Alliance of Educational Associations (AEA)
AEA is a partnership of educational organizations that provides information and acts as a positive influence on legislation to create the best possible educational system for students in Washington State. We are associations who provide leadership through K–12 support services.
Members
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Washington Association of Maintenance and Operations Administrators (WAMOA)—Educational Facilities Professionals Providing a Safe, Secure and Healthy Learning Environment for Student Achievement
- Washington School Nutrition Association (WSNA)—School Nutrition Professionals Supporting Student Learning Through Provision of Healthy School Meals
2024 Legislative Priorities
A strong and stable K–12 public education system is essential to sustain and ensure the quality of life and economic stability for Washington State citizens. Therefore, we urge the Legislature to:
- Update Staff Allocation Formulas
AEA applauds the 2022 Legislature for beginning a phase-in of enhanced staffing allocations, specifically investing in staff to meet students’ needs for social, emotional, safety and behavioral health. This action implements a portion of Phase I recommendations of the Staffing Enrichment Workgroup (2019). We urge the 2023 Legislature continue the implementation of Phase I recommendations by (a) improving Prototypical School Funding Model (PSFM) levels for school principals to promote school cultures of learning and growth, support students by regularly meeting social-emotional and mental health needs, and address increased responsibilities in supervisory duties of their staff; (b) providing additional professional development days to help close achievement gaps; and (c) adding continuous improvement coaches as an enhancement to the PSFM.
- Ensure K–12 Equitable Funding
Several of the components of the K-12 funding structure are either underfunded or have created inequities among school districts that need to be corrected. Specifically, the current STARS funding model for pupil transportation has underfunded many districts and needs to be replaced. Special education continues to be underfunded, and recent funding additions by the Legislature still fall short of these needs.
- Support Basic Education Compensation Rebase
Current law passed in 2017 requires the Legislature, beginning in 2023, to regularly review and rebase minimum salaries, including regionalization and experience factors, to ensure salary allocations continue to align with staffing costs for the State’s program of basic education. As the compensation system is being rebased, WAMOA urges the calculation and application of regionalization factors to be adjusted using school districts’ labor markets, rather than housing alone; the calculation and application of experience factors to be adjusted making the system more equitable; the previous calendar year’s annual average Seattle-area CPI to be used as an inflationary factor, as adopted by I-732; and the development and implementation of multiple educator pathways and incentives to ensure sufficient and diverse staff are available for districts.
- Implement Universal Free Meals
During the pandemic, in June 2020, USDA issued a waiver for all students to eat free. This waiver continued through SY 2021-22. However, it was not continued in the current school year, and students who come from food insecure families now incurring meal debt or not eating at all. School cafeterias once again have the stigma of being for free kids. Every student regardless of income should be able to choose a healthy school meal. We urge the 2023 legislature to make this investment which would help accelerate learning and family food security, and ultimately help reduce child hunger and poverty.
- Ensure Adequate School Facilities
Enhance the State’s investment in the School Construction Assistance Program by updating the current, outdated funding formulas for the Construction Cost Allowance and the Student Space Allocation to ensure funding more closely reflects actual construction costs and educational space needs; and give Washington’s citizens the opportunity to decide whether school district bond issues should be approved by a majority vote.
AEA Board
DOUG VANDERLEEST
AEA Board Chair
Legislative Chair, WAMOA
Franklin Pierce School District
LEEDA BEHA
Public Policy & Legislative Co-Chair, WSNA
Bethel School District
TRAVIS BOWN
President, WAMOA
Mead School District
KIM ELKINS
Public Policy & Legislative Co-Chair, WSNA
Mead School District
ALICIA NEAL
Meals for Kids Legislative Committee, WSNA
North Thurston School District
DONNA PARSONS
Public Policy and Legislative Chair, WSNA
Meals for Kids Legislative Committee, WSNA
DEVLIN PIPLIC
Vice President, WAMOA
Northshore School District
MARINA TANAY
Past President, WAMOA
Sumner-Bonney Lake School District
WENDY WEYER
Vice President, WSNA
Bellevue School District
DR. MITCHELL E. DENNING
AEA CONSULTANT