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.…
Category:
Leadership
Membership Awards 101
Washington State PTA gives out two types of PTA Membership Awards: Membership Growth Awards and Membership Achievement Awards. Membership Growth Awards are automatically calculated and awarded to local PTAs and councils that reach the required criteria levels for Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum recognition. Your PTA can focus on the important work of enrolling members…
Category:
Membership
Legislative Session – Week 7
Policy cutoff spells end to many bills, next up: fiscal cutoff Prepared by Marie Sullivan, WSPTA Legislative Consultant, legconsultant@wastatepta.org In the first of what will be many self-imposed deadlines to keep the legislative process moving forward, Friday, February 22nd was the final day for most bills to be considered in policy committees. (I say most,…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testimony to Senate Ways and Means Committee
Thursday, February 20 was education day in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. Traveling to Olympia to testify on behalf of Washington State PTA were President Michelle Nims and Advocacy Director Nancy Chamberlain. Here are their TVW clips: Aligning with the teacher shortage priority, Nancy testified in support of SB 5801, a bill that would…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on Anti-bullying Bill – SB 5689
Northshore parent Corina Pfeil testified on behalf of Washington State PTA in support of SB 5689 in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee February 18th. The bill would require school districts to adopt a transgender student policy and procedures, and to designate a primary point of contact within schools for policy implementation and…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
2019 Legislative Session – Week 6
Olympia digs out from the snow, first cutoff looms Prepared by Marie Sullivan, WSPTA Legislative Consultant, legconsultant@wastatepta.org In unprecedented action, the Legislature cancelled committee meetings Monday, February 11, due to historic amounts of snow that had fallen since the previous Friday. Most Monday committee meetings were rescheduled for later in the week. On the 11th,…
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Advocacy
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Legislative