Your Own Lobbyist in Olympia (not just 5th grade)

Did you know that you have a lobbyist in the Washington State Legislature? You do if you're a member of the PTSA.

Sharon Rodgers and I attended the Washington State PTA "Legislative Assembly" this last Friday and Saturday. The L.A. is where WSPTA decides what it's full-time lobbyist will work on in the upcoming State Legislative session.

Here's a list of their top priorities ---

1. State Funding for K-12 Education. Washington State has funded education below the national average for over a decade. WSPTA supports a re-definition of basic education and a re-do of the corresponding funding formulas.

2. Math and Science Education. See below (four posts ago) about the State Board of Education's math panel. WSPTA supports efforts to re-write the State's math standards. After the math standards are done, they start the entire process again to address science standards.

3. Quality teaching. The intent is to try to obtain more resources for teacher support (professional development, efforts to recruit the best teachers). "Evaluation" is also mentioned.

4. Student Support Services. Obtain better funding for school nurses, librarians and school counselors.

5. Special Education Funding. Chronically underfunded, with faulty budget formulas that make the problem worse.

The lobbyist will also try to get the State to support world language education, including immersion programs. All the issues are ranked for priority. World Language is #12 in a list of 27 priorities the lobbyist will work on. Not in the top five, but also not last on the list!

By the way -- speaking of last on the list -- Last on WSPTA's list, at priority #27, is the DREAM Act. Personally, I wish it were ranked higher. If you want more information about the DREAM Act, email me or google it.

To see the entire list of WSPTA Legislative Priorities, and more about each issue, click this link, then click on "Legislative Assembly Voting Outcomes" and "Issue Briefing Papers"

http://www.wastatepta.org/legislation.htm

P.S. The WSPTA lobbyist can really be YOURS for the low cost of only $20 per family ($12 individual). That's the cost of membership in the JSIS (and Washington State) PTSA. If you would like to become a member, but misplaced your membership envelope (it came in kid-mail the 2nd or 3rd week of school), email Janet Robinson at robinson_ms@msn.com.