Source: Washington Votes
Senate Bill 6740 – Concerning a comprehensive K-12 education policy. Introduced by Sen. Steve Hobbs (D-Lake Stevens) on January 25. The bill requires the groups working on the comprehensive K-12 finance policy to develop options for a new system of supplemental school funding through local school levies and local effort assistance. This bill also requires the department of revenue to provide assistance to the work group, including financial and legal analysis. Referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
Senate Bill 6746 – Regarding the firing of nontenured faculty members. Introduced by Sen. Ken Jacobsen (D-Seattle) on January 25. The bill allows nontenured faculty members of schools to be provided with information as to why their contract was not renewed upon being let go. This does not apply to the nonrenewal of contracts based on funding, enrollment or program changes. Referred to the Senate Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection Committee.
Senate Bill 6755 – Creating a school health public-private partnership. Introduced by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, (D-Seattle) on January 25. The bill creates a public-private partnership to help school districts promote a healthy lifestyle for its students. The act also allows for schools to create demonstration projects that put the advice from the partnership into practice when funding is available. Referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
Senate Bill 6759 – Requiring a plan for a voluntary program of early learning in basic education. Introduced by Sen. Claudia Kauffman, (D-Kent) on January 25. The act would create a group to develop a plan to include a voluntary program of early learning in basic education. The plan must include a lot of things, including a timeline and a plan for financing. The act will take place immediately if passed. Referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
Senate Bill 6760 – Setting allocation levels for basic educational instruction. Introduced by Sen. Eric Oemig, (D-Kirkland) on January 25. The bill would set school district student allocation levels for class size ranges from about 28 students per class from kindergarten through 4th grade, to 36 per class in high school. The bill also sets the level of funding for different parts of education including amongst others, technology and security. Referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
Senate Bill 6761 – Regarding the recommendations of the quality education council. Introduced by Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, (D-Bothell) on January 25. The bill would create the “education stabilization account” to ensure the implementation of basic education programs established in 2009. The act calls for incremental funding for all-day kindergarten so that it is statewide by 2017. The act requires a working group to periodically convene to provide advice for the quality education council. Referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
House Bill 2731 – Creating an early learning program for educationally at-risk children. A Substitute Bill was offered in the House on January 22. The substitute calls to include for-profit and non- profit licensed providers of child care and preschool programs in the definition of community-based early learning providers. It also removes the detailed program standards for the basic education program of early learning for children who are educationally at-risk and instead, requires a report back to the Legislature with recommendations for program standards. Allows enrollment of children not otherwise eligible for the program on a space-available basis. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on January 22. Referred to the House Ways & Means Committee.
6760 would be better described as making the funding allocations transparent by using a prototypical funding model. There are no mandated class sizes in the bill. It just describes how poorly we currently fund schools in a way people can understand.
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