Senators listen to community’s education reform concerns
October 20, 2009
By Christopher Huber
By Christopher Huber
Marianne Kersten has sent two children through the Issaquah School District and currently has a junior at Issaquah High School. Over the past 16 or so years, she’s become frustrated with the ever-increasing out-of-pocket expenses that come with sending a student through school, especially high school, she said.
She’s tired of the state not taking charge to fund basic staples of her child’s school experience, like computers and Advanced Placement textbooks.
“Every year it’s the same old story,” she said. Something’s gotta give down in Olympia.”
Kersten, along with parents and teachers had a chance to vent frustrations at an education reform listening session Oct. 15 at Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus. The group asked questions of and heard feedback from Sens. Eric Oemig (D-Kirkland/Sammamish) and Rosemary McAuliffe (D-Bothell), both members of the Senate Education Committee.
During the last legislative session, the state government redefined basic education. In the process, they ended up committing to provide millions upon millions of dollars to schools across the state.
Legislators did not, however, develop a way to pay for it. This listening tour is part of an early effort to develop a funding strategy.
“There’s a lot of work still to be done,” Oemig said.
Oemig said the point to the pair’s traveling around the area is to listen to constituents and to dispel myths about the basic education-funding changes and take feedback from teachers, parents and community members.
Much of the evening’s discussion focused on when legislators should use data and research or simply consult educators and students to figure out how to fund the new model.
“It’s important for the senators that are decision makers to really be in touch,” said Neva Luke, president of the Issaquah Education Association. “If they’re going to make policy, they need to understand what’s going on in our schools, not just read the research.”
In his responses to questions, Oemig made the case for using empirical data to find trends and streamline program funding, but said he understood the value of an individual student approach.
“More money doesn’t fix all the problems … but we do need to get more out of what’s there,” Oemig said. “It’s not, ‘what’s wrong with the kid?’ It’s, ‘what’s wrong with the way we present the material to the kid.”
Luke and a small group of teachers stressed the idea that as lawmakers seek to provide funding to the new education finance models ushered in by the change in the law, people like Oemig and McAuliffe should be careful about jumping on the data-driven bandwagon.
“We need to be very thoughtful, because if we jump on the bandwagon and say, ‘well, the research shows,’ we need to be very cautious,” Luke said.
She invited the senators to visit classrooms around the district and see for themselves how students are learning.
“Let’s see what real people are doing with real kids,” Luke said.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.sammamishreview.com.
Marianne Kersten has sent two children through the Issaquah School District and currently has a junior at Issaquah High School. Over the past 16 or so years, she’s become frustrated with the ever-increasing out-of-pocket expenses that come with sending a student through school, especially high school, she said.
She’s tired of the state not taking charge to fund basic staples of her child’s school experience, like computers and Advanced Placement textbooks.
“Every year it’s the same old story,” she said. Something’s gotta give down in Olympia.”
State Sen. Eric Oemig (D-Kirkland/Sammamish) talks at Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus. Photo by Christopher Huber
Kersten, along with parents and teachers had a chance to vent frustrations at an education reform listening session Oct. 15 at Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus. The group asked questions of and heard feedback from Sens. Eric Oemig (D-Kirkland/Sammamish) and Rosemary McAuliffe (D-Bothell), both members of the Senate Education Committee.
During the last legislative session, the state government redefined basic education. In the process, they ended up committing to provide millions upon millions of dollars to schools across the state.
Legislators did not, however, develop a way to pay for it. This listening tour is part of an early effort to develop a funding strategy.
“There’s a lot of work still to be done,” Oemig said.
Oemig said the point to the pair’s traveling around the area is to listen to constituents and to dispel myths about the basic education-funding changes and take feedback from teachers, parents and community members.
Much of the evening’s discussion focused on when legislators should use data and research or simply consult educators and students to figure out how to fund the new model.
“It’s important for the senators that are decision makers to really be in touch,” said Neva Luke, president of the Issaquah Education Association. “If they’re going to make policy, they need to understand what’s going on in our schools, not just read the research.”
In his responses to questions, Oemig made the case for using empirical data to find trends and streamline program funding, but said he understood the value of an individual student approach.
“More money doesn’t fix all the problems … but we do need to get more out of what’s there,” Oemig said. “It’s not, ‘what’s wrong with the kid?’ It’s, ‘what’s wrong with the way we present the material to the kid.”
Luke and a small group of teachers stressed the idea that as lawmakers seek to provide funding to the new education finance models ushered in by the change in the law, people like Oemig and McAuliffe should be careful about jumping on the data-driven bandwagon.
“We need to be very thoughtful, because if we jump on the bandwagon and say, ‘well, the research shows,’ we need to be very cautious,” Luke said.
She invited the senators to visit classrooms around the district and see for themselves how students are learning.
“Let’s see what real people are doing with real kids,” Luke said.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com.
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