WSPTA Legislative Session – Week 10
Legislature past half-way point but many bills remain Prepared by Marie Sullivan, WSPTA Legislative Consultant, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Wednesday, March 13th at 5 PM was the deadline for bills to have passed the chamber in which they started. In other words, House bills needed to pass the House, and Senate bills needed to have passed the Senate…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on Social Emotional Learning and Anti-Harassment
Tacoma parent Lisa Keating traveled to Olympia March 14 to testify in favor of two bills supported by the Washington State PTA: SB 5082 (social and emotional learning) and SB 5689 (anti-harassment, intimidation and bullying related to transgender students). On SB 5082 Lisa shared her experience working with Tacoma youth to improve social emotional learning…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Legislative Session – Week 9
Floor action a flurry of education policy and funding bills Prepared by Marie Sullivan, WSPTA Legislative Consultant, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Lawmakers hit the floor last week for bill action, starting early in the day and going late many nights to address a variety of bills that range in topics from education bills we’re watching to issues to…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies to the Senate Ways and Means Committee
Auburn parent Michelle Rylands testified in the Senate Ways and Means committee February 28 in favor of expanding eligibility for the state’s early learning programs (SB 5437 – testimony) and increasing staffing ratios for school counselors, nurses, social workers and psychologists (SB 5315 – testimony). Both issues are on WSPTA’s 2019 legislative platform.
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on multiple legislative priorities
Click here to hear Corina’s testimony SHB 1216 Northshore parent Corina Pfeil testified in the House Appropriations Committee on February 25th in favor of SHB 1216, the comprehensive school safety bill. The bill addresses safe school plans and adds family/student reunification to school safety plans and communication, which were adopted by members at the 2018 Legislative…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
2019 Legislative Session – Week 8
Many PTA bills advance through fiscal cutoff, levy “lift” hits snag Prepared by Marie Sullivan, WSPTA Legislative Consultant, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Several priority bills for Washington State PTA have passed Friday’s fiscal cutoff, including bills that would increase special education funding; increase student staffing ratios; expand early learning program eligibility; pilot 20-minute seated lunch times in at…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Core Plus Aerospace: High School Curriculum Helps WA Students Launch Manufacturing Careers
“Anyone can have a job. But, when you leave here, you can have a career.” That’s according to Kareen Morales Vincent, an aerospace manufacturing instructor at Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center in Everett. Kareen is one of the many teachers using Core Plus Aerospace to help Washington high school students gain science, math, and English skills…
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Education
WSPTA Testifies on SSB 5313 regarding Enrichment Levies
Click here to hear Lisa’s testimony Speaking in favor of giving communities a voice regarding enrichment levies, Tacoma parent Lisa Keating told Senate Ways & Means committee members on February 25th that Washington State PTA supports a choice of increased levy authority or maximum per pupil spending, and increasing the ceiling for LEA, this session. …
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on HB 2108
Click to hear Andy’s testimony HB 2108 would delay the requirement for school districts to be in compliance with a straight 17:1 class size ratio. As PTA parent Andy Jensen points out, the association clearly supports smaller K-3 class sizes. But members also adopted an element in school construction to support K-3 classroom grants in…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
February 2019 – WSPTA Executive Director Message
Dear Members, What a stormy month February has been! It was reported that the Puget Sound Region was hit with four snowstorms in a row. It had quite an impact on families, schools, and our kids. It also took a toll on the Washington State PTA staff and volunteers, slowing us all down a bit.…
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Leadership