Hello FEA members:
We currently face the gravest threat to the well being of educators and
students we have seen in all our years as an advocate for education. Senate
Bill 5444 and House Bill 1410 make NCLB seem like a refreshing breeze by
comparison. These bills are, honestly, NCLB on steroids.
If these two bills pass they will completely change our schools, much for
the worse. And, these bills will pass unless we all step up as never before.
The governor and legislature seem determined to get them through. Some say
they are going to rush them to passage before WEA has a chance to mount
opposition.
What's the deal? Here is what we think:
* In 1992 Washington passed an education reform measure that led to a number
of changes, including the WASL.
* In the decade that followed, the legislature neglected to increase
educator salaries to compensate for inflation. We lost around 15% of our
earning power in that decade.
* WEA responded by placing I-732 (the COLA) on the ballot, and then getting
it passed.
* In the decade that followed, the legislature put forward three charter
schools bills.
* WEA responded by getting these bills to a vote by the people, and each
time we defeated charter schools.
* In the decade that followed, class size in Washington increased to 46th
worst in the nation.
* WEA responded by helping pass the class size initiative: I-728.
* The legislature responded by using I-728 funds to supplant current
funding.
* WEA got simple majority on the ballot. WEA got it passed.
This list goes on for a while. Time and again, when the Olympia has failed
to meet education's needs, WEA has stepped up and forced them to do the
right thing. We have stepped up. We have been effective.
Another issue is that since education reform passed, the state has allowed
funding of Washington schools to fall to 45th in the nation.
WEA responded by filing a lawsuit -- the "NEWS" suit – against the state for
failing to amply fund public education as the constitution requires. The
legislature wouldn't deal with our funding crisis, so we had to turn to the
courts. We didn't want to, but there was no other course left us. The suit
is due to be heard this summer.
This session, the legislature has created these bills. In them it says that
basic education is exactly whatever they call it in the bills. By defining
basic education as being whatever they say it is, they get around the
constitutional requirement to fund education amply. They are fully funding
education by saying education is whatever they choose to fully fund. So much
for the NEWS suit.
THAT is what this is all about. It is avoidance, pure and simple. Avoiding
responsibilities to our children is a class act, don't you think?
And, oh by the way, they:
* END I-732
* END I-728
* END TRI pay – only more pay if you work more days from now on.
* END state levy equalization for our poorer districts.
* END the current SALARY SCHEDULE without saying what the new compensation
formula will be.
* END using level of education to advance on the salary schedule.
* USE tests to determine advancement on the salary schedule.
* REQUIRE EVERYONE to become a National Board Certified Teacher.
* TIE test scores to continuing education.
* PAY educators more in districts that perform well on tests, making it less
desirable to work in difficult districts.
* PAY teachers based on a merit system.
* DECIDE SALARY advancement by peer review. No one says who chooses the
person that does your peer review.
* PEG SALARY to board certification. Those for whom there is no national
board process are left out.
* ADD 10 DAYS of work without funding them.
* FAIL TO PROVIDE ANY FUNDING!
* REQUIRE more stringent tests for students.
* PAY teachers based on their students' test scores.
* SET CLASS SIZE LIMITS BUT,
* FAIL TO FUND THEM.
* FAIL to require districts to adhere to class size limits, making them a
mere suggestion.
* POSTPONE funding improvements until 2016, and then increase funding only
if the legislature approves it at the time. What do you think the odds of
that are?
There is more. There is lots more, all of which is bad.
It seems like their idea was to avoid their funding obligation, and then
smite educators for spite along the way.
In the initial proposal, they planned on ending local collective bargaining.
The final report said this idea was dropped because it wouldn't be necessary
to end collective bargaining if the other measures in the bill went through.
Our right to bargain won't matter, because there won't be anything left to
bargain for.
<WE MUST KILL THIS BILL>
In the weeks upcoming WEA will be asking a lot of all of us. Please join us,
WEA, and other professional educators in fighting against this travesty. You
will be advised both through written communication and in building meetings
about our plans to oppose these bills.
We cannot go quietly. We must make noise. We must stand up for our schools.
Please, Please help.
We will be sending more information and talking points and notice of our
plans in days to come. Meanwhile, you can help by writing your legislators
and the governor DAILY. An easy way to do this is to go to
http://www.ourvoicewashingtonea.org
Or call them at the legislative hotline: 1-800-562-6000
Please help. Our professional lives and the well being of our schools depend
on what we do.
Adam Goldstein
Tracie Morris
*Working for the benefit of educators in the Ferndale School District to
maintain quality for our students.