Yes, Next Legislative Session is about McCleary (and apparently, about charter schools)
Great op-ed by Senator Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island in the Seattle Times talking about our broken state education system.
At first, I was worried. I thought it would be another editorial about lazy, overpaid teachers and the need for "innovation" all while our schools aren't even funded with the basics to function properly.
Basics like:
- substititutes
- buildings
- salaries that will attract and keep teachers
- Special education services
And a school administrator from Selkirk spoke about the dire teacher shortage in rural areas, saying he’s seen a deer, an elk and a bear on the campus this year, but not a fourth-grade teacher.
Common to every community, from Seattle to Selah, is frustration and anger from parents and taxpayers who feel like the state isn’t taking its paramount duty seriously, and that their children miss out as a result. As a legislator and parent of two children attending public school, I share that frustration.
From every corner of our state, we heard from people who expect us to listen and to work as one united team, irrespective of our political parties, to fund our schools.
I’m listening and ready to act. I know many of my colleagues are too.
But hey, it's all good according to ed reformer, Rep. Chad Magendanz. From the House Republican legislative page:
I've been privileged to attend some of the seven statewide listening tours on education funding, held in September and October by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee.
(I'll note that he was chatting it up with another legislator so loudly during my Seattle Schools Community Forum: Yes, Next Legislative Session is about McCleary (and apparently, about charter schools):