Legislative+Report+February+2+2011

Reminder: How to find your legislators []
Type in your address and hit “find” and it will pull up a map of your district with an inset of your representatives. You can click on their name to get phone numbers and email addresses. Send your message to each individually and address them by name. A respectful tone and personal story make the biggest impact. **GRASSROOTS CONNECTION/ ** ED FUNDING; MATH AND SCIENCE ASSESSMENTS; COMMON CORE **Feb. 1, 2011 **  **Dear advocates, ** Education funding, math and science assessments, and a bill that would implement the Common Core standards (and continue other reforms) are all on the agenda this week. Also introduced, but not yet assigned a hearing, is a bill that would change layoff policies ( [|HB 1609] ) Voices needed (You can testify in person, email the committee – or send me written testimony)  · Tuesday, Feb. 1, on __math and science__ assessments. House Education Committee. 1:30 p.m.  · Wednesday, Feb. 2, on the third round of cuts to the current __budget__. Senate Ways and Means Committee. 3:30 p.m.  · Thursday, Feb. 3, on early learning assessments (includes phonological awareness screening in our __literacy__ platform). House Education, 8 a.m.  · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Friday, Feb. 4, on education __reforms__, including continuing the evaluation pilot and adopting Common Core Standards. House Education., 1:30 p.m.  <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Following is this week’s agenda, focusing on our priority issues. For full agendas, visit: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">TUESDAY: ** __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">House Education __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - 02/01/11 1:30 pm   <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">House Hearing Rm A, John L. O'Brien Building <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Public Hearing (math and science assessments): ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">1. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[|HB 1412] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - Regarding mathematics end-of-course assessments. (State superintendent’s bill. Establishes a transition period, reduces retroactive testing) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">2. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[|HB 1410] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - Regarding science end-of-course assessments. (State superintendent’s bill. Delays science requirement until 2017 for alignment purposes, then requires biology test. Phases in 2 more exams, in physical science and integrated science.) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">3. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[|HB 1330] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - Adjusting high school assessments as graduation requirements. (Delays math and science requirement) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">4. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[|HB 1463] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - Eliminating the use of statewide assessments as a high school graduation requirement. (Cites fairness issue and cost savings.) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">MATH: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">In a Senate hearing, WSPTA testimony voiced concern about retroactively testing kids on algebra and geometry, citing logistical and fairness issues, as well as use of resources (scheduling reviews for kids who took the courses several years ago, etc.) We broached the concept of making the tests a requirement for course credit, and grandfathering those who already passed the classes. No legislation covers this scenario, though; the closest is the superintendent’s math bill. In that bill’s scenario, some 10th-graders would still have to test on old subject matter, but they must take a math test anyway to meet federal requirements. This bill would mean 10th-graders currently in geometry could concentrate on that course, and not have to also worry about also taking an algebra exam. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">SCIENCE: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The issue with science is not all kids take biology, but all would be tested on it. Also, teachers have testified that they have not had the opportunity to align courses with the new test. (The comprehensive test, which tested kids on a mix of science, regardless of whether they ever studied it, is no longer in use.) WSPTA testimony has supported the move to end-of-course testing, and again we broached the idea of making it a requirement for course credit. If students took a science class for which there was no state test, local requirements would kick in. As state tests became available, they could be rolled into use. Again, no legislation addresses this scenario. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">WEDNESDAY __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">* - 02/02/11 8:00 am   <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Senate Hearing Rm 1, J.A. Cherberg Building <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Public Hearing (departmental/oversight changes) **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">1.SJR 8212 - Eliminating the superintendent of public instruction as a statewide elected official. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">2.SB 5522 - Creating the office of the superintendent of public instruction as an executive branch agency. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">WSPTA <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">does not yet have a position on this. The governor is also proposing departmental changes to the educational system. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Senate Ways & Means __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - 02/02/11 3:30 pm   <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Senate Hearing Rm 4; J.A. Cherberg Building <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Public Hearing (cuts to CURRENT budget): ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[|ESHB 1086] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - Making 2009-2011 supplemental operating appropriations. (Hearing on proposed committee amendment ). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">WSPTA testimony <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">has asked for evaluation pilots and WaKids to be funded. We also asked that follow up from the dyslexia pilot be funded.. We have cautioned against retroactively cutting education. We want all basic education funded, and have not taken a position on which funding stream is more important (levy equalization vs K-3 class size, etc.) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">THURSDAY __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">House Education __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - 02/03/11 8:00 am   <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Jt. w/ Early Learning & Human Services <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">House Hearing Rm A; John L. O'Brien Building <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Work Session: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Process. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Public Hearing (kindergarten readiness/early literacy) **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[|HB 1510] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - Regarding an assessment of students in state-funded full-day kindergarten classrooms. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">This refers to diagnostic tools <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">piloted through WaKids and they include the early phonological awareness screening that we ask for in our literacy instruction priority. WaKids is a kindergarten readiness pilot. It has strong family engagement components and emphasizes a preK-grade 3 continuum and whole-child approach to learning. **__WAKids info__**: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">FRIDAY __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">House Education __<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - 02/04/11 1:30 pm   <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">House Hearing Rm A; John L. O'Brien Building <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Public Hearing (implementing reforms to basic ed, Race to the Top): ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[|HB 1443] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> - Continuing education reforms. · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Continues development and implementation of revised teacher and principal evaluation systems. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Requires school districts to define a high school credit for purposes of meeting state and local graduation requirements. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Requires the office of the superintendent of public instruction to provide technical assistance to schools and districts specifically targeted to reduce school dropouts and improve on-time and extended high school graduation rates. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Authorizes the office of the superintendent of public instruction to require elementary schools receiving federal school improvement grants to use the state kindergarten readiness assessment (this includes the phonological awareness screening that WSPTA prioritizes) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Directs the institute for public policy to work with the office of the superintendent of public instruction to design and implement a research study to measure the impact on student achievement of remediation strategies funded by the learning assistance program <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Includes language for Common Core adoptions, after review of community representatives <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">This bill aligns with our top priority <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, implementing reforms in the basic education program as well as the reforms around accountability, evaluations and family engagement passed last session. Common Core standards are a national PTA priority. **__Info on Common Core__** state standards: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">GOOD STUFF ONLINE: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> **<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">NEW: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Budget Advocacy resource page: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> **<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">NEW: ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This week’s key message: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Have a great week! <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Ramona Hattendorf, Government Relations Coordinator, Washington State PTA <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To contact me: ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Office: 253-565-2153 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Mobile: 206-778-8623 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">1003 65th Ave. W, Tacoma, WA 98466 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">rhattendorf@wastatepta.org <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> -- "GRASSROOTS CONNECTION" SUBSCRIBER TIPS For help or to send comments, suggestions, and inquiries to the list administrator, address your email to support@wastatepta.org
 * // SAVING OUR ABCs -- Focus Day is Feb. 21! We need your voice and presence //**