Tuesday, Governor Inslee delivered his State of the State address to the Legislature and focused on job creation, education, transportation, and clean energy. With regards to K–12 education, he said,
“My proposal fully funds class-size reductions in kindergarten through third grade. My proposal provides all-day kindergarten across the state. It gives our teachers their first cost-of-living allowance since 2008. It helps families struggling with the costs of higher education by freezing tuition and boosting financial aid so that 17,000 more students can get scholarships.
These investments are not based on wishful thinking. They are based on a rock-solid foundation of proven strategies, established reforms and demonstrable student performance.
We know what works.
We know what it takes.
I have visited a lot of classrooms in the past two years. And I have been continually impressed by the great teaching and innovative learning I’ve seen.
And these opportunities must be available for all our children, at all our schools. Because let me tell you, we have whip-smart kids ready for takeoff.
But the future demands a higher level of achievement.
We know that a child spends an average of six hours a day in the school building. We also know what children need in those other 18 hours. Every morning, they need to start the day with nutritious food in their bellies. They need a way to get to school safely. They need a coat to protect them from the elements as they get to and from school. And at night, they need a warm, safe, stable place to sleep with a roof over their heads.
The budget we agree on should nurture all our students, in and out of the classroom, because we know how hard it is to educate a homeless, hungry, sick child.”