Sausage Making Makes Things Look Ugly -- But It Tastes Good In the End!

In Olympia people often say there are two things you don't want to watch happen: making sausage and making legislation.

This year is no different.  Thanks to everyone's calls, letters and emails, our coalition of Families for Online Learning successfully saved our schools from a budget that would have shut down all  online schools for elementary students. The same day the budget was fixed, HB 3200 was introduced. This bill would have done everything we feared (shut down all K-6 ALE programs including online programs, except for students with special needs).

HB 3200 was only a "placeholder."  Placeholders are bills that are introduced in case it is needed to implement the budget.  BUT, SINCE THE WASHINGTON FAMILIES FOR ONLINE LEARNING WAS HEARD AND THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PUT THE K-6 ALE FUNDING BACK IN THE BUDGET -- HB 3200 IS NOT NEEDED AND IS NOW CONSIDERED A "DEAD" BILL.

Do we need to stay vigilant?  Always.  Do we need to worry about HB3200?  NO!  As your coalition coordinator, I bring a lifetime of teaching, fourteen years as a state representative and I'll keep watching.  We have friends in Olympia who are watching as well. 

Right now... the most effective thing each family can do is to email us why your online public school program is a good fit for your family.  If you've already sent yours in, thank you! Please tell another online family how easy it is to do at:  www.waonlinefamilies.org/stories/ . With this year's funding restored, we can breathe easy as we shift our focus to collecting our stories to share with legislators now and in the future.

The stories will be needed for meetings with legislators and other work that will continue even after the Legislature adjourns on March 11.  We need to make sure we don't have to fight this battle again next year.

Thank you again for all your hard work and help!

Rich Dingle, President of WA Families for Online Learning

Gigi Talcott, Coordinator of WA Families for Online Learning