Coalition Statement on HB 1843 and SSB 5607

On behalf of the highly capable students of Washington State, we are grateful to see increases to highly capable funding in the education plans represented in HB 1843 and SSB 5607. As an element of basic education, and no longer an optional enhancement, the funding formula for highly capable services must be addressed.

Our goal as advocates is to work with the legislature, with OSPI, with school districts, with teachers, and with parents to ensure that access to highly capable services is made more equitable, so that all students who could benefit are referred, identified, and served appropriately. While both HB 1843 and SSB 5607 make some changes to highly capable funding, both continue to rely on a formula for eligible students that does not measure up. The existing cap on funding set at 2.314% of enrolled students is less than half the percentage of students districts identify and serve.

To reach all the students who need highly capable services requires that we do something different. Districts are working to ensure their programs now serve students across the state in grades K through 12, and we’re seeing that reflected in their reports to OSPI. Programs are changing, but funding from the state is not. Districts are continuing to rely on local levy dollars to fund a significant portion of this element of basic education.

In 2010, the Legislature funded the Highly Capable Program Technical Work Group to recommend changes to the highly capable program to make sure that all students, particularly those who have historically been underidentified and underserved, have access to the services they need to succeed. The work group recommended highly capable services be funded at 5% of student enrollment. We ask again today for the state to fund at that level, and to increase the number of hours funded as reflected in the HCPTWG report. The HCPTWG report also recommends the state restore funding to the Destination Imagination, Future Problem Solving, and Centrum programs that have served highly capable learners across the state, and fund staffing at OSPI and our ESDs necessary to support districts as they work to reach all eligible students.

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We need your support!

Your Coalition leadership has been setting the stage for the next legislative session by meeting with key legislators and organizing their support of gifted education.

We realize that we must make a bigger impact than our largely volunteer organization has done in the past, by stepping up our professional lobbying, messaging, and media outreach strategies. The Coalition needs your immediate financial support now.  CLICK HERE TO DONATE

We need total contributions of at least $17,500 to achieve these goals, and we rely on you, our supporters, to meet it.

• Any donation is welcome. If you have donated $40 in the past, please consider doubling or tripling it. CLICK HERE TO DONATE
•  Ask your parent support or advisory group to become a supporting member of the Coalition by making an organizational contribution.

The Coalition accepts donations online by credit card and PayPal.  Please CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Checks can be made payable to WCFGE and sent to:

Washington Coalition For Gifted Education
18149  147 Ave. SE
Renton WA  98058

The Coalition will be very active during this legislative session working to obtain full funding for Highly Capable Programs; we look forward to requesting your advocacy action once our behind the scenes work is done.

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Financial Update

FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE COALITION

The major expense of the Coalition is the monthly retainer we pay our lobbyist. We’d like to pay her more but our yearly income won’t stretch that far.

Three questions you may ask:

(1) Why does the Coalition need a lobbyist?

Our charter says our purpose is “to foster and encourage awareness of the educational needs of highly capable/gifted students through communication and education of legislative bodies within Washington State.” In other words, we lobby the legislature.

To do this, members of the Coalition monitor the legislature’s web site and subscribe to RSS feeds to keep current on pending bills, hearings, etc. We maintain personal relationships with our own legislators. We follow political reporters for newspapers, and newsletters and web postings from other education and policy groups to keep track of what they are saying. The daily updates provided by WSSDA add much information.

But we need more than this. We need a lobbyist with experience and deep connections in Olympia to keep an eye on legislation beyond what can be gleaned from the internet; to cultivate personal relationships with supportive legislators in order to learn what they are thinking; to work with lobbyists from other education groups; to be “on the scene” for us in Olympia. Perhaps most important, she provides guidance to the Coalition in our work with legislators.

We use all this information to prepare and present testimony to legislative hearings and committee work sessions and to know when to call on advocates state wide to contact their legislators.

