Dear Principals,
This year’s Basic Education Funding Bill has given your school an unprecedented opportunity to update a significant capital resource: your library.  Substitute Senate Bill 6362designated for library materials in the Basic Education Funding bill created a $20/FTE line item for libraries. Â
The Washington Library Association (WLA)  encourages you to advocate for this funding with your district and collaborate with your Teacher-Librarian to develop a plan for using these funds. This bill allocated MSOC funding for library materials as separate and unique from “Other Supplies.”  WLA asked legislators for this change in response to the need to develop culturally responsive materials and to equitably fund library programs in every school for every child.
Here is a screen shot from page 6 of SB 6362 that shows clearly the legislative intent of this funding change:
