House Education Committee blocks charter school fix

Blog
LIV FINNE
Feb 25, 2016

Liv Finne

Director Emeritus, Center for Education

Email
PHONE
(206) 937-9691

The most important choices about our community shouldn't be made on election day
Washington Education Spending Doubles: More Admin, Fewer Teachers Read More: Washington Education Spending Doubles: More Admin, Fewer Teachers
Education spending has doubled in ten years, and most of the money went to hiring administrators and non-teachers

Late yesterday afternoon the Chair of House Education Committee, Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle), removed from today’s agenda the bill to save charter schools, SB 6194. This morning Republicans on the committee tried to put the issue back on the agenda, but their motion failed on a vote of 10-10. The motion required 11 votes to pass and one member of the committee was not present. This means the Education Committee has blocked SB 6194, which passed the Senate last month, from progressing to the House of Representatives for a floor vote.

Charter school supporters have other ways to bring SB 6194 for a vote in the House of Representatives. Enough Republican and Democratic votes exist in the House to pass this legislation, and to save charter schools. But for the moment, this legislation has been blocked by the House Education Committee.

Charter school students and their families are not giving up. These families are holding yet another rally at noon today in Olympia. One of these students, Heskiyas Wondaferew, a 6^th grade student at Excel Public School, said to the House Education Committee last week:

“I am standing in front of you here asking you humbly not to take such a great education away from us. Our future lies in your hands. This education promises me and the rest of the charter school students a future full of success.” (At Time Stamp: 52:59.)

Charter school children like Heskiyas are hoping Democratic leaders will allow the House of Representatives to vote on this issue that is so critical to their futures. Time is running out. The legislative session is scheduled to end on March 10, just two weeks from today.

This report is part of WPC’s Charter School Follow-Up Project

Senate panel forgets farmers in discussion about ag

USDA report paints grim picture of farm income

New evidence shows harmful Critical Race Theory is taught in Washington public schools

50.3% of Washington public school students at grade level in English, 39.7% in Math

A point of contention in the 34th District legislative race: Is harmful CRT being taught in public schools?

State schools superintendent wants to spend $2.9 billion more on a system that is losing students and cutting academic standards

Taxpayer-funded solar EV chargers cost five times as much as regular chargers but produce far less electricity

Major supporter of Washington’s CO2 tax admits gas prices will fall if it is repealed

Study: Repealing the capital gains income tax would affect only about 1% of state revenues

Guides to the Washington ballot initiatives to keep you informed

WA Cares harms low-income workers today for a maybe-benefit tomorrow

I-2124 restores choice, could rightly rid people of WA Cares

The Minimum Wage fever isn’t passing – more increases will bring more misery for workers

Think it’s tough to do business in Washington? – Here’s the proof.

The West Seattle Link Extension has gone off the Rails

What would be the real impact of I-2117 on transit?

A Streetcar Named Irrelevant

WA Cares harms low-income workers today for a maybe-benefit tomorrow

I-2124 restores choice, could rightly rid people of WA Cares

La agencia de Washington dice que la descarbonización no es una prioridad de la “descarbonización comunitaria” financiada por el impuesto al CO2

Los beneficios de WA Cares no siguen el ritmo del costo de atención

El fallo sobre el salario de los trabajadores agrícolas es una mala noticia para todos

Cuando los procesos de permisos gubernamentales matan a las pequeñas empresas