WFIS Calendar:
Sept. 12-13, 2008
Private School Days at Western Washington State Fair
Nov. 13, 2008
WFIS Fall Workshop
Feb. 12, 2009
Winter Dinner & Best of Washington Awards
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The WFIS eMemo is a publication of
Washington Federation of Independent Schools
435 Main Ave So
Renton, WA 98057
425-228-WFIS(9347)
Judy Jennings
Executive Director
Jan L. Morrison
Assistant to the Director
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The Washington Federation of Independent Schools is the umbrella organization for private education in Washington State. With seventy percent of the independent student population enrolled in member schools, WFIS is the only statewide vehicle for regular communication and strategic development between the many different constituencies. WFIS schools are affiliates of the Catholic dioceses in the state; the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI); the Christian Schools International (CSI); Lutheran Schools; Montessori schools; the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS); the Seventh-day Adventist Schools (SDA); and numerous other religious and independent institutions, including the Waldorf Schools, Hutterian Brethren, and those institutions with sponsorship within the Jewish and Islamic communities. The WFIS Board of Directors consists of eighteen school heads representing the major constituencies chosen regionally by their respective bodies. WFIS is networked with similar organizations in other states through the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).
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State Cape Executives meet in City of Brotherly Love
Educational choice is alive and thriving in Pennsylvania! July 13-14 marked the dates for the Annual Summer Institute for State Cape Executives from around the country. Judy Jennings, WFIS Executive Director, represented Washington State at this meeting. This year, the Milton Friedman Foundation sponsored the attendance of fourteen state executives to meet with Pennsylvania's REACH Foundation, established as the distribution point for millions of dollars of business tax credits. The REACH Foundation works to distribute funds to a variety of private organizations that in turn distribute their resources to those children who could not otherwise attend a private school or other type of community program to benefit them academically, emotionally or socially. This program got its start in the Pennsylvania State Legislature in 2001. Below is information from the REACH Foundation explaining the educational tax credits program. In 2001, Pennsylvania made history by becoming the first state to pass an education tax credit aimed at corporations.
HB 996, the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), provides companies with a 75% tax credit for donations to a non-profit scholarship or educational improvement organization. The tax credit increases to 90% if the company commits to making the same donations for two consecutive years. A business paying taxes in Pennsylvania can receive up to $200,000 in tax credits annually (the legislature doubled this from $100,000 to $200,000). More importantly, the EITC provides children and families with a choice in their education and a chance in life.
Scholarship Organizations provide scholarships to children to attend the schools of their choice.
Educational Improvement Organizations fund innovative programs in public schools across the Commonwealth.
Pre-K Scholarship Organizations fund scholarships to children so families have the ability to choose the pre-K that best fits the needs of their child.
Due to the success of the EITC program, the Pennsylvania legislature expanded it by $16,000,000 in July 2007. This was the largest increase in the program's history! $44,666,667 million is now appropriated annually for scholarship organizations, $22,333,333 million for innovative educational improvement programs in public schools and $8,000,000 for a separate pre-kindergarten scholarship program.
Over 33,000 children across Pennsylvania are benefiting from EITC scholarships and countless numbers of children in public schools are benefiting from innovative programs that would have likely have gone unfunded.
A Great Way for Businesses to Direct Their Tax Dollars The EITC has accomplished what many in Pennsylvania have been advocating for years: to get the business community more involved in education. The EITC enables companies to support local non-profit charities, at minimal cost, instead of sending their tax dollars to Harrisburg. It's that simple.
The business community has overwhelmingly responded the challenge. To date, over 2,300 companies have pledged in excess of $260 million dollars to the programs. The children of Pennsylvania thank you!
A lifeboat for Kids, a Savings to Pennsylvania Taxpayers EITC scholarships have provided thousands of lifeboats to families looking to escape failing public schools, as well as to families struggling to remain in non-public schools. Each time a child moves from a public to non-public school and each time a child is able to stay in a non-public school as a result of the EITC, both taxpayers and families win! One study has already documented savings of $360,000 dollars annually to the Philadelphia School District as a result of the Futuro Educacional scholarship organization.
Is Washington ready to embark on a similar tax credit program? The signs are promising. Last year, a corporate tax credit bill was introduced by a combined cohort of Democrat and Republican legislators. While it did not get out of committee, the thought is there. With the winds of political change blowing gale force across our state and the country, perhaps now is the time to join with the 45 other states that have put forth choice legislation to step into the 21st Century. |
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Don't Forget to Renew Your WFIS Membership!
WFIS is the state recognized voice for private schools. Our role in appointing private school representatives to university Professional Education Advisory Boards, the statewide Early Learning Commission, Admissions and Professional Conduct Advisory Committee and School Safety Commission testifies to our networking ability throughout the state and assures that the private school voice is heard. In addition, requests from the Governor's Office for teacher and administrator nominations for the Professional Educator Standards Board evidence the respect WFIS has earned as a professional organization. WFIS also represents the private school coalition for students in Washington through our voice in Olympia on legislation dealing with school issues.
