Governor signs bill establishing new Student Achievement Council

by League of Education Voters

Governor Gregoire signed HB 2483 today which will create a new cabinet level agency, the Student Achievement Council.

Passed by a bi-partisan effort, responsibilities for the Council will include developing policy and strategies to raise the percentage of Washingtonians with post-secondary education as well as administering state financial aid programs.

According to the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s blog, the new law (which becomes effective July 1st will have several goals:

a) To propose to the governor and the Legislature goals for increasing educational attainment in Washington, recommend the resources necessary to achieve the goals, and monitor progress toward meeting the goals;

b) To propose to the governor, the Legislature, and the state’s educational institutions, improvements and innovations needed to continually adapt the state’s educational institutions to evolving educational attainment needs; and

c) To advocate for higher education through various means, with the goal of educating the general public on the economic, social and civic benefits of post- secondary education, and the consequent need for increased financial support and civic commitment in the state.

More information about the new law can be found here.

Map compares cost of living across the U.S.

by League of Education Voters

As a part of their Out of Reach 2012 campaign, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has compiled wage and rent data from all over the country and created a map to compare the hourly wage needed to afford a two bedroom home at 30 percent of income. This is referred to as the housing wage.

(Click map to enlarge)

According to NLIHC, the map”demonstrates that a mismatch exists between the cost of living, the availability of rental assistance and the wages people earn day to day across the country. The Housing Wage consistently exceeds the actual wages earned by renters, in both urban and rural communities nationwide.”

NLIHC also created a map to see how many hours a person earning minimum wage would need to work in order to afford a two bedroom house at fair market rent.

(Click map to enlarge)

In Washington, a person earning minimum wage would need to work 80 hours a week in order to afford a two bedroom home paying 30 percent of their income. The highest disparity was found in Hawaii with minimum wage earners needing to work 175 hours and Washington D.C. came in second with 140 hours.

The full report can be read here.

 

 

 

 

 

Declare I-1053 unconstitutional, LEV argues before court

by League of Education Voters

Challenging I-1053, League of Education Voters vs. Washington StateToday the King County Superior Court heard arguments on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1053. The initiative imposes a supermajority vote in the state Legislature to raise revenues or close tax loopholes. The League of Education Voters, along with the Washington Education Association, parents, taxpayers and lawmakers are asking the court to rule that the supermajority requirement is unconstitutional.

Judge Bruce Heller heard arguments on the standing of the lawsuit, then heard arguments on the merits of the case from both sides. LEV argued for summary judgment because the Court’s voice is necessary in determining the constitutionality of the Initiative. Judge Heller did not offer a ruling at the hearing, instead taking the arguments under advisement. A ruling may be announced within the next few weeks.

LEV has a long history of supporting measures that help us fully fund education, including our efforts to pass the Simple Majority legislation for levies that allowed $1.2 billion to be raised for schools just this year. This lawsuit is another important piece in making sure our kids have all the resources they need to get an excellent education. It’s also key to ensuring that legislators have all of their constitutionally protected powers at their disposal for making budget decisions.

Even to close the outdated tax loopholes, I-1053 requires a two-thirds vote. But the constitution sets the rules for the Legislature, and it requires a simple majority to raise taxes or close loopholes. As long as I-1053 goes unchallenged, a minority of legislators can block the will of the majority.

Part of the initiative requires a two-thirds vote of both chambers of the Legislature to raise revenue or modify tax preferences. LEV believes that the state constitution is clear that such measures require only a majority vote of the Legislature. The state’s constitution cannot be amended by statute, regardless of how that statute came into existence.

The State has said that it will not oppose having the appeal heard by the Washington Supreme Court. Further, the governor has requested to be separately represented by a special assistant attorney general, indicating that she agrees with the plaintiffs that the decision on I-1053 should be made in the courts.

South Shore counselor Rachel Powers Carrasco wins Swain Excellence in Education Award

by League of Education Voters

classroom with students raising handsRachel Powers Carrasco, a counselor at the South Shore School in South Seattle, has been awarded The Philip B. Swain Excellence in Education Award. Presented by the Alliance for Education and funded by family and friends through an endowment, the award was established to honor Phillip Swain, who was a passionate advocate for public education throughout his life.

In her nomination, Rachel’s administrators wrote “Rachel Carrasco is a remarkable member of our South Shore family – her exceptional leadership, her long standing relationships with students, families and staff members, and her relentless advocacy for student success reminds her Administrators of the holistic, comprehensive and thoughtful wrap-around services that each child deserves from our schools.”

The yearly award is given to teachers and counselors in Seattle Public Schools who are nominated by colleagues, principals and/or administrators in Seattle Public Schools. All winners have taught for at least three years at a school where, for at least two of the past three years, there is a rate of free and reduced-lunch eligibility of 40 percent or higher. Most importantly, the winners inspire a love of learning in students while helping them reach their highest academic potential, and play a leadership role with their peers in fostering a professional learning community, in which teachers are encouraged to learn from one another through coaching, study groups, peer critique and collaborative problem-solving.

The award also includes a stipend of $1,000 to be used for continuing professional development, for travel associated with such development, for classroom projects or for personal purposes. Rachel, along with the other five award recipients, has also been invited to attend the Alliance for Education Community Breakfast.