Urgent!
**URGENT** ALERT - House budget threatens to ELIMINATE K-6 Online Learning! Call House members IMMEDIATELY, especially if you get this before tonight's 6pm hearing or when they vote on Wed, Feb 24
Dear Members,
URGENT. The State House budget just released this afternoon is proposing to eliminate all Alternative Learning Experiences (ALE) - public school programs that serve students in grades K-6 throughout our state. This includes your child's online program. We need you to call the below leading legislators IMMEDIATELY to support your child and your school. This proposal attacks online students and the public school option that works best for you. This budget proposal aims to save money by literally kicking your children out of their public school and closing their school. The proposal assumes that the state won't have an obligation to educate your children anymore. The House Ways & Means Committee is holding a hearing on the budget tonight and it's vital that your voice is heard.
NOTE: Please keep you call respectful. Tell your legislators why public online education works well for you. Ask them to OPPOSE THE ELIMINATION OF K-6 ALE PROGRAMS IN THE HOUSE BUDGET, continue supporting online learning and save your child's public education.
Kelli Linville (D) Chair (360) 786-7854
Mark Ericks (D) Vice Chair (360) 786-7900
Pat Sullivan (D) Vice Chair (360) 786-7858
Gary Alexander(R) Minority Ranking Member (360) 786-7990
Bruce Dammeier (R)Assistant Rankin Member (360) 786-7948
After you've contracted the five legislators above, please call the legislative hotline, 1-800-562-6000, to deliver the same message to your own House members. We also encourage everyone to talk directly with your own House members or their Legislative Assistants. Their emails and phone numbers are listed at:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx
We are just as shocked as you are about this proposal. We must make our voices heard and our support for online learning known.
This proposal:
1) Balances the budget by kicking kids out of their schools.
2) Makes budget assumptions regarding where students would go for their education next year based on speculation, not reality. The majority of students in the largest K-6 ALE program currently have a shared enrollment between their online public school program sponsored by one school district and their geographical home district. (typically .6 FTE + .4 FTE= 1 FTE).
3) Eliminates the ONLY public school options for many kids with medical or learning challenges.
4) Assumes, incorrectly, that students in ALE programs cost more than those in traditional schools. At a minimum, online public schools save the cost of building, maintenance, food services and transportation.
5) Instead of building on our state's reputation as providing innovative, impressive online public school programs to students across our state, the acceptance of the House budget language would result in blatant discrimination against students currently enrolled in online learning programs who are beginning to close the gap between how students live and how they learn.
Washington Families for Online Learning is a 501 (c)4 non-profit organization made up of volunteer parents, students and other supporters of online learning whose primary objective is protecting access to a quality, online public education in our state.
###
