Citing a crisis in funding public education, which includes school closures, increased class sizes, program cuts and severe shortfalls in special education and transportation, a town hall will be held where PTAs, school district leaders and teachers throughout the Eastside will meet with legislators at the beginning of the new year.

From 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 8, there will be the “School Funding Crisis” town hall will be at Sammamish High School in Bellevue. This free event will include educational leaders from Mercer Island, Renton, Bellevue, Lake Washington and Issaquah.

“It’s the paramount duty of the state Legislature to provide ample funding for basic education, yet districts statewide are struggling with serious funding gaps,” said Mar Brettmann, co-vice President of Advocacy for Mercer Island PTA Council. “The upcoming Town Hall is the first time in recent history that PTAs, teachers’ unions, and school districts spanning seven Eastside districts have collaborated on an event to ask our legislators to address statewide gaps in funding for special education, operations, and transportation.”

Legislators who are slated to attend the town hall are Rep. Shelley Kloba (Dist. 1), Rep. Lisa Callan (Dist. 5), incoming Rep. Victoria Hunt (Dist. 5), Rep. Bill Ramos (Dist. 5), Rep. David Hackney, (Dist. 11), Rep. Mia Gregerson (Dist. 33), Rep. Tana Senn (Dist. 41), Rep. My-Linh Thai (Dist. 41), Sen. Manka Dhingra (Dist. 45) and Rep. Vandana Slatter (Dist. 48).

Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Head Chris Reykdal will also be in attendance. “We’re thrilled to have this kind of a turn out, “ said Brettmann.

Sammamish High School is located at 100 140th Avenue Southeast in Bellevue, Washington.