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"Race To The Top" Bill Stalls In State Senate
Austin Jenkins (2010-03-09)
Photo courtesy of Life Magazine
OLYMPIA, WA (N3) - The Obama Administration last week announced the first round of grants to states under the federal "Race to the Top" education reform program. Washington state didn't apply, but Governor Chris Gregoire wants a chance to qualify for the second round of grants later this spring. First, though, she needs the legislature to pass a key education reform bill. The problem is - as the clock runs out on the legislative session - that bill is hung-up in a dispute between the House and Senate.

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There's potentially $150 to $250 million dollars sitting in Washington, D.C. with Washington state's name on it. In order to win the money, states have to prove they're leading the way on education reform. A bill to bolster the state's "Race to the Top" application has passed both the House and Senate in Olympia. But here's why Senate Democrats are having heartburn. Their colleagues in the House attached an amendment that would commit Washington state to reducing Kindergarten through third grade class sizes to 17 students per teacher. It would also double the funding school districts get for maintenance, supplies and operating costs. But that would cost the state a lot more money. Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown agrees with the goal of reducing class size, but she doesn't know where the money would come from.

Lisa Brown: "Let's talk about what really matters which is how are we going to raise the resources necessary for our schools. That's the real debate for education in my opinion, not just making promises about what you're going to do in the future when we haven't even resolved the budget issue that we're facing today."

Brown says before Washington commits to even more funding, it needs to find a new dedicated source of money for public schools. But over in the House, Representative Pat Sullivan, the sponsor of the amendment, thinks the legislature needs to pressure of having made a commitment to school children to find new money. He also notes Washington state recently lost a major school funding lawsuit before King County Judge John Erlick. Sullivan says the legislature needs to send a message that it heard that ruling loud and clear.

Pat Sullivan: "We can't leave town without making some progress towards meeting Judge Erlick's ruling. I think we're abdicating our responsibility if we leave and our only response to the ruling is we're going to appeal."

The stand-off between the House and Senate is getting personal. Senator Brown is receiving emails and postcards accusing her of playing politics at the expense of Washington school kids. The question now is, with just days left in the legislative session, which side will give in or will the "Race to the Top" bill simply die? I'm Austin Jenkins in Olympia.


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