Washington: Wasl

March 7, 2009 - 09:52 am

House votes for 1-year delay to children's health program for lower middle class families

By Joe Turner

House Democrats have not abandoned their goal to have all kids covered by health insurance plans by 2010, but they still aren't going to make it.

On Friday, they passed a measure that will delay expansion of health care programs for children to encompass families whose income is between 2.5 and 3 times the federal poverty level. For a family of four that is $63,600 a year. The vote was 68-28.

The programs is just for the kids, not their parents. The delay is until Jan. 1, 2010, apparently a small concession to the $7.7 billion budget shortfall that lawmakers are facing.

The bill also authorizes the state Department of Social and Health Services to design another health program for the kids of parents above that 3-times-poverty threshold, and that program doesn't have to be as generous in benefits as the ones below that threshold.

Read More at News Tribune >
There have been 25 comments posted in response to this story.

February 27, 2009 - 04:38 am

NEWS FEED: Northwest Progressive Institute

PTA tells legislature, "Kids can't wait!"

By Kathleen (noreply@blogger.com)

"It's basic. Our children can't wait. Yes we can!"

Those were the chants of approximately 400 PTA members, parents, grandparents and students from the steps of the Capitol building in Olympia on Thursday. Senator Rosemary McAuliffe (D-Bothell) called the gathering the largest rally that she had ever seen at the Capitol, and with sixteen years in the Senate, that's saying something. I counted at least eleven legislators shivering in the 35 degree winter shade, waiting to speak to the crowd or just lending visual support to the main issue of the group, education finance and reform.

Like every special interest group, the Washington State PTA converges on the Capitol on one day during every legislative session, but not every year includes a rally like this one.

Read More at Northwest Progressive Institute >
There have been 24 comments posted in response to this story.

February 4, 2009 - 07:57 pm

NEWS FEED: News Tribune

Schools chief Randy Dorn says he's dropping 9th grade WASL

Randy Dorn said a news release should be coming from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction later today.

But Dorn told me over by the sundial a couple hours ago that there's no money to process and grade the tests.

The 9th grade WASL (Washington Assessement of Student Learning) is optional, but 36,000 students had signed up for it this school year. The test is taking in the spring.

So, it's not as if he's getting rid of any mandatory testing, he said. A lot of students use it for practice. And Dorn said, if a student passes the test, it counts as if the student passsed the 10th grade WASL. (This isn't my strong suit, so I'm not sure about this.)

OSPI candidates talk accountability, pay in debate

By Bryan Bissell, PolitickerWA.com Reporter

BLAINE - The two candidates for the office of superintendent of public instruction, Washington's only statewide non-partisan post, debated today at the Association of Washington Business' annual policy summit.

Dorn hits Bergeson on WASL

By Bryan Bissell, PolitickerWA.com Reporter

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson welcomed the news that more than 90% of high school seniors had passed the graduation requirements of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning.

"The Class of 2008 and the educators who support them have made an incredible start," she said. "We need to support them in continued success. The citizens of our state have every reason to celebrate along with the Class of 2008."

There have been 35 comments posted in response to this story.

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