Great NEWS for Washington Kids!

As the Patch reported Thursday, the State Supreme Court unanimously ruled what many of us have known for years (decades) – the State is not fully funding our K-12 schools.  You can read the whole decision in the NEWS Lawsuit here: http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/843627.opn.pdf.

The decision is 79 pages long, but I will summarize it this way:  Our State Constitution says the State must fully fund, before ANYTHING ELSE, a program to amply provide for the education of all Washington children. The Court also defined what “amply” and “education” mean so that there is no wiggle room, and said that “the legislature may not eliminate an offering from the basic education program for reasons unrelated to educational policy, such as fiscal crisis.”  The court believes that legislation passed in 2009, whose goal is to reform the way education is funded by 2018, will satisfy the underfunding.  The Supreme Court will retain jurisdiction, which means they will be making sure this happens, or they have the power to assign a “Master” to oversee the entire State budget process.

The Washington State PTA put it this way: “This is an 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.  Starting today, our top priority – a basic education that prepares all kids for college and career -- is also the state’s top priority.

Starting today the legislature’s job just got a lot harder.”

Why is that?  To fully comply with the SC decision, BILLIONS of dollars would have to be shifted from other programs.  This would dismantle the social safety net, for instance. 

I was at a meeting Saturday where Rep. Ross Hunter, whose job it is to write the budget for the State House, said “We will not be cutting basic ed this year.  We may not be able to cut even non-basic ed .  We may have to make real progress toward the 2018 goal.”  He indicated that would mean adding $400-500 million to the education budget.

There will be lots going on for the next 2 months, and I will be keeping you posted.

If you agree that “Starting today, we need to focus on how we are going to pay for and implement the education kids need to graduate ready for college or career,” go to

http://capwiz.com/wastatepta/issues/alert/?alertid=59544501&PROCESS=Take+Action

for a very easy way to let your legislators and the Governor know.

You can also sign the on-line petition from the League of Education voters here:

http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5892/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5229

Better yet, do both!