Dear Neighbors,
We are quickly approaching the end of the regular 60 day 2012 Legislative session. Due to the incident which occurred late last weekend in the Senate, it appears that we have much work yet to accomplish and work towards the goal of a sustainable budget which is not an all cuts budget. We will keep you informed as the budget unfolds.
New teacher/principal evaluations rolling out statewide
In 2010, the Legislature enacted a bill to reform a broken teacher/principal evaluation system. A new framework was put in place and is currently being tested by several school districts. Initial reports indicate the new evaluation system is working extremely well.
Based in part on the data collected from the pilot group, the Legislature approved Senate Bill 5895 this week that will make improvements to the new evaluation system. Among some of the changes include:
- Implementation: School districts will be required to begin phasing in the new evaluation system starting with the 2013-14 school year. Districts must fully-transition by the 2015-16 school year. The pilot schools will continue their work throughout the transition period and report best practices to help with the statewide implementation.
- Professional development: The primary focus of the new system is to build upon the strengths of each teacher and principal in Washington schools. The bill also ensures that districts will have the training tools and resources they will need in order to implement the evaluation system statewide.
- Four-tier evaluation program: Teacher and principals will be rated on a four-tiered system instead of the current two-tier system. The levels include unsatisfactory, basic, proficient, and distinguished.
- Student growth data: The new system requires student growth data to be a substantial factor in evaluating teacher and principal performance. Safeguards are in place to make sure the data is used objectively, fairly, and consistently across districts.
By moving in this new direction, we want to ensure there is a great teacher in every classroom and a great principal in every school. SB 5895 is on the governor’s desk awaiting her signature.
The good economic news keeps coming!
There is still a long way to go, but we received more indications this week that the economy – both in our state in nation-wide – is starting to turn around.
The Employment Security Department reported that our employment rate soared last month, gaining an estimated 13,200 jobs – meaning that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to an estimated 8.3 percent.
Employment Security Commissioner Paul Trause said that the new and improved figures “show that our economy is gaining strength, and that’s great news to start the new year.”
And we’re not alone; looks like unemployment rates are steadily falling nationwide. The Washington Post reported that the number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to the lowest point in four years.
But there’s more good news for America: According to a Federal Reserve Board report released this week, the U.S. economy started the year with busier factories, higher retail sales, more jobs, and growth in home sales.
Local meeting:
Mayor McGinn will be hosting several town halls in the next week. This will be your opportunity to ask the Mayor a question or share your thoughts with him.
Saturday, March 10 @ 11 am @ Wedgwood Presbyterian Church )8008 35th Ave NE)
Tuesday, March 13 @ 5:30 @ Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW)
Intern recognition:
Every year it is my honor to have a college intern assist in my office with a variety of tasks. This year a Senior from PLU, Stephanie Roman came to us with a multitude of skills. She was a great addition to our session staff. She will do well in all her endeavors and we wish her the best of luck.
Thank you once again for taking your time to stay involved in your Government. As always, I hope you will continue to stay in touch, and share your thoughts with me anytime.
Best Wishes,
Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney State Representative 46th Legislative District