February Town Hall Meetings
Are you looking for a way to make your voice heard without the time and expense of driving to Olympia? Speak with your Senators and Representatives directly at a Town Hall Meeting near you instead! NOW IS THE CHANCE TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Town hall meetings are a great opportunity to make sure elected…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
PTA Advocates Made a Difference During Advocacy Week 2018
Advocacy Week kicked of on Monday, January 29, with the annual WSPTA Focus Day, a day for members to come to Olympia. More than 50 advocates, from Arlington to Vancouver, met with legislators, delivered postcards from members not in attendance, and distributed the 2018 WSPTA Legislative Priorities. WSPTA President Michelle Nims, Legislative Director Nancy Chamberlain,…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Bill Status Report – End of Week 5
Keep up with the bills and committee hearings related to WSPTA member-generated Legislative Priorities and long-term positions – see the attached report for our Bill Tracker for the End of Week 5.
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Legislative Session – Week 5 Recap
Another deadline passed last Tuesday, with bills required to move out of fiscal committees unless they had a direct impact on the budget. Failing to make it out of the House Appropriations Committee were any of the 2242 fix bills. Also failing were the two IB bills in the House (although SB 5917 is still…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Bill Status Report – End of Week 4
Keep up with the bills and committee hearings related to WSPTA member-generated Legislative Priorities and long-term positions – see the attached report for our Bill Tracker for the End of Week 4.
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Legislative Session – Week 4 Recap
Friday, February 2 marked the first of many deadlines the Legislature has imposed to keep the flow of business moving forward to a March 8th finale. Tuesday, February 6 will be the next cutoff, when bills with a fiscal impact must have passed out of their respective budget committees. After Tuesday, action will turn to…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Call to Action: School Construction and Class Size Reduction
Dear Washington State PTA member, WSPTA recognizes that students deserve to learn in modern, safe school facilities. Most school districts do not have sufficient building capacity to meet the needs of state-mandated reduced class sizes and high school requirements, and often use portables lacking adequate bathroom and lunchroom facilities. Current funding is insufficient for districts…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Call to Action: Support Legislation that Ensures Post-Secondary Success for all Students
Dear Washington State PTA member, WSPTA recognizes that every student deserves a path to success. About 70% of all new jobs in Washington will require some kind of post-secondary certificate or degree, but we need to expand access and affordability for students. We can also start the commitment during high school, by supporting career-connected learning,…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Call to Action: Support HB 1377
Dear Washington State PTA member, Inclusion of social emotional learning and trauma-informed practices at schools has been demonstrated to lead to better outcomes for students, and it is WSPTA’s top legislative priority during this legislative session. Social emotional skills complement cognitive skills and are associated with increased academic achievement, higher income, better health, and social…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Legislative Session – Week 3 Recap
A lively two-hour hearing on January 22 offered an opportunity for school district leaders and education stakeholders to address implementation issues with last year’s EHB 2242, the education funding overhaul bill that passed the Legislature with no time for review. View the Week 3 Recap here.
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative