S-2755.2 _______________________________________________
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8412
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Senators Gaspard, Snyder, Bauer and Talmadge.
Read first time April 27, 1991. Referred to Committee on Education.
WHEREAS, The children of the State of Washington are entitled to a quality education under the Washington Constitution; and
WHEREAS, There is an education crisis in our state as a result of chronic underfunding of our public school system; and
WHEREAS, Many school districts, as a consequence of this crisis, are experiencing strikes by certificated employees; and
WHEREAS, The education of the state's children in those districts and districts throughout the state is adversely affected by this crisis and these strikes; and
WHEREAS, The crisis and resulting strike are disrupting the lives of students and their parents; and
WHEREAS, The responsibility of the state is to ensure that a quality education is available to all children; and
WHEREAS, There is a need for a process to address deficiencies in education funding because the state has failed to fully fund basic education as required by the Washington Constitution;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the State of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That the legislature urges teachers to return to work as quickly as possible for the good of the students and the future of our school system; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the legislature, upon termination of the strike, shall immediately convene an education summit composed of one representative from each legislative caucus, the Governor or his designee, the Superintendent of Public Instruction or her designee, and one representative, approved jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, from the certificated employees' state-wide organization, school administrators, parent-teacher association, and the business community; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the summit shall be chaired by the Governor or his designee, and shall address issues pertaining to the immediate and long-term needs of basic education; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That these issues shall include, but not be limited to, class size reductions, supplemental local funding options, long-range state financing alternatives, differential salary possibilities for the diverse areas of the state, and capital needs for the public schools; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the summit report its findings to the public and the legislature by December 1, 1991.