>>>
>>> TO
>>> TO THE NEWS, YOU HAVE SEEN THE RALLIES ALL OVER OUR
NEWSCAST WITH MORE THAN 100
TEACHERS PLANNING TO
DEMONSTRATE AN THESE DISTRICTS.
-- IN THESE DISTRICTS.
>> THESE TEACHERS HAVE GOTTEN
PAY RAISES BETWEEN 12% AND 21%.
OTHERS ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR
THOSE PAY RAISES.
WE ARE JOINED BY A STATE
SUPERINTENDENT TO TALK MORE
ABOUT THIS.
ABOUT THIS. GOOD MORNING, CHRIS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PAY
RAISES.
RAISES.
RAISES. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DOUBLE
DIGITS, THAT IS COMING FROM THE
McCLEARY DECISION, WITH A LOT
OF STATE MONDAY -- MONEY COMING
IN.
IN.
IN. GIVE
IN. GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT
WHERE THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM
AND HOW MUCH IT IS.
>> HOUR LEGISLATION HAS
GRAPPLED FOR MANY YEARS OF
TRYING TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE
FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM,
CLEAN COMPETITION FOR
EDUCATORS.
EDUCATORS. THEY WRAPPED UP THAT WORK THIS
LAST YEAR WITH A $1 BILLION PUSH
THAT SATISFIED THE COURTS.
THE MONEY IS OUT THERE IN THE
HANDS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND
THEIR NEGOTIATING DISTRICT BY
DISTRICT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
THE CHALLENGE IS THE NEW FORMULA
HAS SOME DISTRICTS
SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER OFF THAN
YOU ARE SEEING THOSE LARGE PAY
RAISES BEING NEGOTIATED IN
OTHER DISTRICTS DID NOT FARE AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. THEY HAVE A HARDER TIME, BUT IT
IS A UNIQUE TIME IN OUR STATE
BECAUSE THEY ARE BARGAINING AT
ESSENTIALLY THE SAME TIME AND
THAT IS UNUSUAL FOR US.
>> 74% OF ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS
HAVE SOME SORT OF A CONTRACT
NEGOTIATION IN PROCESS, THAT IS
REALLY HIGH.
REALLY HIGH. AND WE HAVE GOTTEN THE MONEY,
DOUBLE DIGIT TEACHER RAISES,
AND OTHERS HAVE HAD 3.4% AND
SOME SAYS THEY CANNOT -- AND
SOME SAY THEY CANNOT GO HIGHER.
>> EVERYONE IS SINCERE.
THEY'RE LOOKING AFTER THEIR
MEMBERSHIP IN TRYING TO FOLLOW
THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATOR,
WHICH IS TO INCREASE
COMPENSATION.
COMPENSATION. DISTRICTS ARE ALSO RIGHT AND
THAT WHATEVER THEY DO THIS
YEAR, THEY HAVE TO SUSTAIN THAT
IN THE LONG TERM, SO RIGHT NOW
THEY'RE GETTING NEW STATE MONEY
BUT COME JANUARY, MOST
DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE WILL
LOSE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF
THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL LEVY, THE
DISTRICTS ARE TRYING TO BALANCE
HOW DO WE GIVE THESE
APPROPRIATE RAISES NOW AND
STILL MAKE SURE THIS IS
SUSTAINABLE COUPLE YEARS DOWN
THE ROAD.
THE ROAD.
THE ROAD. >> HOW DO YOU SATISFY BOTH
SIDES OF THE SITUATION?
WHAT CAN YOU DO AS THE STATE
SUPERINTENDENT?
SUPERINTENDENT? >> WE CAN CLARIFY THE RULES.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE MAKING REALLY
CLEAR TO DISTRICTS -- THEY
ALLOW A LOT OF THINGS TO BE
NEGOTIATED FOR INITIAL PAY, SO
MAKING SURE WE ARE NOT
ARTIFICIAL APPOINTED TO THAT
AS A LIMIT BUT ON THE OTHER
HAND WERE MY DISTRICTS THEIR
APARTMENT TO SEND THAT -- WE
REMIND DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE
TO REVIEW THEIR LEVY AND WE
HAVE A FINANCIAL HEALTH
INDICATOR THAT SAYS IF WE THINK
THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE, WE
WILL KIND OF PUT A RED FLAG
WARNING ON THIS.
