From OurVoice WEA...
Friday morning at WEA’s annual Representative Assembly, nearly 1,000 educators from across Washington voted to support Initiative 1351, the ballot measure that will dramatically reduce class sizes for students in every grade and subject.
Click here to make your commitment to passing I-1351.
The Legislature has failed to make adequate progress toward reducing class sizes, and Washington’s students are packed into classrooms ranked 47th out of 50 states. "That is unacceptable,” said Kim Mead, WEA president. “To give our kids the quality education they deserve, we must invest in smaller class sizes.” Mead said reducing class sizes and caseloads is the most effective way to improve learning and student performance.
Getting I-1351 on the ballot will take work. Supporters — that’s us – need to collect 350,000 voter signatures by July 3. Click here to make your personal commitment to passing I-1351.
Once it qualifies, I-1351 will be on the Nov. 4 ballot. Class Size Counts, a community organization, is the initiative sponsor. The initiative reduces class sizes for all grades. For example, I-1351 would fund class sizes of 17 students per class in K-3, and 15 per class in high-poverty schools. The initiative would also will reduce caseloads by funding additional education staff associates such as counselors and nurses, plus additional classified educators such as office assistants, custodians and paraprofessionals.
I-1351 petitions will be available at WEA regional UniServ offices beginning next week, and they will be mailed in the April issue of we 2.0.