Let's Talk More About the WSSDA

Yesterday in my post on 50 ways to save money one of the ideas was to repeal the statuatory language that makes membership in the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) mandatory for all school districts; I also linked back to a post from earlier this year when Sen. Rodney Tom had introduced an amendment (eventually defeated) that would have done the same thing.

I've got nothing against the WSSDA. It sounds like their annual conference is usually a great event, and my superintendent is already talking about the Legislative Conference coming up in February. With their recent dues increase, though, they really strike me as being rather tone deaf to the economic times.

Sure, it's only a 3% increase. But when a district like mine is looking down the road at the potential of cutting $1,000,000+ out of our budget, every little cent counts. And yes, in my district it would only be an increase of $160. But it also puts the WSSDA in sharp focus, and I'm not convinced that if you asked all 295 school districts statewide if this was money well spent that they would all give you a positive answer. Member's dues are 60% of WSSDA's budget.

I do know that if things go bad, I'll be putting it up on the chopping block for my district.