WFIS provides resources, training opportunities and group insurance policies to all of our constituents, especially the more vulnerable independent schools that operate without larger institutional support. We celebrate the achievements and contributions of private schools in Washington through our Winter Dinner and Best of Washington Awards each February, honoring those who best exemplify excellence in their service.
As a member of WFIS, your voice is included in the broad landscape of diverse private schools in Washington, and you are promoting and supporting the option to choose private, independent education for the parents and students of our state.
If you have not already done so, please renew now. Go to our www.WFIS.org/member for online enrollment, or call our office (425-228-9347) to discuss the options available for schools needing financial assistance.
We are your voice and, as a board, we are committed to your needs in better serving the independent school community.
Chris Gavin, Principal
Bellarmine Preparatory School
Board Chair, WFIS | |
New Private School Representatives Needed
A few positions for private school representatives on statewide committees are currently available. If you are interested in serving the private school community of Washington in this capacity, please contact Jan Morrison at jmorrison@wfis.org for more information. Applicants must be from WFIS member schools. |
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EPIC FUN!
Visit Private School Days at the Puyallup Fair September 12-13, 2008!
Nearly thirty private schools will be represented by display booths and on-stage entertainment in the Education Pavilion throughout these two days of the Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup!
Help us spread the word by forwarding this information to your school families and local newspapers.
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CREATIVE COST SOLUTIONS FOR BENEFITS Contributed by: Robert E Wilkin
It's not too late to revisit and renovate your employee benefit package. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, national studies indicate medical coverage has increased a cumulative 78 percent between 2001 and 2007*. In WA State, some insurance carriers are passing along double digit rate increases to keep pace with their high claims experience.
One of the tremendous benefits of WFIS membership is access to benefit advice and a range of products that many small schools are just not being offered. Consider the following advantages that can in some cases lower your current costs:
� High deductible medical plans, offered in conjunction with Health Reimbursement Arrangements, are generating savings in every school that I've installed them in.
� Group Disability and Life plans have had no rate increases since 1994, due to the excellent experience of this special risk-pool for educators.
� Medical and Dental can be offered to as few as 2 employees working at least 30 hours per week.
� Employee paid plans that offer Disability, Vision and Dental plans on a voluntary basis.
Regardless of your school's size, great benefits are key recruiting and retention elements in today's world. WFIS is dedicated to providing its membership with innovative solutions and free consultative review of your employee benefits for the upcoming year.
For more information regarding benefit solutions for your school, contact Bob at 425-486-0512, or send your inquiries to rwilkin@verizon.net
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Coming to Your School ...
Be on the lookout! On Thursday, August 7, The U.S. Department of Education and NOAA held a combined conference call with all of the national and state private school leadership to announce that each approved private school in our state (as well as those from around the country) will be receiving the emergency NOAA radios that were distributed to public schools last year. These radios will be sent automatically to our schools sometime during the latter half of September. While these radios are free of charge to the school, ownership of the radios will be held by the federal government. Schools will receive a sticker with the registration number on it. Schools will then be directed to visit the website, register their radio and sign the agreement located there.
As part of the Emergency Management Program, these radios can transmit dozens of different kinds of alerts (i.e. disaster, Amber, weather, etc.) and should be placed where they can be constantly monitored. The government will be issuing over 183,000 of these radios within the next 45 days. The radios will first be distributed to post-secondary institutions, then school district offices and finally, non-public schools within each state.
Thank you to those who called OSPI, the Department of Education and NOAA. Your input helped them to realize that these radios were crucial to all of the children that are served by private schools throughout the country.
Please, stay tuned to WFIS for upcoming information regarding this distribution.
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The Bulletin Board
Association of Washington Generals Essay ContestAn essay contest to promote academic excellence and strong literacy skills is now open to Washington students enrolled in grades seven through 12. The contest, sponsored by the Association of Washington Generals (AWG), offers a $500 award to students who place first in the grade categories of 7-8 or 9-12, with runners up receiving $100. The overall state winner will receive an additional $500 with the runner-up receiving $250. The 12th grade winner will receive a $1,500 higher education scholarship. The teacher who submits the most student essays will receive a cash award of $250. Winners will also receive a plaque at an awards ceremony at their school. This year's contest asks students to write a detailed essay describing what they believe are the three most important dates in Washington state history. There is no length requirement, but participants are asked to be descriptive in conveying their individual thoughts and ideas and focus on the issues that are the most important to them. Essays are due December 1, 2008. More information and an application packet can be found on the Washington Generals Web site at www.washingtongenerals.org or by contacting Victoria Laise Jonas, AWG Student Essay Contest chairperson, at ssjonas@comcast.net The Association of Washington Generals is a state service organization whose primary function is to recognize worthy citizens who contribute their time and their effort to the community. In sponsoring the contest, the AWG partners with schools to support the teaching of basic skills of reading and writing. The AWG operates in partnership with the Office of Lt. Governor Brad Owen. For more information contact: Brian Dirks, communications director (360) 786-7707 or dirks.brian@leg.wa.gov ----------
Integrated Pest Management Conference
October 1, 2008 - University Place
No cost - Limited space available (~100) - registration closes 9/1/2/08
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