Gov. Chris Gregoire returned to her hometown Monday to sign a package of education reform bills into law and a bill to protect Green River Valley businesses from catastrophic flood losses.

The ceremony took place in the gymnasium at Auburn High School, Gregoire’s alma mater.

The governor signed one bill to help the state compete in the federal government’s Race to the Top program, which allows the state to intervene in failing schools. A second bill changes how Washington pays for basic education, and a third establishes a voluntary early learning program for 3-and 4-year-olds, ultimately becoming an entitlement for eligible children.

Sen. Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, and Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, sponsors of the educational reform bills, joined the governor at the signing party.

“Today is a really defining moment in our state when it comes to education,” said Gregoire. “Despite the fact we’re in the worst recession in history, the Legislature and I have stood up to the challenge to create a world-class education system. So I’m very proud.”

Here is a closer look at some of the bills:

• HB 2560 authorizes the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to carry out a Market Assistance Plan to help businesses find surplus flood and business interruption insurance. If it turns out that private insurers are not offering to sell the coverage our businesses need—or that a competitive market doesn’t exist in the area, then a temporary Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) can be created. Keiser sponsored a companion bill in the Senate.

• HB 2731 adopts a go-slow approach to establishing an early learning program for 3-4-year-old children as an entitlement when it’s fully implemented. Under the bill, which Kauffman and Keiser voted for, funding would be at no less than current funding for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP). It also would fully implement early learning at the same pace as the implementation of all-day kindergarten. Beginning in 2013-14, additional funding must be phased in beginning in school districts providing all-day kindergarten. In the 2018-19 school year, any eligible child is entitled to be enrolled in the program.

• SB 6759, sponsored by Sen. Kauffman, creates a working group to develop a comprehensive plan for a voluntary early learning program. The plan would examine the pros and cons of establishing early learning as a component of basic education, either statutorily or constitutionally protected.

“The early learning bill is pretty significant and will affect everybody in the state,” said Auburn School District Superintendent Kip Herren. “It’s probably the most significant piece of legislation that portends future basic education funding for early learners. We’re talking about pre- kindergarten, that’s the age before kids start school where the achievement gap stays throughout their career. So by closing it earlier, it increases our chance to really make a difference for all kids.

“Also significant are some of the Race to the Top components around teachers and principals and superintendent evaluation and accountability, which we feel are good structures to improve learning, but also to in line for federal dollars as President Obama starts to focus on education,” Herren said. “It’s great to have our favorite daughter return to Auburn High School, which she considers to be her educational home, to sign into law significant educational bills, despite some of the fiscal challenges.”