Budget scheme ignores law, constitution and needs of kids

The spending plan approved by both houses of the Legislature last night cuts $2 billion in funding for smaller class sizes mandated by I-1351, increasing class sizes in grades 4-12. You can buy sociology papers safely, without fear of situation when your orders become public.

But so far, the two chambers have not agreed on how to reconcile gutting I-1351 with the state constitution. 

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I-1351 explicitly states that the new class-size standards are part of Washington’s program of basic education. And in the McCleary school funding case, the state Supreme Court ruled that “the legislature may not eliminate an offering from the basic education program for reasons unrelated to educational policy, such as fiscal crisis or mere expediency.” 

Last night the House amended HB 2266, a bill to delay the I-1351 class-size reductions. The after-though amendment states “there are practical educational reasons to temporarily defer implementation of increased staffing ratios and the portion of class size reduction” until 2023.  

The original version of HB 2266 simply reasoned that gutting the class-size law was “necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions...”

The Senate has not yet modified or repealed I-1351. It’s therefore important that your state senator hear from you that changes to I-1351 are unacceptable. Tell your senator that voters see through the schemes to portray crowded classrooms in the upper grades as good education policy. SAY NO to cynical, transparent ploys.