(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -Hundreds of educators came together early Wednesday morning outside the Central Valley School District to get the district's attention. They rallied for fair pay and fully funding education.
"That rally was there to provide support and encouragement to our bargaining teams that were headed into the district office to begin talking about new salary negotiations that are about to take place," said Vicky Jensen, WEA Eastern Council President.
According to the Washington Education Association or the WEA, the 2018 legislature approved another $1 billion for K-12 educator compensation, as ordered by the Supreme Court in November. That's in addition to the $1 billion for educator salaries that lawmakers approved last year.
Outside of the Central Valley School District, educators wanted to make sure they see some of that money.
Jensen says she is headed to Pullman Wednesday night, to participate in another rally. She says the call to action is important. "There are 30 percent fewer students that are even willing to even go into the education profession because our salaries, our wages have been so low for so long. We have new teachers, first year teachers that will tell you that by the time they get their basic bills and pay their student loans, that they barely have $10 left in their pocket. When you talk about $32,000 or $35,000 starting wages, it just isn't enough," said Jensen.
KHQ did reach out to the Central Valley School District throughout the day but have not heard back.