What's New
An historic victory for Washington students
The Washington State Supreme Court ruled unanimously on January 5, 2012, that the State of Washington is violating its constitutional paramount duty to amply fund the education of all K-12 students. Read the ruling.
NEWS attorney to Washington Supreme Court: Order the Legislature to abide by the State Constitution
The State of Washington for decades has refused to comply with its constitutional paramount duty to fully fund education for all students. The time has come for our State's highest court to step in. "The whole purpose of the judicial branch is to require the other branches to abide by the constitution when they're not," Tom Ahearne, lead attorney for the Network for Excellence in Washington Schools, said during a hearing before the Washington Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 28.
Supreme Court hearing set for June 28
The most significant court action in a generation on behalf of Washington's public school students reaches the Washington State Supreme Court on June 28.
NEWS membership tops 350
Following NEWS' successful efforts to fight for Washington students at the Superior Court level -- and in advance of the State's appeal of the ruling declaring K-12 education funding unconstitutional -- more than 275 new school districts and organizations have joined the Network since February 2010, bringing our total membership to 352 as of June 8, 2011. Read the list of NEWS members.
The State Supreme Court's ruling in a special ed lawsuit
On December 9, 2010, the Washington Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeals decision against the plaintiff school districts in the case of School District Alliance for Adequate Funding of Special Education v. State of Washington case. Read NEWS lead attorney Tom Ahearne's summary of the ruling.
Lead attorney Tom Ahearne named "most influential"
Seattle Magazine has named NEWS lead attorney Tom Ahearne of Foster Pepper as one of 2010's most influential people for his work on the NEWS lawsuit. Congratulations for such a well deservied honor! Read more...
Briefs filed in State Supreme Court appeal
NEWS has filed briefs with the Washington State Supreme Court in response to the State's appeal of our successful King County Superior Court judgment. NEWS has asked the court to hear the appeal this fall instead of waiting until next year. Read the reply brief filed Nov. 19.
A guide for hosting legislative forums
Want to start a dialogue with your state legislators about local school money problems? Or show them that a stable, ample and equitable education funding system should be their first priority? How about raising awareness about the effects of state funding shortfalls on local students and schools?
Your community or school group can achieve all those goals and more with an effective legislative forum.
Thank you for new funding from Olympia EA!
The Olympia Education Association -- one of NEWS' long-time members -- has pledged an additional $5,000 to further support our efforts to fight the State's appeal of our victory in the McCleary school funding case.
"We are approaching the finish line and I want to make sure we have the resources we need to get across and so do the teachers of Olympia," said OEA President David Johnston. "I would urge all locals to up and re-up. This legal challenge is the core of what we have all been fighting for."
A resolution of support
NEWS has sent a letter to non-NEWS-member school districts across the state, urging them to join us in our defense of the State's appeal of the NEWS court case. Included with the letter is a draft resolution stating School Boards' support.
Read the letter. Read the resolution.