Delegates from across the state gathered Oct. 8-9, 2010, to debate and determine the next two-year platform for Washington State PTA. Eight issues were endorsed and one resolution passed.
Of the endorsed issues, the top five get priority from state staff. Because of a one-vote difference this year, delegates asked staff to extend priority status to the top six.
The issues are (in order of ranking):
1. Following up on Education Reform Efforts (HB 2261, HB 2776, and SB 6696)
Statement: The Washington State PTA shall initiate or and/or support legislation or policies that advance implementation of and/or provide funding for the realization of the basic education reform bills passed in 2009 and 2010, which describe our state's plan for developing and phasing in system improvements to meet the educational needs of students in the 21st century.
Rationale: Kids need to graduate prepared for college or career; Washington State needs to follow through on promises to invest in its future.
Our reality?
- Five percent of students in our state drop out every year.
- In Seattle, it's 7 percent - and only 70 percent of the remaining students graduate on time in Seattle.
- Of those who graduate, about 1 in 5 statewide go on to earn an associate's degree within 3 years, or a bachelor's degree within 6 years. (In Seattle, only 1 in 6 students graduate prepared to start a four-year college.)
- Not all students want to go on to college, but 88 percent of the jobs being created require skills and knowledge beyond high school.
- About half of our state's high school graduates enrolled in community and technical colleges have to take remedial classes - repeating course work they should have mastered in high school.
After extensive study (Washington Learns; Basic Education Finance Task Force) the state legislature adopted a plan for improvement that includes in its core paying for the instructional hours kids need. (The state currently funds only 5 periods - not enough for students to meet college-entrance requirements.) The state also adopted a new law to improve staff evaluations and mandate intervention in chronically under-performing schools. The state board of education meanwhile has endorsed new high school requirements. Work groups are meeting, but the reform remains unfunded.
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2. Math and science education
Statement: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that strengthen math and science education to include but not be limited to: improving teacher pre-service training and recruitment, developing an Elementary Mathematics Specialty endorsement, increasing teacher professional development and supporting implementation of math and science standards.
Rationale: We have persistently low scores on state math tests. Last year, only 45 percent of 10th-graders met math standard; only 47 percent met science standard.
The situation is far worse among some groups:
- Only 19 percent of black students met high school math standards (13 percent in Seattle);
- 20 percent of Hispanics met high school math standards (24 percent in Seattle);
- 23 percent of low income students met high school math standard (61 percent of non-low income)
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3. Literacy instruction
Statement: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that support the statewide adoption of early phonological awareness screening, and the statewide implementation of research-based, direct, explicit, and systematic literacy instruction in every classroom.
Rationale: Kids still struggle with reading, and instructional methods aren't catching and addressing reading disorders. About 60 percent of students find learning to read challenging. Of those, 20 to 30 percent find learning to read remarkably difficult. If children can't read, they struggle with other course work - triggering high costs for remedial education in middle and high school.
Fourth-graders meeting reading standards statewide:
- Overall: 67 percent
- Low income vs. non-low income: 48 percent vs. 85 percent
- Black: 51 percent
- Hispanic: 46 percent
Studies suggest that the common trait of children with reading disorders, including dyslexia, is a primary weakness in phonological and phonemic awareness, or difficulty in hearing and differentiating the components of sound that distinguish one word from another. Identifying them early and teaching them using research-based curriculum that emphasizes phonological awareness and phonics instruction, will provide them with the foundation necessary for success during middle and high school. Several choices of curricula recommended by literacy experts are currently available.
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4. Teacher "reduction in force"policies
Statement: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that expand school district teacher "reduction in force" policies to include factors other than seniority, such as teacher effectiveness and the cohesiveness of school teams.
Rationale: Typically, seniority alone determines layoffs and hire-back decisions. This can exacerbate already high turnover at lower-performing schools and result in the retention of some less-effective teachers at the expense of others. This is a new issue for PTA and is an outgrowth of the movement towards evaluating teachers based on outcome measures.
Currently layoff policies are negotiated at the district level with the local teachers union. Members could advocate for this policy within individual districts. When there is a statewide evaluation system that measures teacher effectiveness, this issue could become part of a statewide legislative agenda; in this scenario it most likely would be part of a larger package that would shift negotiation of some issues to the state.
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5. Fund Education First
Statement: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that fund education first. In order to implement Article IX of our state constitution which says "It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders," education funding would be considered first in any budget process undertaken in the state legislature.
Rationale: The Basic Education Finance Task Force confirmed the state isn't paying for the program of basic education that kids need. A lawsuit against the state also found Washington wasn't meeting its constitutional duty. And yet, the state cut K-12 education the last two years and shifted more of the tax burden to local communities by authorizing a 4 percent increase in the levy lid.
