Accountability, funding issues top Legislative Assembly’s concerns

For the second year in a row, WSSDA’s Legislative Assembly has made it clear that the association does not support the idea of allowing the state or other entities to intervene in the governance role of local school boards.

And, as in past years, delegates are urging the Legislature to establish a K-12 finance system that defines and fully funds basic education.

By an overwhelming vote, the Assembly adopted a position calling on the Legislature to maintain local school board control over any efforts to restructure schools or districts that are struggling to meet state academic standards. The position was also adopted in 2007.

WSSDA AudioCast

Listen to an interview with WSSDA President President Ted Thomas and WSSDA Governmental Affairs Director Dan Steele regarding the current deliberations on accountability (16 min.)

Action on the position comes as the State Board of Education is reviewing possible recommendations for a statewide public education accountability system. By law, the SBE must submit proposals for consideration to the state Legislature.

The State Board is considering several proposals, including concepts suggested by its consultant, Mass Insight.

Key concepts include the establishment of an "accountability index" that would be based on a matrix of indicators such as WASL achievement and graduation rates. Schools with the lowest index numbers would be classified as struggling and would be considered for inclusion in an "innovation zone" to receive targeted assistance.

The consultant has also suggested that innovation zone schools or districts that do not show improvement be placed in "academic receivership" subject to a series of state-level interventions. At the district governance level, suggested concepts include forced school board elections, state takeover of the school board, and restructuring of the school board through mayoral control.

During the recent Assembly, a special briefing was held on the concepts being studied by the State Board. Among those leading the briefing was WSSDA President Ted Thomas (Longview), who said school directors are already held accountable through the current election process.

"In talking with directors at the Assembly, it was very clear that they felt the mechanism in place today around the election and re-election of school board members is in fact that accountability at the local level," Thomas said. "We’re held accountable by our communities, and that accountability happens every two years at an election."

The State Board will continue to review and refine its proposals during a work session in October. The board will take testimony and act on final recommendations at its regular meeting Nov. 5-6 at Highline Community College in Des Moines. School directors are encouraged to offer their comments either in writing or during the public hearing. For meeting details, visit the SBE Web site.

Meanwhile, the Assembly adopted a series of positions reflecting the education community’s ongoing concern about the lack of full funding for public schools. Delegates endorsed positions calling on the Legislature to redefine and fully fund basic education to reflect current expectations. Other positions underscored an ongoing frustration with underfunding, particularly in the areas of special education programs and student transportation.

The Assembly endorsed the concept of establishing an independent Quality Education Commission to regularly determine funding levels needed to meet the state’s education goals and standards. The commission proposal is a key component of the education finance reform proposal developed by the Full Funding Coalition, of which WSSDA is a member.

The Coalition’s proposal, which was presented to delegates during the Pre-Assembly program, is centered on the notion that the state must transition to a funding system that pays for basic education based on what it actually costs to meet the state’s expectations for student learning.

Delegates concluded the assembly with an advisory vote on which of WSSDA’s positions and proposals should be given the highest priority when the Legislature meets next year. The results will be used by the WSSDA Legislative Committee to formulate recommendations to the WSSDA Board of Directors, which in turn will adopt the association’s 2009 legislative package at its November meeting in Spokane.