s property tax levy by the same amount. “Most districts have a 24 percent levy lid (meaning they can seek local funding equal to 24 percent of the combined state-federal funding they receive), so this functionally removes half of their levy authority. The state property tax levy would be increased by 88 cents in 2011, generating an estimated $828 million a year.”

Zarelli said the majority of taxpayers would have lower property taxes and school districts would get a more reliable funding source in return.

From the press release: “The leaders of the education community have called repeatedly for more state funding. This legislation says yes. It’s been questioned whether we can meet the constitutional mandate of ‘ample provision’ within our existing tax structure without cutting funding for public safety or the most vulnerable or the other genuine priorities of government. This bill says yes,” Zarelli said. “Property-poor districts are worried about losing their levy equalization money. This measure says they won’t lose a dime.”

“This legislation simply would do what so many have asked, and what the constitution requires: ensure Olympia is making ample provision for K-12 education. That it would do so in such an equitable, dependable fashion is a bonus.”

The bill isn’t scheduled for a hearing and there isn’t yet a bill summary. I’ll keep you posted on how it progresses.

Tags: education

The state is failing to fulfill its Constitutional duty to fund basic education according to a ruling from King County Superior Court.

Here’s an AP story on it. And here is TVW’s two-part documentary that explains the issue.

What happens now? Tonight on Inside Olympia, Austin Jenkins will talk to Sens. Lisa Brown and Mike Hewitt about the ruling — and taxes, 960 and more. I’ll talk to those two for the Off the Set interview, which I’ll post to the blog, as well. And Jessica Gao, host of The Impact, is setting up interviews with lawmakers for next week’s show. She’ll post an update on that when she has more information.

Check back.

Tags: court case, education

Today:

- Governor Chris Gregoire announced her plan for improving education and qualifying for federal Race to the Top money.

- State schools superintendent Randy Dorn hinted that the state’s dropout rate and achievement gap may both be smaller.

- The House Transportation Committee considered making driving-while-yapping-on-a-cell-phone a primary offense. No one testified against the bill, and no vote was taken.

- Gregoire and the families of officers killed in the line of duty testified on the Maurice Clemmons case.

Update: I left out two of my favorite video clips from yesterday. After watching the emotional testimony from fallen officers’ families, it was good to have a couple clips to brighten my day.

First, the House floor performance:

Second, the cell phone bill testimony:

Tags: cell phone bill, Clemmons, education, public safety

The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee is hearing from state schools superintendent Randy Dorn about federal Race to the Top money.

“One of the things that is tackled in Race to the Top is the achievement gap,” he said. The good news: He said in about a week they’ll announce that the achievement gap in Washington “might be getting a little bit smaller” and the dropout rate might be in the same boat. The most current dropout rate is about 28 percent, he said.

One of the challenges of Washington’s education system, Dorn said, is that math and science performance is low.

On Race to the Top: The program, created by the Obama administration, creates a competition out of improving the education system. In a video played by Dorn, Obama said “the states who outperform the rest will be rewarded with a grant” — and not everyone will get funding.

The state could get up to $250 million in Race to the Top money, according to Judy Hartman, a policy advisor for Gov. Gregoire. The next application is due June 1. (The first application deadline is tomorrow and the state isn’t applying because Hartmann said the state didn’t meet enough criteria.)

Tags: Dorn, education, Race to the Top

Gov. Chris Gregoire held a press conference this morning on her plan to improve Washington’s schools — and be eligible for federal Race to the Top funding in the process.

Gregoire’s plan includes: A early education program called “All Start” that lets parents choose where to send their children for preschool “as long as that preschool is certified.” It would redo the way the state evaluates teachers and would allow the state to intervene with low-performing schools across the state.

On the subject of preschool certification: There are currently no standards and no certification process in the state. Gregoire’s plan calls for the Department of Early Learning to write those standards.

Tags: education, Gregoire

Tune into TVW now to watch the Quality Education Council. This is the group that is tasked with studying public education in the state and coming up with ways it can be improved.

So far, they’ve discussed new teacher mentor programs and graduation requirements may be on the horizon. Stay tuned.

And don’t forget that later this week is Assembly Days, when lawmakers will return to Olympia for a pre-session set of hearings.

Tags: education, Legislature, QEC

On The Impact tonight, host Jessica Gao is focusing on schools:

Federal Way Public Schools lost its “fair funding” lawsuit, after the State Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling in favor of Federal Way.  As it sits at the bottom of the funding allocation bracket, the district argued that funding formulas set back in the late 70s violate the state constitution’s provision for a “general and uniform system of public education.”

Tonight, Gao talks with Randy Dorn, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, about what the ruling means for the future of education funding.  Dorn also gives us a preview of a major policy speech he’s scheduled to make on Thursday.  You’ll  hear some specifics on his new plan to raise the bar on math and science.

Plus, the Washington State Board of Education is developing proposed legislation to require state intervention in persistently low performing school districts. Gao looks at how the plan would work, how it would be funded, and whether it could be a sustainable, long-term solution.

The Impact airs tonight on TVW at 7 and 10 p.m.

Tags: education, The Impact, TVW

We’re focusing on education in this week’s Impact show, when we’ll be recapping segments of our special report, The Quest for Quality: The Debate Over Education Reform & Funding.  Joining us on-set: state Representative Kelli Linville, Chair of the House Budget committee and state Senator Curtis King, ranking minority member of the Senate’s Early Learning and K-12 Education committee.  Given the current revenue forecast, lawmakers may need to cut an additional $1 billion from the supplemental budget when they return in January. Representative Linville says she is beginning talks with members of the budget committee regarding their options for crafting a supplemental budget. She says a targeted tax to fund specific education proposals in the Basic Education Finance Law could go to voters.

Also on the program:  Washington State Parent Teacher Association Executive Director Bill Williams and League of Education Voters Legislative Director George Scarola.  Both say they hope to see the legislature begin the process of funding the Basic Education Finance Law next session.

In another segment, we’ll outline proposals released this week by the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board to stablize funding for Washington’s public colleges.  It includes a new tuition policy proposal for state universities.

Don’t miss The Impact, tonight at 7pm on TVW and anytime online: tvw.org.

Tags: education, Higher Education, Schools, The Impact, The Quest for Quality, tuition policy