Tag Archives: Schools

Senate committee backs Braun bill to reduce chronic absenteeism

OLYMPIA… A bill introduced by Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, to help school districts address chronic absenteeism has been approved by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee and now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

Senate Bill 5007 is aimed at supporting students at risk of falling behind academically due to excessive absences.

In September 2024, KUOW radio reported Washington remains among the worst states for chronic absenteeism, with roughly 30% of students missing more than 10% of the school year—approximately three weeks. While that figure reflects some improvement over the prior year, it remains twice the pre-pandemic level and higher than the national average of one in four students.

“This is a straightforward issue,” said Braun. “Students who don’t attend school regularly struggle to keep up, and that puts them at a disadvantage. Some families face challenges that make regular attendance difficult, and schools need more support to help address those barriers. This bill provides tools to parents and educators to help get students back in the classroom.”

Braun noted that chronic absenteeism is linked to lower graduation rates and long-term economic and health challenges.

“If we can do more to prevent those outcomes, we should,” he said. “I appreciate the committee’s support and hope the full Senate will consider the bill soon.”

Subject to available funding, SB 5007 would require each of Washington’s nine educational service districts to develop training and coaching programs for school staff focused on reducing absenteeism. It would also expand the Building Bridges Program to include chronically absent students, offering grants to community-based organizations, tribes, and community and technical colleges to support intervention efforts.

The Building Bridges Program is a local partnership of schools, families and communities that provides:

  • A means of identifying students at risk of dropping out
  • Coaches or mentors to provide support
  • Staff to coordinate the community partners so there is a continuum of academic and nonacademic resources
  • Retrieval/reentry activities
  • Alternative educational programming

Senate approves Braun bill to bring timber money back to schools

The state Senate today approved Sen. John Braun’s legislation that would make permanent a state policy that returns money from federal timber sales to local schools. Senate Bill 6292 would eliminate the reduction of state school funding to districts based on what they receive in federal forest revenues. The measure cleared the Senate by a vote of 35-14 and moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“This bill makes a small but needed change to restore resources for many of our school districts, especially in rural areas,” said Braun. “The state has been reducing its basic education funding to districts that received federal timber revenues, and that places extra burdens on the districts that are least able to handle them.”

Currently, 21 percent of property in Washington is designated as national forest, which is exempt from property tax. These federal funds are designated to go to the school districts in those areas to make up for lost property tax revenue. However, the state has been deducting that same amount from their basic education funding, effectively negating the goal of the program. Braun’s bill would eliminate the reduction in state basic-education funding to school districts that receive federal forest revenue, restoring the original intent of Congress.

“I’ve worked over the past several years to keep these funds available through the budget to the 215 school districts that receive federal forest revenues and this legislation provides a permanent solution,” Braun said.

20th District schools see more money from timber in supplemental budget

Recent budget negotiations by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia have resulted in restoration of revenues to rural districts from forestry activities on federal lands. Local school districts would receive more than $350 thousand dollars under this legislation. Both House and Senate passed the measure today that partially eliminates reductions in basic education funding for low-income districts.

“It is past the time that we restored funding to our rural schools. This bill along with funding in the supplemental operating budget lets our resources go back into our community,” said Braun.

The proposed funding fluctuates yearly depending on forestry activities and is now dependent on federal action to reauthorize distribution of those funds. Currently, 21 percent of Washington is designated as national forests which are exempt from property tax. Rural districts have relied on timber sales and revenues from logging on federal land but the state retains authority in how those funds are allocated.

“We’ve been able to put funding back into the schools and communities that need it most. Our work on this year’s supplemental budget prioritizes education and this is another way we can direct money back where it is needed.”