What is it worth to save your child's online program? Will an email or a call make a difference when an elected representative receives dozens, or hundreds or potentially thousands of emails asking for the same thing? Absolutely, yes - especially when we are polite and passionate!
Our message: "Please ask the Senator to oppose HB 2065 unless it is amended to assure funding for my child's basic education and eliminates the unfunded mandate requiring "seat time" for online students."
The most personal, and powerful, way to get the message to the right people before they vote is to make a call to the Legislative Assistant in each of the senator's offices. It does take time, precious time... and your call could be the one that convinces the senator to vote to support continued stable funding for your child's education. Here's their info. Please have someone in your family make time to call at least the top five or six.
The phone numbers for the Senate offices all begin with 1-360-786-XXXX ... and end with the individual four numbers listed after each Senator's last name.
Chairman Murray/7628
Vice Chairman Kilmer/7650
Zarelli/7634;
Tom/7694
Brown/7604;
Holmquist Newbry/7624;
Parlette/7622;
Baumgartner/7610;
Baxter/7606;
Pflug/7608;
Conway/7656;
Fraser/7642;
Hatfield/7636;
Hewitt/7630;
Honeyford/7684;
Kastama/7648;
Keiser/7664;
Kohl-Welles;
Pridemore/7696;
Regala/7652;
Rockefeller/7644;
Schoesler/7620;
+++ Either in addition to these critical calls to the Senate Ways & Means Committee members, or if you are not going to make the calls, here is a way to reach all three of your own legislators and the governor with ONE quick call. It's good for all legislators to be watching for HB 2065. Once the Senate Ways & Means Committee members (listed above) vote on the bill, it will go to the "floor" of the State Senate where all 49 Senators will vote on it. The bill could be fixed in the committee or in the full Senate. These connections with our elected representatives can still save our children's educational future.
This "hotline" call couldn't be easier. The operators are friendly. You can do it in three minutes. Please call between 8-4:30, except during their noon hour break.
The phone # is 1-800-562-6000.
They'll ask for your name and address so they can deliver your brief, positive message.
"Please watch for and OPPOSE HB 2065 unless it is fixed
HB 2065 strengthens some ALE policies. Unfortunately it also threatens to shut down my child's high quality online ALE program by segregating online students to face funding battles every year and adding mandatory "seat time" requirements to online students. Both can be fixed with a couple, short amendments.
Please represent me and my family by VOTING NO on HB 2065, unless it is fixed. Thank you."
Families: Go to our blog at www.waonlinefamilies.org if you'd like more info. The legal opinion on the Constitutional challenge and more budget information is posted there. If you haven't read the bill yet, go to http://apps.leg.wa.gov/
