[nfbwatlk] Fw: [Fw: Senate Bill 6491 - Transferring the stateschool forthe blind and the state center for childhooddeafness andhearing loss to the office of the superintendentof publicinstruction.

[Les Fitzpatrick]

Mike I sure hope you get to read it this time you are doing great. 


Les Fitzpatrick
President Clark County Chapter National Federation of the Blind
Ham Call K5FPT

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 8:02 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Fw: [Fw: Senate Bill 6491 - Transferring the stateschool
forthe blind and the state center for childhooddeafness andhearing loss to
the office of the superintendentof publicinstruction.
Importance: High

Fellow NFBW members:

As you see, the message below comes from the Washington Council of the Blind
and is, in turn, a forwarded message announcing a public meeting on SB-6491,
the bill to place WSSB under OSPI. It may be inconvenient for you to make
the meeting/hearing which will be held at ten o'clock in the morning on
Saturday, January 23, in Hearing Room A in the John L. OBrien Building on
the Capital campus in Olympia. I will be there representing the NFB of
Washington and opposing the bill (maybe I'll get to read my testimony then).
But others (including, most especially, parents) are encouraged to come if
possible. I realize this is short notice (some senators and representatives
put this together) so I am not trying to organize a mass effort. But if
anyone isn't doing anything else and can get there and raise a rumpus
against the bill, by all means consider it. But rest assured I'll be there
to carry the flag.

Mike Freeman, President
NFB of Washington


----- Original Message -----
From: Berl Colley
To: CCCB Mailing List
Cc: WCB-L ; Denise Colley (E-mail)
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 10:29 AM
Subject: [Wcb-l] Fw: Senate Bill 6491 - Transferring the state school forthe
blind and the state center for childhood deafness andhearing loss to the
office of the superintendent of publicinstruction.


 
>From Rick Hauan and Jane Mulholland....

 

Important:  Please send this information out using your dissemination lists
that were used to announce the stakeholder meetings.

 

This morning the Senate Committee on Early Learning and K-12 Education heard
SB 6491-the bill from the Governor's office that would move WSD and WSSB
under OSPI.  According to the  report we heard, a number of people from both
the deaf and blind communities attended and  testified against the bill.
No one testified in support of the bill.

 

Kathleen Drew from the governor's office indicated the two reasons for the
bill were cost efficiency and improved government service to the public.
She said that they expect cost efficiencies, but it will take time to
identify them.  The fiscal note that has been prepared refers to $14 million
dollars (the cost of the two schools), but Drew stated that was not savings
but rather simply a transfer from the current budget position to OSPI.  She
said that both schools need to be integrated more fully into the K-12
service delivery system in order to better serve all deaf and blind
students.  The transfer would help to do that she said

 

The Governor's office is hosting a public forum this Saturday, January 23,
2010, in Olympia from 10:00 a.m. - noon.  It will be in Hearing Room "A" of
the John L. O'Brien Building on the Capitol Campus.  Interpreters will be
provided.  Anyone interested in expressing an opinion on SB6491 is welcome
to attend.  We are providing information about the public meeting to WSD
parents and stakeholders, and you may feel free to pass this on to
interested persons.   

 

Here is the link to SB6491:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6491&year=2009.

 



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