Late last year I conduced a survey of our legislative district to receive input on issues that the Legislature would possibly be considering this session. Please take a look at how our neighbors responded to the survey.
Tag Archives: Education
Washington’s Paramount DutyA look at education funding in our state |
Greetings,For the past 30 years, starting in the early 1980s, growth in general government spending outpaced the state’s investments in public education. Billions of dollars were diverted from the state’s paramount duty toward other state programs. As the state’s portion of education funding declined, that burden shifted to school-district taxpayers and their ability to raise funds through local levies. These two issues have culminated in the McCleary decision where the state Supreme court found the state was not meeting is constitutional duty to adequately provide for K-12 education. In just a few short years, our Senate majority has been able to change that and make education the first priority in the state’s budget. Since 2013, education spending has increased by $4.5 billion and 47 percent of spending in the most recent budget is going to our K-12 system. However, funding is only part of the challenge. We also need common sense reforms to give teachers the freedom to do their jobs well and help schools and students succeed. Looking ahead at the upcoming legislative session, we have more work to do to make the right investments for our students and provide a more equitable solution for school funding by the 2018 deadline. As we continue to prioritize schools in our state there will be many issues to address, but funding is a major piece of the puzzle. State Sen. Andy Hill, our lead budget writer, recently put out a series of policy papers that goes in depth on education funding and reform. Please see below for links to the three-part series. 
The Paramount Duty SeriesPart I: 30 Years of Shirking the Paramount Duty & Understanding the Ruling that Followed
“It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders[.]” – Article. 9, Sec. 1 of the Washington State Constitution Despite being ascribed preeminent importance in Washington’s Constitution, education was a decidedly declining state budget priority over the last generation as non-education spending dominated budget growth from 1983 to 2013… Click Here to Read More Part 2: Turning the tide–state spending radically reprioritized under Majority Coalition Caucus
The Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) took the reins of the Senate in 2013, determined to turn the tide of the previous 30 years and reprioritize education. The results are as follows… Click Here to Read More. Part 3: What’s left? Bringing fairness to K-12 funding via levy reform,debunking the myth that new taxes are needed,and the vital importance of education policy reforms
The quality of a child’s education should not depend on their ZIP Code.That is a fundamental principle that unites all of us in the Legislature, and while we cannot ultimately control the quality of a child’s education, we in the Legislature must ensure the funding system in place is equitable, regardless of where a child lives in our state.Sadly, that is not the case at present–and it must be remedied… Click Here to Read More. Contact Me:Email:John.Braun@leg.wa.gov Olympia Office: 407 Legislative Building PO Box 40420 Olympia, WA 98504-0420 Phone:(360) 786-7638 Website: johnbraun.src.wastateleg.org Share my E-newsletterDo you know others who live in our district who may not be receiving my e-news updates? Please feel free to forward this e-mail to them or click on the share button below.
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Leaders in the state Senate and House have reached a significant bipartisan agreement on the state’s two-year operating budget. Included in the budget is the Senate’s proposal to reduce tuition at state colleges and universities, sponsored by deputy majority leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia. Over the next two years the legislation reduces college tuition by 15 percent at research institutions like the University of Washington, 20 percent at regional universities such as Western Washington University, and 5 percent at community and technical colleges. The budget includes significant investments in basic education, with over 47 percent of the state’s spending going to K-12 education.
“This budget is a bipartisan compromise but it is one that speaks to our values,” said Braun, a lead Senate budget negotiator. “The Senate stopped the biggest tax increases in state history. We focused our state’s spending on education at all levels: early learning, K-12 and higher education and led the nation by reducing tuition at our state universities and colleges. Our budget is balanced, sustainable and lives up to the values of our community.”
Going forward, college tuition will be tied to growth in the state’s median wage; that change and the immediate tuition cut are expected to help 200,000 college students.
“The tuition cut is the equivalent of a quarter-billion dollar tax reduction for working families and students in our state,” said Braun. “I have been fighting for this policy, fighting to make sure we have no new taxes, and fighting to ensure that our budget makes the best use of taxpayer resources. I believe that we have done that. We can go back to our communities having made significant statewide investments without raising taxes. That’s a very good thing.”
The budget, Senate Bill 6052, was approved in time to take effect July 1, avoiding a state government shutdown.
May 21, 2015 |
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Photo by Kyle Spurr: The Chronicle
Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, spent Tuesday night visiting with local preschool students in the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program at Centralia College, which heavily relies on state funding each year.
Braun sat with the youths and helped them color pictures and play games. He said ECEAP is a high priority for the state and Lewis County.
“There is a lot of work that has been done,” Braun said. “In terms of bang for your buck, this is one of the best investments for the state.”
ECEAP, a comprehensive preschool program created in 1985 for children 3 to 4 years old across the state, is geared toward children in low income families. The program helps children and families with school readiness, including the children’s development and growth in physical, social, emotional, cognitive and creative areas, according to the program…