The WSSDA Board of Directors has adopted a legislative package that supports continuation of the state’s education reform efforts while stressing the need for adequate funding to ensure that all students meet state achievement standards.

Meeting in Seattle this week, the WSSDA board formally adopted the association’s legislative priorities for the coming year. The priorities were based on voting of the WSSDA Legislative Assembly and the recommendations of the WSSDA Legislative Committee.

The package emphasizes WSSDA’s continued support for the state’s high standards and the requirement that students pass the high school WASL in order to graduate. At the same time, the association is calling on the Legislature to ensure that valid, reliable alternative assessments are available for students who have the required knowledge and skills, but, for one reason or another, can’t demonstrate them on the WASL. The package requests full funding to ensure that school districts are adequately prepared to implement and administer alternative assessments.

The priority list also calls on the Legislature to put a halt to "unfunded mandates"—requirements placed on school districts that cost money but are under funded or not funded at all. Other issues in the package include a request for full funding of special education and all-day kindergarten, allowing a public vote on simple majority approval of school finance issues, and improvements in school construction funding formulas.

WSSDA Director of Governmental Relations Dan Steele noted that the association’s legislative package is a "short list" of WSSDA’s highest priorities. "WSSDA staff will continue to do everything possible to support every proposal and standing legislative position adopted by the assembly," he said. "The legislative package deals only with the highest of our members’ priorities and directs the WSSDA staff to spend the larger amount of time and effort on these matters."

WSSDA’s legislative positions and priorities are available in the Legislative Information Section of the WSSDA Web site.