2005 Legislature ...

Final budget restores COLAs for educators

When candidate Chris Gregoire spoke to WEA members last year, she said that if she were elected governor she would not sign a state budget that failed to fund voter-approved Initiative 732.

The budget that passed April 24 not only funds Initiative 732's cost-of-living adjustments for educators, but it also increases school funding as mandated by Initiative 728.
"I-732 makes it easier for me to remain a teacher," said Andrew Oman, who teaches Spanish in West Valley (Yakima). "I was happy they restored it."

When voters approved the two education initiatives in 2000, they recognized that professional compensation for educators and smaller class sizes for students were a crucial part of a quality public education. Restoring the initiatives was a major WEA priority this year.

"Smaller class sizes benefit the kids greatly," said Pam McDonald, a second-grade teacher in West Valley. "It gives me more one-on-one time with them."

WEA President Charles Hasse noted that investing in quality schools strengthens the economy, improves the business climate and better prepares students for jobs in the global economy.

Compared to the years when I-732 and I-728 were suspended, the new state budget is a good step forward for public education. Even so, much more needs to be done.
Educator compensation remains too low, class sizes are too large and school funding doesn't match our state's higher academic standards and education reform efforts. For example, the budget does not make up the money that educators lost when I-732 was suspended for two years. And health care costs continue to rise.

"Most people are happy with the COLA, but they're disappointed we didn’t make up the lost salary," said Loren Imus, a WEA member from Central Valley (Spokane) who serves on the WEA Political Action Committee board.

WEA members are looking to other solutions, including local collective bargaining with school boards, Gov. Gregoire's school funding study and the 2006 legislative session.

Reach WEA Editor Linda Woo at lwoo@WashingtonEA.org, via postal mail at WEA, PO Box 9100, Federal Way, WA 98063-9100; phone 253-765-7027 (or toll-free outside Seattle-Tacoma: 800-622-3393 ext. 7027); or fax 253-946-7612. We welcome story ideas, letters to the editor and suggestions for improving WE-Washington Education, or WEA Online.