State’s Basic Education Task Force members to visit Redmond Sept. 22

Increasing costs and changing funds to public schools continue to create unsustainable consequences for Washington.

The results from underfunding affect every student in the Lake Washington School District and force the district to use levy dollars to fund basic education programs.

Three members of Governor Chris Gregoire’s bipartisan Basic Education Task Force are expected to talk about these issues at the Lake Washington School District Board Room at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22.

The session will be held at the Lake Washington School District’s L.E. Scarr Resource Center, 16250 NE 74th St., at Redmond Town Center.

Task force members planning to attend are Rep. Ross Hunter (D-48th Legislative District), Rep. Glenn Anderson (R-5th Legislative District) and Sen. Rodney Tom (D-48th Legislative District).

The task force is working to redefine basic public education for the State of Washington and come up with a funding structure to reflect the actual costs of K-12 education.

State lawmakers elected in November 2008 will request state-wide support during the 2009 Legislative Session to meet the actual cost of K-12 education.

After their presentation, the legislators will answer questions from the school board and attendees. For event information or to submit questions for the officials in advance, contact Lake Washington PTSA advocacy co-chairs Susan Baird-Joshi, sdbj.thunderbird@gmail.com or Michele Stanish-Walls, a.shirt@comcast.net.

For more info on the Basic Education Task Force, visit http://www.leg.wa.gov/Joint/Committees/BEF/.

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