The issue proposes that the state legislature change its budgeting process to complete the education budget before considering the budgets for other state programs and services.
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6. New model for teacher compensation
Statement: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that lead to a new research-based state teacher compensation model that emphasizes rewarding teacher effectiveness in improving student learning.
Rationale: As we have moved to an outcome based approach to teaching and learning, it makes sense to consider including outcome measures as a part of the compensation model.
There is broad agreement that multiple measures of teacher effectiveness will be necessary. There is little agreement right now as to what these measures should be for each teacher, in all subjects, and across all grade levels. Some of the issues that will need to be addressed include the following:
- Which measures of student growth will be chosen?
- How will these measures be weighted in relation to other evaluation criteria?
- For compensation purposes, should these measures be used at the school level, teaching team, or the individual teacher level?
- This very complex work is in an early phase; however it is a good time to begin having the discussion about the issue among PTA members.
(NOTE: Seattle is ahead of the state on this topic. The contract agreed to in fall of 2010 allows for use of student data to trigger additional evaluations and inform professional development. It also will be a factor in applying for master teacher status in a new career ladder.)
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7. School breakfast and lunch programs
Statement: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that improve the quality and nutritional content of school breakfast and lunch programs.
Rationale: In the 2010 White House Task Force Report to the President on Childhood Obesity, it was noted regarding the school meal program that "93 percent to 94 percent of meals failed to meet all nutritional standards, primarily due to not meeting standards for fat, saturated fat, or calories." The report goes on to say that "Schools offered few whole grain foods in the school year 2004-05, and french fries and other similar potato products accounted for a disproportionate amount of the vegetable options on school lunch menus." Studies show a link between adequate nutrition and learning.
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8. Physical education and health
Statement: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that strengthen physical education and health to include but not be limited to 1) designating physical education and health as a core subject in the state of Washington and 2) adding physical education and health to the list of core subjects in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as No Child Left Behind.
Rationale: The 2010 White House Task Force Report to the President on Childhood Obesity noted that one in every three children ages 2-19 is overweight or obese. School-based PE programs are viewed as one tool to combat this trend. Studies show that daily PE is associated with an increased likelihood of participating regularly in vigorous physical activity. Less known are the links that recent research has found between PE and learning. For example, research in Illinois showed that test scores in math and reading improved dramatically when PE is held immediately before a math, reading or English class.
Designating PE/health as a core academic subject both in Washington State and in No Child Left behind would increase the status of this subject. It would also require that the state set requirements for a highly qualified PE instructor; highly qualified instructors are required for all core academic subjects under No Child Left Behind.
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Passed: Increasing Revenue to Support our Legislative Principles
Whereas,
Our legislative principles state that "The Washington State PTA shall identify and initiate education and action on public policy affecting tax policies that are fair, equitable, and provide stable, adequate revenues for public education and for programs that benefit children and youth"; and,
Whereas,
The Washington State PTA has long had redefinition of and fully funding basic education for all students as a top legislative and policy priority, and worked to help win approval of the basic education reform legislation and enhanced funding formulas embodied in ESHB 2261 and SHB 2776, in addition to a substantial history of support for health and welfare legislation and policy for our children and youth; and,
Whereas,
The implementation of education reforms approved through ESHB 2261 and SHB 2776 will require substantial additional funding for K-12 education from Washington State; and,
Whereas,
In the 2009 education funding lawsuit Mc Cleary vs. the State of
Washington, Superior Court Judge Erlick ruled in favor of the plaintiff, noting that there has been substantial underfunding of public education over many years; and,
Whereas,
Despite the Superior Court ruling calling for additional funding, recent revenue shortfalls have caused Washington State to reduce the K-12 education budget; and,
Whereas,
Realizing efficiencies in state spending by reducing waste and reprioritizing funding toward education may be possible and desirable, but will not alone be sufficient to avoid cuts and pay for education reform; and,
Whereas,
Instead of having fair and equitable tax practices, Washington State is recognized as having one of the most regressive tax systems in the US; therefore, be it
Resolved,
That the Washington State PTA will encourage reprioritization and efficiency in state spending to increase funds available for education, when these spending changes are consistent with our Legislative Principles, which include protecting and promoting the health, safety and welfare of children and youth; and be it further
Resolved,
That the Washington State PTA will consider taking public positions in support of fair, equitable and ample revenue increases as a necessary component of fully funding education and meeting other needs of children and youth; and be it further
Resolved,
That the Washington State PTA will consider all major legislation and initiatives that impact education funding as they emerge and take action consistent with our goal of achieving and maintaining ample education funding, and our Legislative Principles pertaining to protecting and promoting the health, safety and welfare of children and youth.