(2) Do we or our lobbyist treat legislators to meals or other “goodies”?

We do not spend your contributions to treat legislators to meals or other goodies. The Public Disclosure Commission and the Legislative Ethics Board will not be investigating us as they are other groups and legislators for questionable gratuities.

(3) Why do we bring this up?

Our fiscal year begins September 1 of each year. We open 2013-2014 with a balance of $1657. Our anticipated expenses for next year are $850 per month for our lobbyist; approximately $150 for rental of the Columbia Room and other expenses for Gifted Education Day; fees for filing required reports; printing and postage costs; and a membership in NEWS (the McCleary Decision people). A Treasurer’s Report is at the end of this email message. As it shows, we need income in excess of $10,500 per year in order to meet obligations and have a small carry-over balance.

While we do receive a large portion of our revenues from gifted organizations, we also rely on individual contributions from supporters around the state. Our goal continues to be to get the legislature to implement a new ample funding formula for Highly Capable Programs. Quite frankly, we struck out during the 2013 session(s). But we will be back, more energized than last year and with stronger arguments, for the 2014 session. To continue our work we need your financial support. We recommend that you make an annual contribution of at least $40.00 ~ and are happy to accept more.

Three options:

1. You can make a contribution to the Coalition with a check – use the membership form linked here.

2. We now accept donations online by credit card and PayPal. Please CLICK HERE TO DONATE on PayPal. You don’t need a PayPal account to use a credit card with them.

3. In conjunction with WAETAG and NWGCA, we continue to offer the Joint Membership. The form can be found on our membership page, on the Northwest Coalition for Gifted Education’s website at http://www.nwgca.org/donate.html, or you can go to the Washington Association of Educators of the Talented ang Gifted’s website at http://www.waetag.net/. Select Joining WAETAG.

We are often asked about employer matching funds. We are a political advocacy group, not a 501(c)(3) organization, so not all employers match contributions. Check to see if your employer will do so.

Contributions to the Coalition are not tax deductible to the contributor. The Coalition is chartered as a non-profit organization in the State of Washington and is the equivalent of a federal 501(c)(4) organization, though we have never sought federal tax status. If we show a “profit” at the end of our fiscal year, we pay tax on it as we last did in October 2011. We file a yearly tax return and do not anticipate owing taxes for 2012-2013.

We also need your cooperation when we call on you to contact your legislators on behalf of highly capable program funding and to participate in Gifted Education Day in Olympia. Our 2014 Day is February 28th. Mark your calendar now and plan to join us.

Thank you all for your generous support in previous years. We have come a long way but still have a long way to go to full implementation of Highly Capable Programs as an integral part of basic education. Our work, and yours, is not yet completed.

Here’s looking forward to a successful 2014 legislative session!

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Treasurer’s Report Fiscal Year 9/1/2012 to 8/31/2013

Barbara Poyneer, Treasurer

Opening Balance	9/1/2012		$679.90
Income
Organizations		$6,180.00
Individuals		$2,181.93
Our share of Joint Memberships		$450.00
Total			$8,811.93
Funds Available			$9,491.83
Expenses
Lobbyist Retainer*		$7,650.00
Columbia Room – 1/2 of 2014 fee		$65.00
Filing Fees		$10.00
Printing & Postage		$59.66
NEWS Membership		$50.00
Total			$7.834.66
Ending Balance	8/31/2013		$1,657.17

* We prepaid Donna’s retainer for Sept., Oct., and Nov. 2012 in the 2011-12 fiscal year for federal tax purposes. Normal yearly total is $10,200.00.

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Welcome to our new Presidents

The Coalition is pleased to announce that David Berg, Puyallup, and Janis Traven, Seattle, will be co-presidents for the next year. Both sit on the State Gifted Advisory Board and served on the Highly Capable Program Technical Working Group. Both have been active in gifted advocacy for many years and bring great knowledge and experience to the job.

