In response to the announcements in West Seattle yesterday about staff cuts at our local elementary schools, the following Call to Action was written for parents to use to let their voice be heard.
The instructions for the call to action:
- Print, sign and mail this (or your own version) to the address on the letter
- Email a copy of the letter to these addresses: (use every email address you have and forward to others outside of Seattle to do the same)
Steve.Litzow@leg.wa.gov, Bruce.Dammeier@leg.wa.gov, Rosemary.McAuliffe@leg.wa.gov, Andy.Billig@leg.wa.gov, Joe.Fain@leg.wa.gov, Andy.Hill@leg.wa.gov, mark.mullet@leg.wa.gov, Ann.Rivers@leg.wa.gov, Christine.Rolfes@leg.wa.gov, sharon.nelson@leg.wa.gov
October 8, 2015
The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee
462 J.A. Cherberg Bldg, P.O. Box 40466 Olympia, WA 98504-0466
Dear Senators,
On behalf of our West Seattle community of students, teachers, and parents, we urge your Committee to take action to break the deadlock and fully fund public education. Yesterday, 25 elementary school principals in our district were told to cut up to 2 general education staff, merge homeroom classes to totals above the state’s legal limit, and displace our youngest students. Because enrollment projections fell short by 675 students, or 1.2%, out of a total district enrollment of 52,399 the funding shortfall was catastrophic. There is not enough money in the district budget to mitigate a 1% margin of error in projections. There is not enough money in the district budget to deliver the level of education we must provide to our students.
As elected representatives of our state and fellow Washington residents, give our children a quality, and stable, education. It is the job you pledged to do on Election Day. Comply with McCleary – Fully Fund Public Education.
