Today is the first Quality Education Council meeting of 2010 [ooooooooooooh]. I’m live blogging throughout the day, posting new content as the day progresses [just hit 'refresh']. Find documents here.
9:05am-9:55am
Local Levy and Local Effort Assistance Funds: Purpose and Uses – Jennifer Priddy and Cal Brodie
PowerPoint available here.
-Total amount of levies and LEA: $2.1 billion
- Extra Curricula and Community: all $85.5 million paid for out of levy funds
- Transportation: $130.8 million paid for out of levy
- Special Education: $77.2 million paid for out of levy
- NERCs: Estimated $502.6 million paid for out of levy
- Extra Classified Staff: $168.5 million paid for out of levy
- Extra Instructional Staff: $195 million paid for out of levy
- Actual Classified Staff: $210.7 million paid for out of levy (additional pay and benefits)
- Actual Administrative Salary: $169.7 million paid for out of levy (additional pay and benefits)
- Additional Instructional Salaries: $608.8 million paid for out of levy
>>Another round of questioning about TRI (Time, Responsibility, Incentive) pay.<<
-Levy solvency projections don’t look good (slide 33 of above doc)
- For 2011-12, levy revenue will increase by about $120 million
- In that same year, levy expenditures could increase by $174.8 million, leaving districts with a $54.8 million hole
- If the QEC recommendations are enacted, levy revenue would increase by $325 million ($120 million + $205 million for transportation and NERCs); and even with additional expenditures for full-day K and class size reductions, districts would have $150.2 million in levy funds left over
9:55am-10:05am
Summary of Governor’s Proposed Supplemental Budget – Julie Salvi
In short, the budget situation is bad. The governor’s budget proposes $408.1 million in cuts to K-12.
10:05am-10:45am
Impact of Governor’s Proposed Supplemental Budget on Education: Superintendent Panel – Dr. Art Jarvis (Tacoma), Dr. Nick Brossoit (Edmonds), Martin Kay (Aberdeen), Dr. Chip Kimball (Lake Washington)
-Dr. Jarvis, Tacoma: We can survive for one more year; maybe a second year, but not a third year. Cannot cut programs like full-day K and then ask districts to improve and reform.
-Mr. Kay, Aberdeen: Governor’s proposed budget would be “disastrous” for equity. Aberdeen would face about $3 million in cuts (10 percent of its budget).
-Dr. Brossoit, Edmonds: Edmonds would face $6 million in cuts. If they don’t face cuts, they can survive for one more year. With a budget of $188 million, only $200,000 isn’t already appropriated. Local associations are working with district and have made concessions.
>>Questions from QEC members on levy/LEA proportions of budget. Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn asked about class sizes in secondary math classes (answers of 28-33), and then pontificated on the teaching load burden faced by math teachers who will need to get students to ‘proficient’ levels on the state assessment in order to graduate from high school. [State assessment or not, proficiency should be the goal for all students by all teachers.]
-Dr. Kimball, Lake Washington: Not sure what else we can cut; we cut everything that could be last year as a result of that budget.
-Collectively: Every district is in trouble.
11am-11:20am
Finalize Council’s Report to the Legislature
Report available here.
-Items for discussion
- Early learning – would like to have AG come in and explain opinion
- Statewide collective bargaining – added to work plan
>>Reps. Pat Sullivan, Marcie Maxwell, and Bruce Dammeier spoke against adding it to the work plan, wanting to leave any compensation-related tasks to the Compensation Work Group.
-Sen. McAuliffe’s minority report will be appended.
>>Mary Jean Ryan would like the language in the executive summary about not reducing education funding to be ramped up. She suggested that it may come best as a cover letter from Superintendent Dorn, as chair of the QEC.<<
Report to Legislature: approved
11:20am-11:40am
Public Comment
Lynn Tucker, Seattle parent – advocated for better diagnostic system, improvements and a plan for gifted/talented education
Mark Campeau, Olympia School Board – Districts are struggling
Carolyn Logue, library media association – Import of libraries
Pat Montgomery, Auburn PTA – Support early learning in basic education
11:40am-12pm
Discussion of 2010 Work Plan
>>Dr. Bette Hyde would like to add more about early learning. Stephen Rushing would like to add consideration of the impact of increased data collection and reporting on staff. He would also like to consider diagnostic assessments. Sen. Curtis King would like to consider year-round schools (alternate scheduling). Dr. Jane Gutting would like to add researching the relationship between teacher retention and compensation and student demographics served.<<
Probable meeting dates: May, September, November
Meeting adjourned
