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Legislative ______________________________________________________________
COME TO WSPTA
FOCUS DAY ON
PRESIDENT'S DAY - FEBRUARY 21!
Dear PTA/PTSA leaders, We know that many PTA leaders and members may not be
interested in legislative advocacy but the news coming from the Governor's
office and the Legislature are grim. We must go beyond book fairs,
carnivals, and fundraisers and look at the bleak numbers coming from
the legislative session under way now. Please read this email all the way
through. Our kids cannot afford that we ignore these issues!
The cuts of
the last several years have resulted in the following:
· Eliminated 5th-grade band and orchestra · Eliminated one-year contract positions · Eliminated all athletic “C” teams · Eliminated 2 specialists positions in Dept. of Instruction · Eliminated 7 classroom support staff · Eliminated 2 custodians; grounds person; painter; carpenter · Eliminated Alternative Middle School · Eliminated teachers on special assignment position · Eliminated elementary school salmon program · Eliminated Cabinet-level administrator Superintendent’s Office · Eliminated manager position in transportation · Eliminated maintenance facility manager · Eliminated 2 secretaries in Business Office · Reduced Print Shop budget by $100,000 · District administrator’s voluntary pay reduction (Save a Teacher plan) · Reduction in pre-school and athletic transportation · 20% reduction to all department/school supply budgets · Reduced school library services · Reduced Special Ed and English Learner programs · Delayed adoption of all new curriculum · Increased athletic fees · Increased lunch prices by .75 cents · AND MORE……….. Legislative Hotline: 1.800.562.6000. Tell your stories. Education has already taken a lot of cuts. Let your legislator know how this has impacted your children, your schools, your community. You don't have to know anything about how the legislature works to do this. They will appreciate hearing from someone who is not a lobbyist. Don't know who your legislator is? Go to http://www.leg.wa.gov/pages/home.aspx and click on 'Find your Legislator" on the left. The League of Education Voters has a great guide to the legislature called Legislature for Dummies that can be found at http://www.educationvoters.org/session-2011/leg-for-dummies/
COME TO WSPTA
FOCUS DAY ON
PRESIDENT'S DAY - FEBRUARY 21! You don't have to be an expert on legislation to make a difference. Come tell your stories and just be there to show your support for kids and education. Don't let other interest groups outnumber us! Co-Presidents Renton PTSA Council president@rentonptsa.org
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