All of the legislative bills that the Federal Way School District closely watched this session have passed.
Each session, school board member Amye Bronson-Doherty reports back to the board several times on issues related to education. This session, Bronson-Doherty followed four bills — and all, some after many changes, passed.
Bronson-Doherty has been following the bills for two years now, and will finish her term in July. The standard length of service in that role is two years. She took over for Dave Larson after he left the school board to become a judge.
To find out which bills are the most important, Bronson-Doherty uses several resources including the state PTA and the League of Education Voters. This year, State Rep. Skip Priest of Federal Way was also a big help, letting the board know about many bills that would have an impact on education in Federal Way, she said.
“This session was so short and there was such a major focus on the budget,” Bronson-Doherty said. “It was really different this year. There were only a few I was really watching, the big ones.”
For Bronson-Doherty, the biggest one was House Bill 2776, which addresses basic education funding.
“By far (I was) most interested in that one,” Bronson-Doherty said. “It’s not the end, it’s only the beginning of action. It’s the beginning of action on a new commitment.”
The bills
• Senate Bill 6759: This bill requires the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, with assistance and support from the department of early learning, to create a group to develop a plan for a voluntary program of early learning. The newly formed Qualify Education Council, of which State Rep. Skip Priest is a member, will monitor and oversee the group and report its recommendations to the Legislature.
• Senate Bill 6696: Part of the “Race to the Top,” this bill finds that it is the state’s responsibility to create an accountability framework for improvement in all schools and districts, and an equitable education system for all students. The first phase of the bill will target the lowest 5 percent of persistently low achieving schools to provide federal funds and federal intervention models through either a voluntary option or a required action process. The second phase of this bill will implement the state board of education’s accountability index for identifying schools in need of improvement. The bill passed late on Thursday, and will allow the state to apply for the federal funds. The state’s application for the Race to the Top program is due in June. It is too early to know how the Federal Way School District might be affected.
• House Bill 2776: This bill is related to funding basic education. It adopts the technical details of a new distribution formula for schools and will allow for a phased-in implementation of a new distribution formula for student transportation costs. It will review and change formulas of funding and puts forth a schedule for phasing in more funding for basic education. It also requires the state to calculate the annual estimate of the savings to taxpayers from improvements compared to previous school years due to extended graduation rates. Also, OSPI must maintain an Internet-based portal that allows the public access to the state’s prototype school funding model for basic education.
This bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Priest. The bill was first introduced on Jan. 12, and did not pass until March 10, after many back and forths between the two houses.
• House Bill 2731: This will bring an early learning program about for educationally at-risk children ages 3 to 4.
Other bills of impact
House Bill 2893, which would allow districts to ask voters for more money through local levies, passed on Thursday. The district spoke out against a similar bill last year, with board members stating it was the state’s job to equally fund education, not the already burdened taxpayers of Federal Way.
The bill lifted the lid that has been in effect since 1979, raising the limit from 24 percent to 28 percent. Districts grandfathered in at a higher rate, like Federal Way, can also raise their levy lids by 4 percent.
Federal Way’s past involvement
Happenings in Olympia have always been a concern for the school district. Last year, the board and Superintendent Tom Murphy had choice words for lawmakers throughout the session about properly funding education. The board backed him passing a resolution that stated: “Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Federal Way Public Schools Board of Directors ask our legislators and governor to stand with us for our children, use their political power and existing state resources, exercise their political will, reject the governor’s initial budget proposal; fulfill the promise and mandate of our state Constitution and fully fund special education, transportation and fair funding. Restore suggested cuts in levy equalization, I-728 and I-732; withdraw the appeal of the fair funding decision and fix this unequal and unjust funding problem.”
The district has also embarked on a lawsuit against the state over funding. Although Federal Way won its original case, the district lost during an appeal at the State Supreme Court.
A more recent case, brought against the state by the Network for Excellence in Washington Schools (NEWS), also involved Federal Way to a certain extent. Although the district was not a plaintiff, it is a member of the NEWS organization. The board voted on Oct. 14, 2008, to support the lawsuit.
In light of these two cases, the Legislature began a change in how schools are funded. Last year, the Legislature approved House Bill 2261, which was co-sponsored by State Rep. Skip Priest from Federal Way. The bill commits to fully funding education by 2016.
“Judge Erlick made a compelling and thoughtful case that confirms what many of us already knew — it is time for the governor and Legislature to quit talking and take action,” Priest said. “The ruling against the state is a signal that reaffirms education is the ‘paramount duty’ of the state as outlined in Article IX of Washington State’s Constitution.”
The Federal Way district was also quite involved this session. Board President Tony Moore even testified to the Legislature’s education committee regarding the need for high standards for all children.
