The WSSDA Board of Directors is urging school board members to make their voices heard when the Washington Learns Steering Committee holds a series of public hearings around the state this month.

Requested by WSSDA and many other education organizations, Washington Learns is a far-reaching effort to study and reform Washington’s education system from early learning to K-12 to higher education. WSSDA is particularly interested in a comprehensive overhaul of the state's convoluted K-12 finance system.

At its August meeting, the WSSDA board was briefed on draft reports released by the Steering Committee and its K-12 Education Advisory Committee. The reports serve as a starting point for refining and delivering recommendations to the Legislature in November.

The steering committee’s draft report outlines eight objectives, which it describes as "bold reforms," designed to transform the current system into a seamless integration of early learning, K-12 and higher education. The objectives address areas such as early learning, math and science, technology, accountability and efficiency, community involvement, and arts education.

The draft report from the K-12 subcommittee includes a series of recommendations, beginning with a call for a new K-12 finance structure that "uses plain language" and is "transparent and intuitive." Specific recommendations include redefining and fully funding basic education, phasing in full-day kindergarten and targeted class size reduction, adding two days of teacher development each year until the state pays for 10 days, developing a new teacher compensation system and increasing base salaries, and developing a statewide curriculum menu. Two key recommendations call for fixing current structural problems within the funding system, including the elimination of current levy and salary grandfathering, and immediately implementing adjustments to the special education funding formula and accounting methods.

With the reports still in the preliminary stage, the steering committee will now hold six public hearings around the state to gather input. Hearings will be held in Olympia (9/12), Spokane (9/13), Seattle (9/14), Vancouver (9/19), Mount Vernon (9/20) and Pasco (9/21). For schedule details, including times and location maps, visit the Washington Learns Web site.

Meanwhile, WSSDA has prepared package of information for school board members who wish to testify at the hearings. To access this information, click here.