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Family Engagement

April 2, 2017

House Ups Ante with $44.9B Spending Plan, Senate Capital Budget Passed

This was a busy week, with a big policy cutoff on March 29. In addition, House Democrats announced their “Families First” budget March 27, increasing policy level spending to a net of $3.2 billion. The two-year spending plan is balanced on $3 billion in new revenues from a combination of sources, $206 million in assumed…
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Category: Advocacy , Education , Family Engagement , Legislative

March 31, 2017

Double Parent Testimony for Family Engagement and Social Emotional Learning

Jessica Garcia testifies in support of SHB 1618: Engagement Coordinators Bellevue parent, Jessica Garcia, reprised her testimony in support of the family and community engagement bill, SHB 1618, March 30, but this time with the Senate budget committee. Jessica shared the difference a person equivalent to the FACE coordinator defined in the bill helped the…
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Category: Advocacy , Education , Family Engagement , Legislative

March 21, 2017

Action Turns Again to Committees, Revenue Up

Action returns to policy and budget committees as the opposite chamber takes up bills that passed the original chamber. Policy committees have until March 29 to hear and act on policy bills; the fiscal cutoff is April 4th. Keep in mind that bills that get changed in the opposite chamber must return to the original chamber…
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Category: Education , Family Engagement , Health & Well-being , Legislative

March 17, 2017

WSPTA Region 2 FACE Chair Testimony

Thursday, March 16 – During the afternoon Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee public hearing, Jessica Garcia, WSPTA Region 2 Family and Community Engagement Chair/Bellevue PTSA Council President, testified in favor of SHB 1618 (family engagement coordinators). Ms. Garcia spoke with passion about her first-hand experience with family engagement and the great importance it…
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Category: Family Engagement , Legislative

March 13, 2017

Levy Cliff Bill Causes Flurry of Last Minute Activity

In a surprise move March 8 before the 5 p.m. deadline, Senate Republicans brought a bill that would extend current local district levy authority through January 1, 2019. The expanded levy authority and linked levy equalization was put in place in the 2010 session, with the thought that the Legislature would have fully funded K-12…
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Category: Advocacy , Education , Family Engagement , Health & Well-being , Legislative

January 15, 2017

2017 Session Starts with Pomp, Work Sessions and Hearings

The 65th Washington State Legislature kicked off a 105-day session January 9, swearing in 18 new House and 12 new Senate members, one of the largest freshman classes for both chambers in many election cycles. The Senate is controlled by a Republican majority of 25-24, while the House majority is 50 Democrats to 48 Republicans.…
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Category: Advocacy , Education , Family Engagement , Legislative

January 12, 2017

Erika Kapur Testifies before Senate Budget Committee

Erika Kapur, a 45th legislative district constituent and Washington State PTA (WSPTA) Region 2 Legislative Chair, testified yesterday afternoon in support of Governor Inslee’s proposed education budget. Her testimony can be found at 1 hour, 30 minutes into the Senate Ways & Means committee hearing; watch her testimony here. “This budget addresses many of the important…
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Category: Advocacy , Education , Family Engagement , Health & Well-being , Legislative

January 10, 2017

WSPTA FACE Director Testifies in Favor of Governor Inslee’s Proposed Education Budget

Judy East, WSPTA FACE Director, testifying in Olympia Judy East, WSPTA Family and Community Engagement Director, testified Monday in the House Appropriations Committee in support of Governor Inslee’s proposed operating budget. In particular, Judy said: “This budget addresses many of the important elements of WSPTA’s two-year platform, as voted on by our membership. These include:…
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Category: Advocacy , Education , Family Engagement , Health & Well-being