Submitted by San Juan Citizens for Civic Awareness

Residents of the San Juan Islands are invited to a free forum on the “State of Education in the State of Washington.” The event is sponsored by the newly formed San Juan Citizens for Civic Awareness.

The free event will be held on Thursday, May 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the lower level of the American Legion in Friday Harbor. Light sweet and savory refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend and no registration is required.

Liv Finne, director of the Center for Education at the Washington Policy Center will discuss topics such as:

– The general state of education in Washington.

– The effort in the recent legislative session to defund the successful Running Start program, and how its funding was protected for the time being.

– The Legislature’s dramatic and historic increases to school funding in response to the McCleary decision.

– The Superintendent of Public Instruction’s new school accountability index, the School Improvement Framework, which rates every school in the state.

– Policies that improve student learning by expanding school choice, including Running Start, public charter schools, online schools, and vouchers or tax credits to attend private school.

– The Janus First Amendment case before the U.S. Supreme Court and its possible impact on public education.

For more information, contact Tom Starr at 360-298-1281 or toms@rockisland.com.