Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) officials are still keeping a close eye on Olympia. The Washington State Legislature is trying to find ways to fill a $1.5 billion gap in the state budget, while also trying to figure out how to meet its constitutional obligation to adequately fund education.

Federal Way School Board member Ed Barney, the board’s chosen liaison for keeping track of all things Legislature, gave a brief review of a number of bills moving through Olympia.

One bill would require high school students be certified in CPR before graduating. The other, House Bill 2381, would require districts to have a centralized storehouse of all the instructional materials used in a district. The problem for both proposed bills, Barney said, is that there is no mention of the funding sources for either.

“Of course, there’s no money attached to that as well,” Barney said, referencing HB 2381.

Perhaps the most important bill to keep an eye on, Barney said, is House Bill 2770. This is the state’s operating budget for education. As it currently sits, the bill preserves needed funding for FWPS, but will have some serious implications elsewhere.

“The draft budget bill preserved (Local Effort Assistance funds), but virtually cut every non-basic education program for the fiscal year starting this July, and ending June 30, 2013,” Barney said. “Some of the things that would be cut would be the Washington Achievers Scholarship program and College Bound scholarships…dropout prevention programs such as Building Bridges and Jobs for American Graduates. Many other programs would end up cut if this bill passes as it exists.”

Barney touched on the teacher evaluation bill, noting if that is passed, it would require districts to restructure their collective bargaining agreements with their teachers unions. Finally, he touched on Senate Substitute Bill 6345, which proposes to set up an eight-member commission to oversee and trim state government.

“Isn’t that what the state auditor is supposed to be doing?” Barney asked rhetorically. “There are a lot of things already suggested that could be done, but so far they haven’t implemented any of these other ideas. So, they’re going to create a commission to do that. Whether or not they’ll get done, we’ll wait to see.”