Education bills stalled by dispute on charter schools

Updated Monday morning to include statement issued Friday by Sen. McAuliffe explaining she would have voted on a teacher evaluation bill offered by Sen. Tom.

Last week ended on a sour note for several Democratic senators and Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire because of a bitter dispute on the handling of education bills.

As the Associated Press details here the disagreement involved between the chairwoman of the Senate education committee, Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, and two committee members, Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina, and Sen. Steve Litzow, R-Mercer Island.

Tom and Litzow wanted votes on bills dealing with charter schools and teacher evaluations and McAuliffe didn't bring them up for action in executive session. The impasse also sank a teacher evaluation bill put forth by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

McAuliffe issued a lengthy statement on what transpired.

In it, she wrote:
Since Jan. 23, I have been trying to work with Sen. Rodney Tom, Sen. Steve Litzow and the Republicans on my committee to reach a compromise on the teacher evaluation bills. I agreed to move both Sen. Tom's and the governor's evaluation bills out of committee, and would have attempted to move many other important bills. I was told by Sen. Tom and Sen. Litzow nothing would move without the charter school bill.

“In all my years, I have never been unable to move bills out of committee. I am extremely disappointed Sen. Tom, Sen. Litzow and the Republicans refused to negotiate. It is our children's loss.

Updated at 4:45 p.m. to add McAuliffe comments and reflect Tom did not attend today's meeting with the governor.

Gov. Chris Gregoire worked today to end a dispute among Senate education committee members that threatens to sink the governor's bill for tougher evaluation of teachers and principals.

A bipartisan majority on the committee wants to vote on a charter school bill but the chairwoman, Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, won't let it happen.

McAuliffe said Wednesday: "I have heard from educators. I have heard from the community at large and people do not want to see the charter school bill come out. It's very divisive."

Meanwhile, for several days, backers of charter schools on the committee have steadfastly refused to vote out any other bills, including the governor's evaluation legislation.

In the face of this deadlock, McAuliffe canceled the committee's Thursday meeting that was the last one scheduled before today's 5 p.m. cut-off for policy bills.

This morning Gregoire dropped into Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown's office for a chat with Brown and McAuliffe. Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina, the prime sponsor of the charter school bill, was not at the meeting.

There is still time for the committee to meet today but as of 11 a.m. nothing had been announced.