June 6. I promise this budget battle will all end in these next ten days. The governor needs to veto the legislation before June 15 or it automatically becomes law and our online programs will suffer drastic cuts, if not close their doors. Unfortunately it may be up to you to determine whether we win, or we lose. The legislature failed us. Now only the governor has a chance to fix it, but only in the next few days. It's up to each of our families to let her know the importance of vetoing a section of the ALE legislation. Getting rid of that one section would allow flexibility that could save basic education funding for our online public school programs! Wouldn't that be a relief!!!

Have you gone to her website or written a letter sharing a few sentences about why online learning is important to your child? If not, why not do it now?

Our message to Governor Gregoire:
"Please veto Sec 9 of ESHB 2065. This will allow flexibility to enact policy changes in ALE (Alternative Learning Experience) programs in ways that will not hurt students."

You can go to: http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/
Just type in (or cut and paste) the message:

Please veto Sec 9 of ESHB 2065. This will allow flexibility to enact policy changes in ALE (Alternative Learning Experience) programs in ways that will not hurt students.

Add something positive, polite and personal ? if you wish.Then hit "submit". Thank you!

Another way to reach the governor:
Personal letters can be mailed to Governor Christine Gregoire
The Honorable Chris Gregoire
Governor, Washington State
Legislative Building, 2nd Floor
PO Box 40002
Olympia WA 98504

Please, send the message on the governor's website and/or write a letter?
???..or if you want more background, here it is?.

Section 9  of ESHB 2065 is the section of law that directs OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) to cut 10% to 20% of the basic education funding for all students enrolled in ALE programs, including our children. The budget writers are counting on $41 million in "savings" from ALE programs.

We are proposing that they get those savings by restoring one hour/week of face-to-face teacher-student contact time for non-online ALE programs. Before 2005, students in all ALE programs were required to spend five hours/week contact time. In 2005 highly accountable online programs were funded. Online programs are now mandated to be individually approved and accountable to OSPI. As you know, there are many additional layers of accountability for every student enrolled in an online public school program.

If the governor vetoes Section 9, OSPI can make a rule change to re-establish contact time for non-online programs. Some ALE programs reaching part-time home-school students from outside their school districts may not be able to provide time with a teacher for out-of-district students. For families returning to full-time home-school education for their children, OSPI reported that the savings to the state could  restore full basic education funding to students in all ALE programs.

Note: It's truly a sad day when any student in a public school program has funding for their basic education threatened to be cut, yet the reality is here. Tens of millions of dollars WILL be cut from the basic education funding for ALE students.

 We need to have our voices heard to preserve basic education funding for our online students while re-establishing teacher contact time for all other ALE programs. The governor needs to veto ESHB2065 before June 15 or it becomes law. She could take action (veto or sign it into law) anytime after Monday of this week. Please send her a message from your family before it's too late.

Let me know what you're thinking or any other ideas you have for getting our message heard. Thank you!!! info@waonlinefamilies.org