Governor Gregoire Announces Appointments to Task Force to Develop School Funding Plan

For Immediate Release: August 3, 2007

Appointees represent small, medium and large school districts

OLYMPIA - Governor Chris Gregoire today announced that she has appointed members to the Task Force on Basic Education Finance.

�The people I appointed to develop a school finance plan represent financial expertise, leadership and frontline experience developing budgets,� said Governor Gregoire. �Most important, they represent small, medium and large school districts which are important perspectives as we craft school funding systems for the entire state.�

Governor Gregoire in May signed into law legislation to create the Task Force on Basic Education Funding, which will build on the Washington Learns recommendation to develop a stable funding system for public education. The Task Force will look at ways to implement a new, comprehensive financing formula for kindergarten through 12th grade education that supports proven education practices and connects money to accountability and results.

The task force will have 14 members, five of which are appointed by the Governor. Other members are legislators, representing the Democratic and Republican caucuses of each house, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Task Force on Basic Education Finance

Dan Grimm of Puyallup has been appointed as chair to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Grimm is the Director of Doughty Hanson & Co.

Cheryl Chow of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Chow is the president of Seattle School District board of directors and is a long-time educator with teaching, administration and state agency experience.

Bette Hyde of Bremerton has been appointed to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Hyde is the superintendent of the Bremerton School District and was a member of the Washington Learns K � 12th advisory committee.

Jim Kowalkowski of Davenport has been appointed to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Kowalkowski is the superintendent of the Davenport School District and the executive director of the Rural Education Center at Washington State University.

Laurie Dolan of Olympia has been appointed as the representative from the Office of the Governor/Office of Financial Management to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Dolan is the director of the Executive Policy Office for Governor Gregoire and spent 30 years working for Spokane Public Schools.

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