2010 Legislature Winding Down - Yet Our Work is Just Beginning...Keep the Stories Coming!

Tomorrow, Thursday, March 11, is supposed to be the 60th and last day of this year's legislative session -- at least according to our state Constitution.  Yet, with millions of dollars separating the House and Senate budgets and with a huge difference of opinion over what taxes to raise, the words "special session" are being whispered in the hallways!

Thanks to all your calls, emails and letters, we are not seeing any direct threats to your online public schools right now, but there is considerable angst about education funding overall.  Once the budget and revenue package are final, we'll know just how much will be cut out of the K-12 public education budget.  Deep cuts this year would create pressure to make other adjustments next year -- which could bring back the threats to online public schools.

To make sure we are ready for future battles, the most effective thing everyone can do is to email  YOUR online public school story to us.  Tell why your program is a good fit for your family. Tell us why you want to see online public school programs expanded, not eliminated, in our state.  If you've already sent in yours, thank you! Now, please, reach out to another online family to tell them how easy it is to do at:  www.waonlinefamilies.org/stories/ .  .. 

Stories can be a line, a paragraph, or a page. Don't forget to send a photo to go with it. Photos of science experiments, art projects, field trips are especially convincing.  Your stories, told in your own words have made us laugh and some have made us cry. Each story is unique and worthwhile!

By emailing your story, you will enhance the information we need to make sure legislators and staff know more about the value of online public school programs.  The more they know, the less chance there is that we will have to fight this battle again next year.

Thank you!

www.waonlinefamilies.org/stories/

Rich Dingle,            President, WA Families for Online Learning

Gigi Talcott             Coordinator, WA Families for Online Learning