If you need to contact either of them, you can do so at our wagifted@gmail.com address.

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The following is a treasurer’s report for the fiscal year to date, including projected expenses before the end of our fiscal year on August 31st.

Opening Balance 9/1/12		$679.90
Income
Individual vía Pay Pal	$33.68
Individual	$2100.00
Joint Memberships	$1260.00
Organizations	$6180.00
Total Income	$9573.68	$9573.68
Funds on Hand		$10253.58
Expenditures
Fees	$75.00
JM transmittals	$780.00
Lobbyist	$5100.00
Other – NEWS	$50.00
Total Expenditures	$6005.00	$6005.00
Balance 6/12/13		$4248.58
Expenditures by 8/31/13
Lobbyist	$2550.00
JM transmittals	$70.00
Treasurer’s expenses	$59.66
Total	$2679.66	$2679.66
Projected Balance 8/31/13		$1568.92

The fund raising appeal in May brought in $1653.68. Without those generous contributions, we would have a negative balance on 8/31/2013.

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We now accept donations online by credit card and PayPal. We recommend that you make a contribution of at least $40.00, and are happy to accept more.

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It’s time to talk about money

BUDGET PROPOSALS

Of interest to all Highly Capable advocates is what the budget proposals will provide for HCP funding. As part of basic education, costs of a classroom, utilities, teachers, administration, transportation, etc are covered under basic education funding. The considerable costs of identification, professional development, special curriculum and textbooks are covered by the supplemental HCP funding provided by the funding formula.

Everything on the budget is happening AFTER Gifted Education Day. The Revenue Forecast Council releases its quarterly revenue forecast on March 20th. This lets the Governor and Legislators know how much revenue the state expects to have this fiscal year.

It is the Senate’s turn to put out a budget first this year and the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus plans to present their budget proposal the week of the 25th and the House Democratic Caucus shortly thereafter. At some point Governor Inslee is expected to propose either a budget or an outline of spending priorities – which is not clear from news reports.

The current biennial budget provides $8,759,000 for FY 2012 and $8,842,000 for FY 2013 for HCP, a total of $17,601,000. The last budget prior to inclusion in basic education provided $17,993,000 for the biennium.

Governor Gregoire’s last budget proposal called for $9,472,000 for FY 2012 and $9,594,000, a total of $19,268,000; approximately a 9% increase. Since the HCPTWG and QEC Recommendations (see next paragraph) call for a new funding formula which we estimate as yielding about $45,000,000 per fiscal year, it is clear that no “real and measurable progress toward achieving full compliance” has been made toward full and ample funding as part of basic education.

McCleary calls for compliance by 2018, so the Legislature has a long way to go to reach this goal for Highly Capable Programs. We strongly suggest that it begin with this budget, enacting a new formula based on 5% of students, in a class size of 15, 6.5 hours for grades K-6 and 3.1 hours for grades 7-12.

Legislators are talking about an additional $900 billion to $1.6 billion for basic education. Surely they can find an extra $45 million for HCP!

GIFTED EDUCATION DAY – AND AFTER

We have been attempting to get HB 1560 amended to provide for a new formula, with little visible progress to date.

Last week we sent you a draft of a proposed resolution in the Legislature. This week we are pleased to send you a copy of the actual resolution, co-sponsored by 47 of 49 Senators. It is a very strong statement of support for gifted education but we should take it cautiously – many may have co-sponsored as a professional courtesy without reading it carefully and becoming aware of its implications. Different versions of this Resolution are circulating in the House and as a Proclamation from the Governor.

If the sponsors really believe what the resolution states, then they should immediately vote to implement the recommendations of the Highly Capable Program Technical Working Group as endorsed by the Quality Education Council. They should vote a more adequate and equitable funding formula to enable these programs to reach more students and help close the opportunity gap. They should substantially increase Highly Capable Program funding in the upcoming biennial budget and reach full and ample funding by 2018.

