April 10, 2006

Weinstein named outstanding legislator for work on behalf of children

OLYMPIA – As a leader in legislative efforts to give all students a fair chance at academic success, Sen. Brian Weinstein, D-41st Legislative District (Eastside suburbs), has been named a 2006 “Champion for Children” by the Children’s Alliance.

The group recognized Weinstein for his work during the 2006 legislative session to eliminate the co-pay on reduced-price school breakfasts and increasing funding for Washington’s school breakfast and summer meal programs. The Legislature included $2 million in the supplemental budget for these programs, which will provide food for 15,000 additional children.

It is estimated that 13 million American children live in homes without adequate food supplies.

“Children don’t perform well academically when they’re distracted by hunger,” Weinstein said. “Making sure every child has the basic necessities to succeed in school and life should be a priority for all of us.”

Washington is the first state to eliminate the co-pay for reduced-price school breakfasts, according to the Children’s Alliance.

Weinstein, who serves as a vice chair on the Senate Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education Committee, also championed several other measures this session to help Washington’s students. He pushed for $28 million in remediation to help high school students who are struggling with the Washington Assessment for Student Learning. Weinstein also supported a bill creating a study of barriers to academic success, and another that offers alternative assessments for students who don’t perform well on traditional tests.

The Children’s Alliance is a Seattle-based child advocacy group focusing on policy issues including foster care, early learning, health, hunger, juvenile justice and child abuse.

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