Washington’s education union is planning a series of one-day strikes protesting the Legislature’s work on education funding. See here for information on the strike.
What have lawmakers done for students this year?
- Greatest new investment in K-12 of any budget in state history
- Bipartisan efforts would invest in all-day kindergarten, K-3 class size reduction and fully funding costs of maintenance supplies and operations.
- 47 percent of the budget dedicated to K-12 education — a share not seen since the 1980’s.
- New spending over 3:1 for education, similar to 2013-15.
- Follows 30 years when education was put behind growth in non-education spending by a 2:1 margin over education.
- This represents a fundamental shift in priorities not seen in 30 years, since the MCC started governing in the Senate in 2013.
- $2.7 billion total proposed spending increase for K-12 education bringing from $15.3 billion in 2013-15 to $18 billion in 2015-17.
- Additional $1.3 billion toward basic education addressing the McCleary decision.
- $440 million in additional teacher pay and benefits Including voter-approved teacher COLAs.
- Builds 2,200 classrooms to lower class size for K-3 grades
- Per-pupil funding will see a 33% increase since MCC came to be.
Putting adults ahead of children
- Washington ranks 8th in the nation for teacher absenteeism.
- Progressive think tank, Center for American Progress, notes that “schools serving larger proportions of African-American and Latino students are “disproportionately exposed to teacher absence.”
- More time away from the classroom is detrimental to students.
Why now?
| Year | K-12 Funding Changes | COLA? |
| 2009-11 | $340 million CUT | No |
| 2011-13 | $652 million (below maintenance level) | No |
| 2013-15 | $1.6 billion increase | No |
| 2015-17 (proposed) | $2.7 billion increase | Yes |
Education union announced teachers in 29 districts voted to stage a one-day strike protesting Senate proposals that harm students and blame teachers.
| School District | Date | Avg. Salary |
| Lakewood | 4/22/15 | $ 70,709 |
| Stanwood-Camano | 4/22/15 | $ 70,588 |
| Arlington | 4/22/15 | $ 74,249 |
| Bellingham | 4/24/15 | $ 68,893 |
| Blaine | 4/24/15 | $ 68,588 |
| Conway | 4/24/15 | $ 69,040 |
| Ferndale | 4/24/15 | $ 69,676 |
| Mount Vernon | 4/24/15 | $ 60,198 |
| Anacortes | 4/24/15 | $ 67,912 |
| Sedro Woolley | 4/29/15 | $ 62,561 |
| Bainbridge Island | 4/30/15 | $ 62,426 |
| Burlington-Edison | 4/30/15 | $ 66,008 |
| Marysville | 5/1/15 | $ 75,447 |
| Oak Harbor | 5/1/15 | $ 60,849 |
| Lake Washington | 5/6/15 | $ 62,735 |
| South Whidbey | 5/6/15 | $ 68,188 |
| Northshore | 5/6/15 | $ 72,085 |
| Central Kitsap | 5/7/15 | $ 64,738 |
| Granite Falls | 5/8/15 | $ 70,637 |
| Lake Stevens | 5/8/15 | $ 72,300 |
| Snohomish | 5/8/15 | $ 75,151 |
| Franklin Pierce | 5/8/15 | $ 62,167 |
| Shoreline | 5/11/15 | $ 69,712 |
| Washougal | 5/13/15 | $ 56,577 |
| Evergreen/Clark County | 5/13/15 | $ 62,560 |
| North Kitsap | 5/18/15 | $ 62,843 |
| Seattle | 5/19/15 | $ 68,112 |
| Sequim | TBD | $ 59,407 |
| Peninsula | TBD | $ 62,956 |
WEA misinformation claims:
- Claim: Senate Republicans voted to “shortchange” pay and benefits for teachers and school staff.
- Fact: Senate operating budget would bring teacher COLAs to voter-approved levels providing $440 million in additional teacher pay and benefits.
- Claim: Senate Republicans are likely getting an 11 percent pay increase.
- Fact: If so, all state lawmakers will receive a raise, which would be determined by the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials.
- Claim: Senate Republicans voted to increase class sizes – even for kids in high-poverty schools.
- Fact: Senate budget, like the House of Representatives’ spending plan, reduces class size for K-3 where it is proven to work and keeps grades 4-12 at existing levels. Senate also prioritizes class size and all-day kindergarten funding for low-income school districts.
Teacher strikes are illegal
RCW 41.56.120: Nothing contained in this chapter shall permit or grant any public employee the right to strike or refuse to perform his or her official duties.
Attorney General opinion: “In Washington, state and local public employees do not have a legally protected right to strike. No such right existed at common law, and none has been granted by statute.”
The Seattle Times editorial: Teachers union should leave students out of lobbying the Legislature
“Instead of striking, teachers across Washington state should be celebrating … The union, which is consistently one of the biggest spenders in Olympia, knows the lobby game. It should keep its lobbying efforts there, and leave the kids out of it.”