Focus on Advocacy
Your voice matters!
We need your stories, we need your voice, and we need you! Help make PTA’s grassroots advocacy a success by connecting with legislators about our priorities during Focus Day and Focus on Advocacy Week.
Focus on Advocacy Week is scheduled for February 10-14, 2025. During this week, members can participate in daily email calls to actions. Subscribe to WSPTA Action Alerts
Focus Day will be Monday, February 17, 2025 in Olympia and members are encouraged to meet with their legislators about our 2025-2026 WSPTA Legislative Priorities.
Advocacy is not a one-day event; it is an everyday action. And so, we encourage members to continue to stay informed and engaged throughout the year, keeping our efforts focused on the mission. Subscribe to our Focus on Advocacy newsletter and watch for updates in the Advocacy section of the WSPTA Blog.
#WSPTAOneVoice
Focus on Advocacy Toolkit
- Legislative District Finder
- School District x Legislative District Spreadsheet
- Subscribe to WSPTA Action Alerts
- Build Your Pitch
- 2025 Talking Points for Meetings with Legislators
- How to Make Appointments with Legislators
- How to Have a Successful Meeting with Legislators
- Checklist for Success
- WSPTA Legislator Meeting Summary Form– Use this form to tell us how things went in your meetings during the Focus on Advocacy week as well as throughout the legislative session.
- Focus on Advocacy Newsletter– This is a weekly newsletter. It runs through the legislative session and provides tips and ideas for advocacy as well as a quick overview of what is happening in Olympia each week. Subscribe by signing up for WSPTA Action Alerts.
Video Series
This series is about what to expect including the players, the challenges and what you can do to advocate for your PTA and your students.
- WSPTA Module 1: What to Expect in the 2025 Legislative Session: Video and Presentation Slides
- WSPTA Module 2: 2025 Legislator Panel: Recorded Video
- WSPTA Module 3: Advocacy Tips and Tools
- WSPTA Module 4: Bill Elements and Analysis
WSPTA Legislative Priorities
To learn more about the WSPTA legislative priorities:
- WSPTA Advocacy page – where you can find one-pagers about all of our current legislative priorities
- 2025-2026 Legislative Priorities
- WSPTA Resolutions
- WSPTA Legislative Principles
- WSPTA Federal Legislation
Additional Information and Links
Here are additional resources you can use for successful year-round advocacy:
- Tips for Testifying Virtually on Bills
- Remote Testimony, Written Testimony & Positions – Screen shots walk members through the process of participating in public hearings during committee proceedings.
- WSPTA Blog – The WSPTA blog has helpful information about everything from PTA leadership and governance, advocacy, membership, events, news, and much more! Throughout the legislative session, PTA advocates testify to the legislature on bills that align with our legislative priorities. Information about the testimony is posted in the WSPTA blog, search on the tag “testimony” to see the full list of posts.
- Overview of the Legislative Process – English Version | Spanish Version
- WSPTA Understanding the Legislative Process in Olympia video
- Citizen’s Guide to Effective Legislative Participation – English Version |Spanish Version
- Guide to Reading a Bill – English Version | Spanish Version
- Legislative Hotline 1-800-562-6000 – You can ask questions or send a message to a legislator via the legislative hotline.
- Subscribe to individual bill and bill topic feeds
Focus on Advocacy Engagement
Webinars to Prepare for the Legislative Session
2025 What to Expect in the Legislative Session
Join WSPTA Legislative Consultant Marie Sullivan on December 17, 2024 for an overview of what to expect in the 2025 legislative session, including post-election changes in the legislature, known session protocols, and how to best engage with the 2025 legislature during this long session.
2025 Legislative Session Preview: Legislator Panel
Please note new date – Thursday January 9, 2025
Join Legislative Consultant Marie Sullivan and leaders of the Washington State Legislature for a discussion about priorities during the 2025 Legislative Session.
2024 Legislative Session Wrap Up Webinar
WSPTA Legislative Consultant Marie Sullivan recaps the 2024 Session of the Washington State Legislature. You can watch a recording of this webinar here: 2024 Recap Video
Focus on Advocacy Week
Your actions throughout this week will be quick and easy but will make a tremendous impact. It will be so easy that you can take action from home, while waiting for a coffee order, or sitting in your child’s pick-up line!
WSPTA will be asking members to act virtually throughout Focus on Advocacy Week. Each day will focus on an important part of the WSPTA platform. The best way to participate is by subscribing to the WSPTA Action Network so that you receive the daily calls to action for this week and periodically throughout the legislative session. You will be provided with easily customizable messages that the action alert system will automatically send to your legislators. It is easy to do and only takes a few minutes! We also encourage you to share your advocacy work on your personal and PTA social media accounts throughout the week using the hashtag #WSPTAOneVoice.
Focus on Advocacy Day
What is Focus on Advocacy Day? We need WSPTA leaders and members to meet with their state representatives and senators to share the PTA mission and priorities. Let’s make sure the PTA voice is loud and proud on this day! You will be provided with everything you need to know in order to schedule and hold a successful meeting with your legislators. While these meetings would ideally be on Monday (Focus on Advocacy Day), they may need to be scheduled throughout the week to accommodate your legislators’ schedules. Can’t make it to Olympia? Schedule a remote meeting instead!