State Senator Phil Fortunato wants to give school districts more say
Feb 8, 2017, 12:01 PM
Sen. Phil Fortunato (R-Auburn) right, stands during the Pledge of Allegiance in the Senate chamber on the opening day of the legislative session. (AP)
(AP)
The way Phil Fortunato sees it, there are probably too many state regulations that affect how school districts operate. Probably is the key word there, because the senator from Auburn doesn’t know what regulations are hindering public education.
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“I have absolutely no idea,” Fortunato told KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross. “That’s part of the problem.”
Fortunato says more than 1,400 regulations have been handed down to school districts from the state since 1978. Though he doesn’t have specifics, he’s convinced there are plenty of them that distract teachers and administration from the ultimate goal: children’s education.
“I’ll say to a teacher: Are you doing something now that isn’t contributing to education in the classroom?” he said. The response, he added, is always yes.
“Then stop doing it!” he exclaimed.
Because it’s difficult for school districts to ignore rules handed down by the state, Fortunato has proposed a bill that would allow school districts to ask for an exemption from regulations that are getting in the way of education.
“It’s a serious bill,” he said. “This is going to be my favorite bill if we can get this to pass because it’s going to open up so much stuff and bring things to the forefront …”
Along with immigration, education has been at the forefront of the local and national debate. As districts continue to struggle with dropouts and racial disparities — while the Legislature struggles to provide further funding to education — taxpayers are calling for change.
At the federal level, newly selected Education Secretary Betsy DeVos called public education a “dead end.” Of course, many criticized DeVos, calling her unfit to serve as secretary; including Sen. Patty Murray, who worries that DeVos sees education as an “industry.”
Fortunato says his bill could cut out some of the unnecessary work created by the lawmakers so teachers can get back to work and focus on the students.
“The goal is to let them apply for a waiver,” he said. “What’s important is they apply for it and bring attention to it in the Legislature.”
Fortunato, 63, replaced Republican Pam Roach in the Senate. He was elected to the state House last year.
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