ADVOCACY AND LEGISLATION
The Washington State PTAs Top Five Legislative Priorities for 2015 - 2016
Fully Fund McCleary
The McCleary Decision is a promise made to the children of Washington State to provide ample funding for basic education. It is critical that we fully fund basic education so that our state canbe competitive in a changing world. The Washington State PTA supports the whole child both inand out of the classroom. The solution to McCleary needs to follow these two, key principles:
- Raise significant revenue for education, not merely redistributing existing education funding resources.
- Use progressive funding strategies and refuse to divest funding from health, human services, higher education or early learning programs.
Promoting Social and Emotional Learning
Our education system needs a comprehensive look at school climate to deliver standards, guid-ance, resources and support that provides our kids access to a better future. Washington’s children have diverse experiences and abilities and by giving them tools to improve their social
and emotional skills, we can help improve the outlook for their future.
and emotional skills, we can help improve the outlook for their future.
Increasing Capital Funding
The Washington State PTA advocates for a change in our capital funding policies to alleviate ourschool construction crisis through utilization of the following tools(but not limited to):
- Allow for simple majority passage for school bonds.
- Adjust school construction assistance formula to make more matching funds available.
- Requiring local impact fees to embed the cost of growth within development and better address the long term costs of school construction.
Increased Access to Higher Education
The increases in tuition rates and theinability of the government to fully fund our “State Need Grants” requires action. The Washington State PTA urges our legislators to fully fund ourstate need grants and seek opportunities like the“Pay It Forward” and “College Bound” programs tohelp make college affordable.
Breakfast After the Bell
Washington State currently ranks 39th in participation for the federal schoolbreakfast program and only 1/3rd of eligible children are currently allowed to access this program. The Washington State PTA supports the proposal offered by the United Way and urges its passage.
For more information : www.wastatepta.org/advocacy/
Local Legislation
Find information on District 47 here: http://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/displaydistrict/47
