The Big Legislative Project: HB1410 and SB5444

One of the many hats that I wear is as a part of the Member Lobby Team (MLT) and WEA-PAC Chair for WEA-Eastern. What they do in the legislature today is what you're going to end up doing in the classroom tomorrow, and I think that with the state budget situation being what it is it's more important than ever that we communicate with out elected representatives to let them know the reality of the classroom today.

That's why I'm very, very concerned about two pieces of legislation moving through Olympia right now: House Bill 1410 and Senate Bill 5444. They're companion bills, meaning that if you've read one you've read them both, and there are things to like about them. To wit:

*They'd mandate a class size of 15 in grades K through 3!
*Mentoring for teachers!
*Librarians defined as being basic education--no more cuts to library!
*A prototype schools model that would mean BILLIONS more dollars in education spending!

The devil, though, is in the details. I've started maintaining a second blog dedicated only to school politics where I've been running down reasons why I'm deeply troubled by these two bills; a couple that I'll share with you here:

• 1410 and 5444 would eliminate two funding sources, levy equalization and I-728, that together mean hundreds of millions of dollars for schools state wide, and more than 10% of our budget here in Medical Lake. The theory is that the state would kick in more money from somewhere, but the bills don't define where.
  
• Similarly, the certification system would be overhauled--again--into a more "performance based" system to be defined by the Professional Educators Standards Board. As someone who had to do ProCert I'll personally attest to the pain that we went through when the state was trying to figure out how to make it work; here we go again with yet another wholesale change.
  
• The salary schedule would be overhauled. Eventually the extra money for getting a Masters degree would be phased out; instead, to get to the top of the salary schedule, you'd have to get National Board certified. Right now teachers get a hefty additional stipend if they get the certification, and that's as it should be IMO--it was their choice, and now they get to reap the rewards. Making it a mandate, though, is troubling.

Please, go to the Eastern WEAPAC site that I linked to above and read some of the other troubles with the bill. I think this has the very real potential to be a white elephant--it will pass on the promise of additional funding and a glorious new tomorrow, but when the money doesn't come through we'll still be stuck with a new certification system, less rights than we have now, and a weakened profession.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE IN THE 9TH LD--Rep. Don Cox of the 9th is on the House Education Committee. Please email him and share your thoughts on the bill. For those of you in the 3rd LD--Lisa Brown's district--let her know, too; as Senate Majority Leader she has a lot of sway on where these bills go. For everybody, if you would take the time to send 1 email to a legislator, it will help make a difference.

I'll keep you informed on these bills and the other legislative business as the session goes on.

As always, please call or email if you have any questions.

With thanks,

--Ryan--

This Year's COLA, and Next Year's COLA

Hello again, MLEA members.

This post to the blog may be a little wonky, but it also has a direct impact on your paycheck.

First, at the end of September you'll be seeing the beginning of an all-time pay increase as teacher salaries go up 5.1% 3.9% of that is because of the I-728 COLA; .7% is because of the COLA suspension from 2003 and 2004; and .5% is "equalization" to bring the state salary schedule in line with what some of the larger districts are able to pay.

That's the good news. The thing to keep an eye on will be what happens in the legislature regarding next year's COLA. To wit:

1) Forbes Magazine says that Seattle has the highest inflation in the country, and that's the number our COLA is based off of. From the article:

If you live in Seattle, it might be time to ask for a cost of living increase. The city has the highest inflation rate in the country.

"Seattle household income is fairly high, and that helps to maintain a high rate of inflation since higher income areas can afford price increases," says Steve Cochrane, an economist with Moody's Economy.com. "Some of it is fuel, but housing prices have also been more stable than anywhere else on the West Coast, which adds to inflation."

Normally, Seattle's 3.7% unemployment rate, well under the national average of 5.5%, would be a good thing. But a growing economy with low unemployment drives up wages and costs. The Emerald City's consumer prices are up 5.8% from this time last year, which ties for the highest inflation rate in the country with Dallas, where high energy costs for home cooling and driving are eating up incomes.

2) Similarly, Olympia Business Watch has the numbers on the national inflation statistics, which are equally high.

It will be an interesting process to watch when the Legislature goes back in January.

Highlights from This Year's Legislative Session

Bill Freund, ace state budget analyst for the WEA, sent out an email to council presidents and staff on Wednesday highlighting some of the things we can look forward to next year:

*There will be no change to the phase-in of all-day kindergarten. In the House budget proposal there had initially been talk of suspending the increase in the number of schools served, but things are still on schedule. Sadly, the schedule doesn't reach Medical Lake for several years.

*More money is alloted for libraries and non-employee related costs (NERCs).

*The funded ratio of classified staff is increased from one for every 59 students to 1 for every 58.75 students. No school district can really operate on those numbers; for Medical Lake the old formula would pay for 33.9 paraprofessionals, while the new formula pays for 34.05 (based off of a 2000 student enrollment).

*The Promoting Academic Success program (PAS) has been eliminated.

*Health costs for retirees were scheduled to go up to $65.97 a month; instead, it will be $60.40. This saves us as a district nearly $9,000.

Keep watching this space; I'll post the legislative reviews from the major professional organizations as soon as they release them.

Update (4/23/08): Told you I would. The Washington Association of School Administrators here; the State School Director's Association here.

Good COLA news!

Last night at the Rep Council meeting for WEA-Eastern Washington we had a presentation from Rosemary Wolf, who works in the political action department at the WEA Headquarters in Federal Way. This year's I-732 COLA for teachers is 3.9%, which is based off of the consumer price index in Seattle; added to that will be a .5% catch-up AND a .6% salary equity bump, for a total raise next year of 5%.

Not too shabby!

It speaks very well of the influence that the WEA members have in Olympia. The emails you sent made a difference--we met our goals for both the 7th and 9th legislative districts, which are the main ones for Medical Lake. A special "THANK YOU!" to all the WEAPAC members in the district; the WEAPAC dues pay for our Legislative Action Teams, and that face-to-face contact we have with the legislators is crucial.

We shouldn't ever forget the bad ol' days, when our raises ran 0-0-4-0-3-0 over a six-year span. Since I-732 in 2001 our COLA raises have been 3.7, 3.6, 0, 0, 1.2, 3.3, 4.3, and this year's budgeted 5.0%. That's a measure of security many don't enjoy, and that's why we're encouraging everyone to email their legislators to say "Thank you!" for their support of education this session. You can send them an easy email throug the State Legislature website here or the WEA portal, here.

I'll see your COLA, and raise you 5.5%

It's a critically important time for cyber-lobbying.

The House budget which passed on Monday includes a 3.9% COLA increase in teacher salary, plus a 1% catch-up to make up for one of the years with no raise we endured a few years back, plus another .6% in levy equalization money for districts (like us!) that weren't grandfathered in under the higher levy lid rate. The end sum is a possible 5.5% raise, IF we can get it through the Senate and the Governor.

That's where you come in. Please take a few minutes to follow the link off of this page and send an email to your state senator letting him or her know that the increased COLA is important to you. If you live in the 3rd or 6th legislative districts (Senators Lisa Brown and Chris Marr, respectively) it's especially important, and they seem to be on the fence right now.

Contacts from people who live in their district make a world of difference. Please take a few minutes (not from your work computer!) and let your voice be heard!