OUR JOB IS TO CLARIFY THE RULES
AND GET OUT OF THE WAY SO LOCAL
BARGAINING HAPPEN THE WAY IT
SHOULD.
SHOULD.
SHOULD. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE BOTH SIDES
UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMIC
>> TEACHER PAY IS A HUGE FOCUS
POINT RIGHT NOW WITH SCHOOLS
GETTING STARTED IN A COUPLE
WEEKS.
WEEKS.
WEEKS. WHAT ARE THE OTHER ISSUES YOUR
OFFICES ARE DEALING WITH AS THE
SCHOOL YEAR GETS UNDERWAY?
>> FINANCES ARE BIG,
IMPLEMENTED A TON OF TALKS
ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY -- AND
THEIR IMPLEMENTING A TON OF
TALK ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY.
AFTER SCHOOL STARTS -- -- AND
THEY ARE IMPLEMENTING A TON OF
TALK ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY.
WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO SHRINK
THE AMOUNT OF TIME KIDS ARE
KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL.
THEY WERE NOT GIVEN EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN
LEARNING WHEN THEY WERE REMOVED
FROM SCHOOL.
FROM SCHOOL. WE WANT TO REDUCE THE RACIAL
DISPROPORTIONALITY ABOUT THAT.
>> WHAT CAN YOUR OFFICE DO
ABOUT THE EQUITY GAP AND RATES?
>> IT IS THE WHOLE REASON WE
EXIST.
EXIST.
EXIST. THE PURPOSE IS TO GET A RECENT
GRADUATE ON TIME AND WE KNOW IF
YOUR STUDENT DOES NOT SPEAK
ENGLISH OR YOU ARE LOW INCOME --
WE KNOW IF YOU ARE A STUDENT
WHO DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH OR
YOU ARE LOW INCOME, YOU HAVE A
LESSER CHANCE.
LESSER CHANCE. WE HAVE TONS OF STRATEGIES FROM
A NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS TO
THE NEW MONEY GOING OUT THERE
TO TARGET RESOURCES. WE ARE
PROUD OF LEGISLATOR AND THE
GOVERNOR FOR LEADING US TO A
BETTER OPPORTUNITY --
LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR
FOR LEADING US TO BETTER
OPPORTUNITY.
OPPORTUNITY. >> WE HAVE THESE COMPANY
STARTING UP IN SEATTLE AND
AROUND WESTERN WASHINGTON.
THAT MEANS MORE KIDS, SO IN
TERMS OF SCHOOL CROWD, WHAT YOU
SEE IN TERMS OF NUMBERS?
>> -- SCHOOL CROWDING, WHAT YOU
SEE IN TERMS OF NUMBERS?
>> 91% OF ALL KIDS ATTEND
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN OUR STATE.
IT IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE
SOMETIMES WE GROW JUST
FORTUNATELY, ONE COMMUNITY OVER
ANOTHER.
ANOTHER.
ANOTHER. THAT IS A REAL CHALLENGE -- WE
GROW DISPROPORTIONATELY, ONE
COMMUNITY OVER ANOTHER.
THAT IS A REAL CHALLENGE.
WE HAVE TO FIND BUILDINGS IN
URBAN AREAS LIKE SEATTLE, WHICH
IS CHALLENGING.
IS CHALLENGING. >> YOU THINK THINGS ARE ON THE
UP AND UP?
WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE DOOM
AND GLOOM, BUT YOU THINK THINGS
ARE ON THE UP AND UP?
>> I WOULD RATHER BE HERE THAN
ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE RAISING TEACHER PAY,
ADDRESSING EQUITY ISSUES, AND I
THINK PROBABLY NOT AT THE PACE
AND COVER WITH, BUT CERTAINLY
FASTER THAN MOST OTHER STATES.
-- AT THE PACE I AM