So come down to Olympia on March 19th and talk to your Legislators about the need for and value of Highly Capable Programs to both the student and the state; the requirements of the McCleary Decision for full and ample funding; and the recommendations of the HCPTWG and the QEC.

Before you do so, take a close look at the Power Point from NEWS, the plaintiffs in McCleary, presented March 10. The Coalition is a member of NEWS.

Be ready to push harder on the budget if the various budget proposals don’t “do right” for Highly Capable Programs when they come out. We will let you know if such action is necessary.

To end the State’s violation of Washington children’s constitutional rights by 2018, each State budget must:
(1) “demonstrate steady progress” implementing education funding reforms under ESHB 2261, and
(2) “show real and measurable progress toward achieving full compliance with article IX, section 1 by 2018.”
July 18, 2012 Supreme Court Order at ¶4

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Time to get ready for Gifted Education Day!

Gifted Education Day will be on March 19, 2013, and our GE Day handbook is ready. It is attached in 3 parts: Basics, Spotlights, Myths & Facts. If you were looking for something and don’t find it included, please contact us for more information.

For those bringing student groups, and who wish to make a curriculum connection with the trip to Olympia, there is a lot of information on the state web sites. The legislature web site has lots of materials on curriculum that might be used by you:

• http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/visitingthelegislature.aspx  try civic education, bill information
• http://www.des.wa.gov/services/facilities/CapitolCampus/teacher/Pages/default.aspx
• http://www.leg.wa.gov/BackToSchool/Pages/default.aspx#lesson_plans

It may not be too late to schedule a guided tour of the capitol building. http://www.des.wa.gov/services/facilities/CapitolCampus/Pages/GuidedTour.aspx

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Coalition Update

A number of Legislative positions (in the 17th and, possibly, the 47th Legislative districts) will not be decided until recounts are concluded in early December. Otherwise the makeup of the Legislature is pretty well settled. If you want to check it out, go to www.vote.wa.gov  and click on election returns.

The Quality Education Council (QEC) and the Joint Task Force on Education Funding (JTF) are getting close to finalizing their recommendations to the Legislature. The Coalition has made presentations to both groups at their public meetings and submitted a position statement to them on Highly Capable funding.

Based on the most recent revenue forecast, it appears there will not be sufficient revenue to fund the increase in basic education funding necessary to meet the requirements of the McCleary decision. Governor Gregoire will be submitting her proposed budget in December (as required by law) and Governor-elect Inslee will submit his proposal after he takes office in January. No doubt there will be several budget proposals floated in the Legislature from both houses and both parties. All of this is going to make for a most difficult session. There are unverified rumors that some parts of basic education may be suspended for a year or two. I do not know if this is possible; the Coalition will do its best to keep you informed as to what is happening and to let you know when you need to contact your Legislators about HCP funding or other vital issues. Look for our regular messages and follow us on Facebook.  http://www.facebook.com/wagifted 

Gifted Education Day on March 19th is going to be an important piece of our advocacy efforts. Please plan to join us in Olympia. An XXL turn-out is vital to our chances to get a new, more equitable, funding formula for HCP into the budget.

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We invite you to join us at our general meeting on Friday, November 30 at the Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Avenue SW, Burien, beginning at 10 am. We will be planning our strategy for the legislative session and begin organizing for Gifted Education Day. If you live in the Puget Sound area, please join us. Everyone is welcome!

On the agenda are (1) HCP funding issues, (2) The McCleary Decision and what it means for HCP, (3) Strategy for the upcoming legislative session, (4) Reports from observers at the QEC and JTF meetings, (5) Discussion on continuing to offer the Joint Membership with WAETAG and NWGCA, (6) Planning for Gifted Education Day.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to wagifted@earthlink.net so we know how many to plan for.

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Opportunity for Training.

The League of Education Voters is holding their 3rd advocacy training session in January. For more information go to the LEV Website.

More opportunities to learn about gifted.

