the official blog of the evergreen freedom foundation

Great news! K-6 Online Learning Funding Restored

Posted by Diana Cieslak - March 26, 2010

This afternoon the House Ways and Means Committee adopted an amendment that restores K-6 Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) program funding -- which includes public online schools.

Rep. Pat Sullivan introduced the amendment. It replaces the supposed savings from cutting K-6 ALE programs with cuts to transportation.

Online learning leaders assure me that today's committee action can be attributed to the outpouring of responses from families across the state whose children are enrolled in online learning. Their stories of success -- of gifted students, disabled students, medically fragile students, student parents, student athletes, the list goes on -- is hard for legislators to ignore. Online programs provide families with rigorous, accountable, effective learning options -- for no more than it costs the state to send students to brick-and-mortar schools.

K-6 online learning programs appear to be safe for now. A bill that would legalize the House's original cuts dropped this afternoon but will likely be dead on arrival now that cuts have been made elsewhere.

The online learning community prevailed this week. It's time to stay alert and continue telling the stories of public online learning options.

Thoughts? Add Comment -

NicoMom said on Feb 26 2010 at 11:06pm
I have been busy sending emails to local news, talking to other parents as well as calling our legislator in the past 2 days. I have been waiting to hear what they decided to do.....
So I decided to check this website again and I am happy and thankful that for now our school is safe. All of you who called and made an effort to make your voice heard.....take a deep breath and exhale! Keep in mind we need to keep our legislator know we want this Online academy here to stay!

Susan said on Feb 28 2010 at 8:40pm
I heard (via a WALA news blast) that, though they've restored ALE funding, they do plan to "restrict and/or eliminate some practices."

Does anyone know what changes are being discussed?

MJ said on Feb 28 2010 at 9:24pm
Only thing the amendment said was separate accounting for programs. Lile H from WALA said they will talk about it at the conference.

JK said on Mar 04 2010 at 9:16pm
Go to this link
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/3200.pdf

Basically, they are putting a bill together to cut the ALE K-6 completely and putting a lot of stipulation for the rest of the school grade.

That's my understanding.

We need to make sure that this BILL will Not Pass.