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On Friday, budget work in the House got back on track. The House’s
version of the 2008 Supplemental Operating Budget was supposed to be
acted upon by the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday; however,
following a caucus meltdown and major disagreements about how to solve
thorny issues in the budget, Committee action was suspended until
Friday. On Friday afternoon, Democrats and Republicans spent several
hours in their respective caucuses reviewing almost 60 proposed
amendments to the budget proposal. Finally, Committee members
reconvened and took on the arduous task of discussing and taking
action on every single amendment (save four duplicative amendments
which were withdrawn.) When the dust settled, the Appropriations
Committee approved 45 amendments to the House budget plan (seven
amendments were defeated) and the full Committee adopted the amended
budget with a vote of 21-12 — with all 21 majority Democrats voting in
favor of the budget proposal and all 12 of the minority Republicans
voting against the plan. The 2008 Supplemental Operating Budget was
acted upon by the full House today. Following the review of another 37
amendments, the House’s budget proposal was sent to the Senate with a
near party-line vote of 63 to 33. (Note: only 7 of the 37 floor
amendments were adopted — none of them had K-12 education impacts.)
Some of the Operating Budget amendments adopted by the Appropriations
Committee (and retained by the full House) have impacts on the K-12
section of the budget. Here is a brief review of the adopted
amendments that impact K-12 education:
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The underlying
2007-09 budget provided for vocational equipment replacement, while
the original supplemental budget plan would have saved $4.7 million
by eliminating this funding for the 2008-09 school
year. Appropriation Committee amendments add back $3.0 million for
K-12 vocational equipment replacement, partially replacing the
proposed reduction.
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The original
supplemental budget would have eliminated a $1.25 million
appropriation for 2009 to support the Digital Learning
Commons. Committee amendments restore $1.0 million for the DLC.
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Under the
provisions of an adopted amendment, the Professional Educator
Standards Board would receive an additional $67,000 to implement
HB 2607. HB 2607 requires the Board to convene a work group to
develop recommendations for increasing teacher knowledge, skills and
competencies to address the needs of English language learner
students.
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Under the
provisions of an adopted amendment, OSPI would receive an additional
$75,000 to implement HB 2884. Among other things, HB 2884
requires school districts to report to OSPI information related to
the use of physical restraints of students.
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A fairly
comprehensive amendment, as adopted, would: eliminate all funding
($750,000) for the high school completion program adopted by the
2007 Legislature; eliminate college readiness funding at OSPI
($675,000); eliminate funding for the healthy student grant program
in HB 2811 ($61,000); and reduce $1.9 million of the proposed
funding for HB 3166 (state assessment system). The same
amendment would add funding for a kindergarten readiness system
($150,000) required by HB 2597 and funding for services for
deaf or hard of hearing students ($63,000) under HB 2669.
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The original
proposal would have eliminated funding for the “step-up” of the
all-day kindergarten program. Grants supporting full-day
kindergarten for the highest poverty schools (top 10 percent) would
continue in school year 2008-09; however, the scheduled phase-in to
the top 20 percent high poverty schools would be suspended.
Committee amendments provide funding to phase-in full-day
kindergarten programs in the top 15 percent high poverty schools and
also increase the Non-Employee Related Costs (NERCs) allocation by
$8.1 million.
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The base 2007-09
budget provided for a 5.1 percent increase in the per pupil
inflator. An adopted amendment increases this to 6.0 percent,
causing an increase in Local Effort Assistance (LEA or levy
equalization).
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Under the
provisions of an adopted amendment, $100,000 would be provided to
the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to review teacher
preparation in Washington and to identify possible strategies for
improving the effectiveness of future teachers.
It has not yet been confirmed, however, the ongoing belief is that
budget-writers in the Senate will release their version of the 2008
Supplemental Operating Budget on Tuesday.
In other budget
news, the House passed its version of the 2008 Supplemental
Transportation Budget to the Senate on Friday and also passed the 2008
Supplemental Capital Construction Budget this morning. While numerous
bills will continue to be discussed, many of them passing, the only
real required action by this Legislature is the adoption of
Supplemental Operating, Capital and Transportation Budgets. With the
House adopting its versions of the three budgets, and with the
imminent release and action on Senate proposals, the stage is being
set for the closure of this 2008 Legislative Session. |