SENG will hold its 2013 Annual Conference in Orlando from July 19-21.  More details are on SENG’s website.

The World Council for Gifted and Talented Children will hold its biennial 2013 conference August 10 through 14, 2013 in Louisville Kentucky. For more information, go to http://www.worldgifted2013.org/

Last, and certainly not least, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  We are thankful for your support.

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Session Roundup

THE ROUNDUP

The Governor has signed the 3rd supplemental budget for this biennium and HCP funding to the districts is maintained. In the initial budget for this biennium, funding for the arts program at Centrum was cut and funding for Destination ImagiNation and Future Problem Solving was eliminated, cuts which were not restored in the 3rd supplemental. These opportunities for students have been an integral part of the Highly Capable appropriation since it began in 1985.

There was no legislation regarding Highly Capable Programs other than the budget.

GOING FORWARD

Including Highly Capable in basic education is a major reform. It follows that there are implementation issues to be followed and resolved. We are currently working on:

• Restoration of funding for Centrum, Future Problem Solving and Destination ImagiNation.

• An increase in HCP funding to the districts.

• The WACs are being revised to bring them in line with HCP’s new position in basic ed. Gifted advocacy groups will be reviewing the changes and providing comment when they are made public later this year. All indications are that progress is being made to bring the Washington Administrative Codes (WAC) into line with the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).

• The McCleary funding decision recognized HCP as a part of basic education so we will be following the court’s continuing jurisdiction of legislative actions to be sure adequate funding is provided. We will be watching the new Joint Select Committee which will report to the court.

• For successful advocacy, we need the backing of the large Coalition membership state wide. This is why we need you to plan to be in Olympia for Gifted Education Day on February 8, 2013. With the November election we will have a new Governor and new legislators to educate about the needs of gifted students and the value of highly capable programs for both our individual students and for the economy of the state. Please make plans to join us there.

BY THE WAY…

Speaking of elections, both candidates for Governor have released their education platforms for the campaign. Attached are summaries from the League of Education Voters and the Partnership 4 Learning. They are provided as information only and do not constitute an endorsement of any candidate.

You can do your part by looking carefully at the education statements of the Legislative candidates in your district and asking them specifically about their position on Highly Capable Programs in candidate forums, town meetings, etc.

AND FINALLY

BE SURE TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THEIR EFFORTS TOWARD FULL FUNDING OF K-12 EDUCATION. THEY DON’T HEAR A THANK YOU OFTEN ENOUGH.

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What McCleary vs. State could mean for Highly Capable

If you have been reading the newspapers the last few days, you know that there was a suit (McCleary v. State) about adequacy of state basic education funding before the state supreme court. That decision was handed down Thursday and was a major victory for the plaintiffs. The full decision can be found here.

In this decision are several items of interest and importance to supporters of appropriate educational opportunities for highly capable students.

• The court found that the new definition of basic education in ESHB 2261 is part of a comprehensive reform acceptable to the court in fulfillment of prior court orders. The inclusion of HCP in this definition is mentioned in several places.

• The court is going to retain jurisdiction over the case to ensure that the provisions of 2261 are fully implemented by the school year 2018, as set out in the law.

• The court reaffirms that “programs and offerings that fall within the legislature’s definition of ‘basic education’ are considered nondiscretionary and must be funded regardless of budgetary constraints.” ” State-level funding for ‘basic education’ is not subject to debate, even in times of budget shortfalls.” (Page 18)

• Unless the Legislature choses to change the definition of basic education (and the decision says such a change “must be accompanied by an educational policy rationale; 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,” page 54) HCP has a “safe harbor.” We are no longer at extreme risk every budget cycle.

It appears that the new definition of basic education is affirmed and that HCP funding is protected, two goals the Coalition had in supporting ESHB 2261 and subsequent legislation.

