Board hears legislative update; OSPI reaction to House and Senate budgets expected Wednesday

During the board’s member discussion, Director Gerber briefed the board on the state legislative session and bills the district is tracking. "We are in week 7 of the legislative session," Gerber said, noting the state released an updated revenue forecast that was higher than expected but that a "huge deficit" remains.

Gerber listed several bills of interest: proposals on taxes administered by the Department of Revenue, a proposal to provide targeted sales-tax exemptions for schools, legislation addressing restraint and isolation of students in public schools, and a review of performance, operations and funding of the state’s public education system. "Those are still some of the bills that are still working their way through the system and we're keeping an eye on," he said.

Superintendent Dr. Perez told the board that OSPI is expected to respond on Wednesday to the House and Senate budget releases and warned members that both chambers' drafts included reductions to some early learning (TK) proposals. "None of those things are solidified yet," he said, and asked the board to await OSPI’s guidance to understand local impacts.

The board did not vote on any legislative position at the meeting; members were asked to monitor developments and expect a follow-up when OSPI’s response is available.