Improving Education
Public Education

Fully fund K-12 and increase funding for student support services, including broadband access.

Issue Chair: Catherine Ahl, cahl@lwvwa.org, (360) 697-7924
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Right Now in Education

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    Bills the League Supports
    • SB 5030 This bill would require school districts to develop and implement a written plan for a school counseling program by the 2022-23 school year. It would require school counselors to spend at least 80 percent of their time providing services to students rather than on meetings and administration. We anticipate increased numbers of school counselors funded by the state will be added to this bill.
    • SB 5044  This bill would add equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism to existing cultural competency training for school board directors, district staff, and school staff.
    • SB 5070 This bill would require school districts and private schools by the 2022-23 school year to make menstrual hygiene products available at no cost in all gender-neutral bathrooms and bathrooms designated for female students in schools that serve students in any of grades six through twelve. The Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education will hold a public hearing on this bill at 10:30 AM on Jan. 20.
    • SB 5128 This bill would provide student transportation funding during a local, state, or national emergency.

    Bills the League Is Watching
    • SB 5110 This bill would promote greater access to the internet by modifying permitting, taxation, and other standards for telecommunications companies and facilities.
    • SB 5112 This bill would require broadband internet access service providers to provide virtual private network service.
    Bills the League Opposes
    • HB 1079 This bill would extend the time frame by five years during which 40 more charter schools may be established. We are opposed to the corporations that operate charter schools being allowed to appoint governing boards instead of those boards being publicly elected. Since charter schools were first authorized, five have closed, two were investigated for violating special education laws, and one was being required to file annual reports on its financial viability. Of the five that have closed, four were awarded grants of over $1 million from the federal charter schools' program, and we have been unable to find out how much total state funding went to these closed schools. There should be an audit of the charter school program and its accountability before the time period is extended.
    How You Can Be Involved

    Stay in contact with your Legislators, and reply to our Action Alerts.

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