This ruling is not likely to ease the stresses on local districts since levy equalization is not a part of basic education and remains at risk of cuts. Districts rely on levies and levy equalization to fund up to 30% of their budgets, much of it going for basic education expenses instead of the enhancements that were the intended purpose of levies.

If you have strong feelings on this decision as a whole and what the Legislature should do next you need to contact your Legislator. A personal communication to your Legislator is always the best way to go. However, two organizations offer quick opportunities to contact your Legislators, if you wish to take advantage of them. These links are informational only and do not constitute an endorsement.

Consider signing on to the petition of the League of Education Voters. If you agree with their statement or if you are pressed for time, this petition might suit your needs.

Or you may wish to work through the state PTA on their Legislative Action Center.

The entire statement from the PTA sent state wide to its members is here.

In 2009, we gathered in Olympia to support the passage of HB 2261. In the McCleary decision, the fruits of that effort have been harvested. Join us on January 23rd to say thank you to our Legislators and all the others who supported our efforts.

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Update from the Coalition

This message has five sections.

1. A reminder that the Coalition leadership group and those wishing to become more active in the Coalition will meet on Tuesday, October 25, at the Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Ave. SW, Burien. We will be “open for business” at 11:00 and available to talk with you before the meeting proper begins at noon. We anticipate being done by 2 pm. Please join us!

As you know, on October 24th the Governor is scheduled to present  her proposals for a supplemental budget to be considered by the Legislature in their special session scheduled for November 28. It is anticipated that this will be a major topic of discussion.

2. Highly Capable Programs have acquired several strong endorsements and some publicity in recent weeks.

A. The Washington State School Directors Association reaffirmed their long standing position on HCP services at their September Legislative Assembly.

7.1.7 Education for Gifted

The WSSDA shall initiate and/or support legislation which would assure funding for the education of gifted students at a level of 10 percent of the student population, place that funding within the basic education allocation system and set a minimum number of students to be funded in small school districts. (Adopted 1987; Amended 2005)

Their number one priority for the coming legislative session is

1. Full Funding of Basic Education

WSSDA shall initiate and/or support legislation that fully funds and implements all aspects of Washington’s redefined program of Basic Education as outlined in ESHB 2261. (Chapter 548, Laws of 2009)
and since HCP is now a part of basic education, that includes HCP funding.

B. KIRO radio in Seattle broadcast a piece on HCP and the transcribed version is available at http://mynorthwest.com/11/560022/Above-average-students-need-help-too. WSSDA included it in their daily eClippings, which go electronically to all members and others statewide who have signed up to receive them.

C. At their Legislative Assembly last weekend, the Washington State PTA voted unanimously for the following proposition, which also scored highly in their recent on-line survey:

HIGHLY CAPABLE: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that ensure highly capable children (K-12) receive an appropriate basic education, which includes access to highly capable programs (K-12).

The Washington State PTA recommends that the Legislature and Quality Education Council build on the work of the Highly Capable Program Technical Work Group. This shall include, but not be limited to:

Advocating for a standard definition of highly capable and working to ensure students who are both highly capable and students of color, who are poor, or who have disabilities, have equitable access to the state’s highly capable program.

Further, Washington State PTA supports the recommendation that districts that do not currently offer highly capable programs refer to the guidelines set forth in the report of Highly Capable Program Technical Work Group.

3. Don’t forget the WAETAG State Conference at the Convention Center in Wenatchee on October 28 and 29.  More information is available on their website at http://www.waetag.net.   There will be sessions for parents.

4. You can help us gather some much needed information. What services does your district provide for students who are gifted in one area but not another, i.e. strong in writing/reading, but not strong enough in math to qualify for whatever program the district offers. We know some districts provide enrichment and/or acceleration in the domain of strength while others do not. What does your district do?

Please send your responses to wagifted@earthlink.net. Thank you.

5. Don’t forget to renew or become a member of the Coalition or the Joint Membership. All three groups need your financial support. As you can see by the items above, we still have lots of work to do!

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