Many Anti-public Education Policies Stripped from Governor's Budget

Some of the most anti-public education items in Gov. McCallum's proposed state budget are off the table, thanks to action by the co-chairs of the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee.

Sen. Brian Burke and Rep. John Gard announced Monday (April 23, 2001) that they had agreed to remove 150 items in the governor's budget because they did not have a fiscal impact on the state and should be considered as separate policy.

Many of the items were opposed by the education community at public hearings the committee conducted over the last few weeks.

Some of the proposals that were removed would have allowed people with no college degrees to teach; allowed entities other than school districts to operate charter schools; and made issues including choice of health care providers, the school calendar and the layoff or reassignment of staff prohibited subjects of bargaining.

"Senator Burke and Representative Gard deserve a great deal of credit for removing these onerous provisions," WEAC President Terry Craney said. "We would especially like to thank Senator Burke who made removal of anti-public education items his top priority in negotiations.

"The Joint Committee on Finance heard the education community's testimony at public hearings throughout the state," Craney said. "Educators, administrators, parents and school board members made the case for removing these harmful ideas from the budget."

Craney cautioned that removal of the non-fiscal policy items does not mean the proposals are dead.

"These ideas could be reinstated in the budget at a later time," he said. "WEAC and other education groups will continue to monitor the budget very closely to make sure these items stay out of the budget."

Craney said the proposals could also be introduced as separate bills, meaning they go through the normal legislative committee process and receive greater public scrutiny. This process can help determine whether these policy initiatives will put kids in classrooms that work, maintain quality staff in schools and benefit everyone in the community.

"These are major policy changes that deserve full public debate," he said. "They should not be a few items in a budget containing thousands of proposals."

One education item that was not removed from the budget would set specific dates for school districts to hold referendums.

"We will continue to work to make sure that proposal is not in the final budget," Craney said.

Education policy items removed from the budget include:

Employment Relations Commission:

Creation of various prohibited subjects of bargaining relating to the choice of health care provider, redefinition of QEO health benefits so that only substantially similar benefits be offered and the reassignment of staff when charter schools are created, low performing schools are closed, districts consolidate or when educational services are subcontracted.

Public Instruction - Categorical Aids:

Changes to the special education process that cut out parents, regular education and special education teachers from having input in the final placement of kids in special education programs.
Repeal of requirement that bilingual education be taught by a bilingual teacher.
All language dealing with the "expanded flexibility" charter districts where "above average" districts are exempt from DPI laws.
All language dealing with the pay-for-performance system that would tie teacher pay to student performance.

Public Instruction - Charter and Vouchers:

Giving CESAs, UW and WTCS campuses authority to create charter schools statewide.
Changes to voucher notification dates (minor technical change).

Public Instruction - Assessments and licensing:

All of the governor's initiatives to alternatively certify teachers so that anyone with either five years of work-related experience, no bachelors degree or five years of military service could teach.
Statutory changes in the levels of licensure and other new teacher license revocation law changes.

Public Instruction - School District Operations:

School board school closing authority allowing boards to close "low-performing" schools and reassign staff.
Subcontracting of educational services statewide.
Changes to school start date hearings and the governor's commission to study start date issues.
60-day layoff authority given to administrators after school districts consolidate.
Reporting on low-performing schools and other performance reports.

Public Instruction - Administrative and Other Funding:

Committee to review DPI rules to determine if they "impede progress toward reform."
Restrictions on vocational education and distance education rule-making authority of the DPI.
Charter school audit authority (minor technical item).

WTCS: