School News

A new Web tool allows local parents and voters to find out how much their local schools will lose under proposed budget cuts in Olympia.

The Web site, www.ProtectWashingtonSchools.org, offers an easy-to-use database for all 295 Washington school districts.

Parents can simply click on their school district, and a printable color poster pops up in a new window. All of the major school budget cuts are listed by category. All-day kindergarten and K-4 class-size reduction funding are among the cuts lawmakers are considering as they face a $2.6 billion budget shortfall. Washington’s public school students already lost an estimated 3,000 teachers and school support staff this year, and another 3,000 teachers are at risk under the proposed cuts.

Educators are urging the Legislature and Gov. Chris Gregoire to find revenue solutions instead of relying solely on cuts as they tackle the state budget crisis.

The Washington Education Association is sponsoring www.ProtectWashingtonSchools.org.

WEA represents more than 82,000 teachers, education support professionals and higher education faculty.