Lake Washington PTSA Council 2.8

WSPTA BOARD VOTES TO OPPOSE INITIATIVE 1033

The Washington State PTA Board has voted unanimously to oppose I-1033, which will be on the general election ballot this fall.  This initiative, if adopted, would limit the state’s general fund expenditures in any one calendar year to the amount of revenue received in the preceding calendar, plus an adjustment based on changes in the general population and a national inflation index.  By becoming effective with the 2010 calendar year, the initiative would in effect lock in all of the significant cuts to education and services to children and families that the Legislature made in order to balance the state’s budget during the current economic crisis.  To see a memo outlining some of the concerns that led to the Board’s decision, and links where you can find out more about the initiative, click here:  http://www.wastatepta.org/advocacy/index.html. 

EDUCATION FUNDING TRIAL BEGINS MONDAY, EXPECTED TO LAST FOUR TO SIX WEEKS

Find updates on the trial's progress at

www.waschoolexcellence.org/daily_trial_updates/

As many of you know, Washington State PTA is one of the 70+ members of the Network for Excellence in Washington Schools or NEWS, which is suing the State of Washington for not complying with its constitutional obligation to provide ample funding for the education of all children under Article 9, Section 1 of the State Constitution (“It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.”)  After two and a half years of pretrial proceedings, the case goes to trial starting Monday in King County Superior Court in Seattle.  The trial is expected to last four to six weeks, with court sessions being held from 9 to 4:30 Monday through Thursday each week.  Although the trial is open to the public, the courtroom is small, and there are strict protocols that must be observed during court proceedings.  If you want to keep up to date on what’s happening in the courtroom, updates will be available on the NEWS website starting late Monday or Tuesday at this link:  http://www.waschoolexcellence.org/daily_trial_updates.