This morning we noted that education reform advocates were getting a creepy feeling: Their adversaries in the debate over the education reform bill—the teachers union—has been unusually quiet. Does the teacher's union, the WEA, know something that the reformers (the Washington PTA, the State Board of Ed, the Superintendent's Office, the Gates Foundation) don't—namely, that the reform bill for stronger accountability measures and stricter graduation requirements is dead?

It certainly doesn't seem to be dead. In fact, the bill—passed by the House 71-26 with a strong graduation requirement amendment from Rep. Ross Hunter (D-48, Redmond, Bellevue)—is now in the last-stop Rules Committee in the Senate.

True, the Senate tossed Rep. Hunter's language, but Sen. Rodney Tom (D-48, Redmond, Bellevue) added accountability language that the reformers are thrilled about—giving the state the authority to intervene in failing schools. If the bill passes, the reformers could be in good shape when the two chambers try to synthesize the bills. 

So, why does the teacher's union appear to be MIA with the legislation still in play?

"Our members still oppose HB 2261 and SB 6048," WEA spokesperson Rich Wood says, referring to the House and Senate versions of the bill. "Teachers don't understand how legislators can even think about spending $3 million on HB 2261 [the bill comes with a $3 million tab to fund more studies] at the same time they are cutting more than $1 billion from schools."  

Wood ads wryly:  "But they're kinda busy right now, with the WASL and everything."