November 20 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Charter schools still unconstitutional, but Court slightly limits its ruling
Yesterday afternoon the state Supreme Court released its final decision on charter schools. A majority of five justices decided to delete footnote 10 from the original opinion finding that charter schools are unconstitutional (see page 11). Other than that, the decision stands. Footnote 10 says that "the absence of local control by voters would also violate the article IX […]
November 19 , 2015 - Mary Strow
November 17 , 2015 - Mary Strow
November 09 , 2015 - Emily Makings
New opportunities for Washington students
Sean Gill of UW's Center on Reinventing Public Education has an opinion piece suggesting that traditional public schools may not deserve their monopoly status: Some will say education is a public good – not just something that benefits individual students or families – and I certainly agree. But just because the government pays for it does not […]
November 05 , 2015 - Mary Strow
October 30 , 2015 - Mary Strow
October 29 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Former AGs weigh in on charter schools ruling
Yesterday Washington's four living former attorneys general (Slade Gorton, Kenneth O. Eikenberry, Christine O. Gregoire, and Robert M. McKenna) filed an amicus brief arguing that the state Supreme Court should reconsider its ruling that charter schools are unconstitutional. Add this to the motions for reconsideration filed by the current attorney general and the Washington State […]
October 28 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Legislators: Court "overlooks" the responsibility of the Legislature to budget and organize school system
Two more requests that the state Supreme Court reconsider its September decision that charter schools are unconstitutional have been made. (The attorney general filed a motion to reconsider Sept. 24.) One is from a bipartisan group of 10 legislators. According to the Olympian, they are Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-Mercer Island), Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D-Seattle), Rep. […]
October 21 , 2015 - Mary Strow
House committee explores K-12 financing
Yesterday in Olympia the House Finance Committee looked at how public schools are funded, here in Washington and nationwide. Committee staff prepared in-depth reports with lots of information (the Research Council in 2013 published a report on on K-12 financing, comparing Washington’s funding to other states’. You can read that here). Some highlights: Washington differs […]