I have included here the information that directly impacts K-12; our children's school day.  Remember, there is no mention of higher education here.  The financial health of our universities is a significant piece of this issue as well.  It is outside the scope of these updates, but I can point you to some meaningful information regarding these issues.  Let me know if you would like that information.

Please read through this.  It is so important you understand how directly the decisions being made right now will impact your child(ren) and well as all our children.

Rena Peterson

legislative@mybenfranklinpta.org

 The biggest news is the governor's proposed cuts to education.  After issuing her proposal on Oct. 27th, the governor and her staff began to look at revenue and "fine tune" the cut proposals.  This process continues and it is important to let your legislator and governor know where you stand on the proposal.  The attached email describes the proposed cuts to children in greater detail and also has links to see the entire budget information.  

The cuts being proposed influence all educational programs from early learning through university level.   The cuts proposed that influence WSPTA priorities is $592 million.  This is an outline of the cuts that will directly impact K-12 education (the other cuts are to areas that influence social programs known to impact student learning):

K-12 … ($422.4 million reductions) 
This figure includes pay cuts to staff. Staff cuts were itemized separately in the governor’s proposal. It does not include delay of June apportionment payment to school districts. 

·         Reduce levy equalization payments by 50 percent - $150 million
LEA goes to school districts with higher school property tax rates. Some districts could make up for some or all of the reduction by seeking to increase their local voter-approved levies; others will not be able to. (Note: Technically not “basic education” but covers essential operating costs.)

·         Increase class size by two students in grades 4 to 12 - $137.0 million 
Boosts class size ratios of students to teacher as follows: grades 4–6: from 27 to 29; grades 7–8: from 28.5 to 30.5; and grades 9–12: from 28.7 to 30.7. Will result in fewer teachers, thus increasing class sizes.

·         Shift bus depreciation payment from October to August - $49 million 
Delays state payments to school districts for bus replacement by 10 months.


·         Reduce National Board certification bonuses - $8.4 million 
Reduces bonuses from $5,000 to $4,000. 


·         Alternative: Revise state attendance policy - $6.4 million 
Changes policy that considers a student withdrawn after he/she is absent unexcused for 20 consecutive days. Five, not 20 days will more accurately account for students who have dropped out of school and for whom the state continues to provide funding to the school district.


·         Eliminate or reduce small grants and projects - $9 million 
Terminates a number of grants and projects administered through OSPI: Promoting Actual Student Success (PASS), Readiness to Learn, Beginning Educator Support Team (BEST), principal and superintendent internships, career and technical education start-up grants, Building Bridges, STEM Lighthouses, nonviolence training and Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG). Cuts by 20 percent LASER, Washington Reading Corps, Leadership Academy, College Readiness, Achievers Scholars and IT Academy. 


·         Reduce staffing for small high schools - $5 million 
Shrinks staffing formula for high schools serving fewer than 300 full-time students from minimum of nine full-time teachers to a minimum of eight. 


·         Reduce OSPI state administration by 10 percent - $600,000

·         Impose additional 1 percent salary reduction for K-12 employees (one year) - $37 million 
Reduces all K-12 salary allocations by 1 percent, effective for the 2012–13 school year.

·         Reduce monthly state allocation for K-12 employee health benefits - $20 million 
Reduces state allocations to school districts for employee health benefits from $768 to $745 per month