Redefining and fully funding Basic Education will be among WSSDA’s top priorities for the upcoming session of the Legislature under a legislative package adopted by the association’s board of directors.

Meeting at the WSSDA Annual Conference in Spokane, the WSSDA board formally approved the association’s legislative priorities for the coming year. The priorities were based on voting of the WSSDA Legislative Assembly and the recommendations of the WSSDA Legislative Committee.

The package calls on lawmakers to update the state’s 30-year-old definition of Basic Education to reflect the state’s current education standards and requirements, and to provide full funding for all Basic Education programs, including special education and student transportation.

The package supports two key recommendations of the recently completed Washington Learns study: State-funded full-day kindergarten for districts that choose to offer it, and increased state support for professional development.

The priority list emphasizes WSSDA’s continued support for the state’s high academic standards, but requests a time-specific postponement for using the math and science WASLs as a high school graduation requirement.

The package asks the Legislature to put a halt to "unfunded mandates," and takes a strong stand against any federal, state or local "takeovers" of schools or school districts. The priority list also calls for a public vote on simple majority approval of school finance issues and improvements in school construction funding formulas.

WSSDA Director of Governmental Relations Dan Steele noted that the association’s legislative package is a "short list" of WSSDA’s highest priorities. "WSSDA staff will continue to do everything possible to support every proposal and standing legislative position adopted by the assembly," he said. "The legislative package deals only with the highest of our members’ priorities and directs the WSSDA staff to spend the larger amount of time and effort on these matters."