Think bigger on education

Washington state senators came to Spokane Oct. 21 for an education funding listening tour.

As an educator, it seems to me that our legislators keep narrowly defining their obligations to fund public education. They must think bigger. Our constitution, state Supreme Court and families in Spokane demand that lawmakers focus on all elements of basic education.

They must fund what it actually takes to teach our kids. Teachers, yes, and essential staff, including counselors, nurses, librarians, instructional assistants and custodians.

All kids need smaller class sizes to learn, including those in grades four through 12. We must fully support students with special needs, whether they are learning English, are unusually gifted, or they require special education services. Every child deserves the opportunity for a high-quality education.

Professional and competitive pay is needed to attract and keep great educators. Establishing a higher starting salary for all school staff will take the pressure off of our district to continuously foot the bill.

Finally, we must retain local control of our school districts, preserve our levies, and our options, to address enhancements to prepare Spokane’s students for the future. It’s the right thing to do.

Debby Chandler

Spokane