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A Message from Fund Schools Now
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the Town Hall (click for video recording) in Blaine on Tues, Jan 6 – educators, school board members, students, community members! An especially heartfelt thank you to the student leaders who so bravely shared the realities of their educational experience. Thank you to the superintendents who gave a unified message of concern and who spoke with such care and compassion about the opportunities our students have. And, last but not least, thank you to our legislators who committed to continuing to fight for K-12 education. It is an incredible thing to bring so many different groups together with a unified message advocating for public education.
One resounding message that stood out was the need for sustainable funding. With the current prototypical funding model falling short of fully funding education, we need to be looking to other solutions that can provide stable, sustainable funding that can allow districts to make long term plans that support their intended outcomes, instead of making reactionary decisions because of the unpredictability of funding. A superintendents group from across the state addressing this very issue just released a problem statement looking at identifying key areas that need to be addressed. See the attached file to learn more about the work that group is doing.
The legislative session is racing along. The session will run through March 12. During this session, we need to continue to send the message that K-12 education is prioritized in the state’s operating budget. To stay engaged and continue to be a part of the conversation, follow along on our Facebook group for action alerts. However, we will not be able to have a huge impact alone. Do you know people in other parts of the state who care about K-12 education? Talk with them about what they are experiencing and encourage them to engage with their legislators.
Share the town hall video and our website with anyone you know that is concerned with the current state of our schools. Our kids deserve more and together we can help ensure that EVERY student has access to quality public education in Washington!
In gratitude,
The Fund Schools Now Team
www.fundschoolsnow.org
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