Gov. Jay Inslee signed two bills to give every child the right to education on Wednesday. The new laws are set to help the foster youth to continue their studies and to bridge the gap of the student of color and English language learners.
According to Jay Inslee's website, the Governor, the first bill, House Bill 1999, is signed to support the foster children while they are working hard to complete their high school studies. Also, this bill could help foster children to build their future by leading them to "schools, social services agencies and government programs."
The second bill, House Bill 1541, Is to improve the educational support students of color receive. House Bill 1541 tackles the "structural problems" of the educational system that students of color are experiencing.
House Bill 1541 is signed at the Aki Kurose Middle School and witnessed by the students, community leaders and legislators. Meanwhile, House Bill 1999 is signed during the Treehouse Champions for Foster Kids Luncheon.
House Bill 1999 is proposed in time of the foster children's asset funded by the biennial budget for 2015 to 2017. This includes $12.5 million to raise the financial support for foster parents, $6.4 million for additional social workers and Child Protective Services workers and $16 million for mental health assistance for the children at risks.
Meanwhile, KOMO reported that Mia Williams, Washington's middle school principal of the year, explained Gov. Jay Inslee's House Bill 1541. Mia Williams said that Gov. Jay Inslee's bill obliges schools to keep track of separate student data, ensuring every educator have adequate knowledge and "cultural competency training" and to reduce the suspension of every student.
However, Mia Williams is hoping that Gov. Jay Inslee and his House Bill 1541 will be true to its words and it will do what it promised. Mia Williams is looking forward in seeing House Bill 1541 to be applied in every school in the country.
