Policy changes allow for greater levy collections

WAITSBURG—At the May 16 Waitsburg School Board meeting, Superintendent Jon Mishra updated board members on the outcome of the legislative session which closed April 28. While some outcomes are positive, Mishra suggested caution in moving forward.

Graduation Pathways

One welcome change is the addition of House Bill 1599 which delinks graduation from standardized tests and allows students multiple pathways to demonstrate readiness to graduate. Once students have completed a High School and Beyond Plan they can prove readiness through one of the following pathways:

Completing a sequence of career and technical education (CTE) courses that lead to workforce entry, an approved apprenticeship or postsecondary education.

Completing and qualifying for college credit in dual credit programs in English language arts (ELA) or math.

Meeting a certain score on the SAT or ACT.

Meeting or exceeding standards on state assessments in ELA or math.

Meeting standards on the armed services vocational aptitude battery (ASVAB).

“The inclusion of a CTE pathway is vital to the success of our state’s economy and it will make a significant difference in the lives of our students. This pathway will allow students opportunities to select coursework that aligns with their postsecondary goals, with the intention of putting them on a path toward a career they love,” Mishra said.

Mishra said the bill also provides flexibility in meeting the 24 credits required for graduation if students take courses aligned with their High School and Beyond Plan and postsecondary goals and if they have met all other graduation requirements.

Budget

Mishra gave a brief overview of budget changes but said the policies must still go through “multiple layers” before being finalized.

The big change is the increase in levy apportionment. The levy lid of collecting $1.50/$1,000 of assessed value was raised to $2.50/$1,000 of assessed value. Because Waitsburg voters already approved a levy of $2.71, the collection will not need to go before voters. Mishra noted that the Walla Walla County tax will not be affected, and the increased tax amount will remain.

Mishra said that the funds will come with enrichment levy “strings attached” and can only be used for items “above and beyond basic education.” As of yet, basic education has not been clearly defined, he said, which leaves plenty of questions in terms of budgeting.

Other notable budget changes include an increase in special education funding, funding for regional school safety coordinators and support for the startup, expansion and maintenance of programs in maritime, construction, aerospace and advanced manufacturing.