Action Alert for House Bill 1046
On behalf of the Legislative Committee, we are asking you to use the message below to contact your state senator in support of House Bill 1046. HB 1046 would continue the practice of using statewide high school assessments in English Language Arts, Math, and Science for federal accountability purposes, but would remove the requirement to…
Reykdal Describes Education Vision; 2nd Special Session Called
At a 9 a.m. press conference Wednesday, May 24, Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal outlined steps the Legislature could take to meet the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision, and described a vision of education that is “bigger than the court case.” To get to “ample,” the state needs to increase its funding for public education…
Washington State Board of Education May Meeting Highlights
Highlights from the May 2017 State Board of Education meeting are below. You can find packet materials through links in the text, or review all meeting and additional materials online. You can also watch videos of the meeting, by agenda section, online. SBE voted on the following business items: The Board approved the list of Private Schools…
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Education
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Legislative
Little Action in Legislature
With less than 10 days left in the first special session, legislators don’t have much to show in the way of progress. Yes, both chambers returned May 2 and passed bills, and yes, the Governor continues to sign bills that passed in the regular session. But Senate Republicans continue to refuse to meet with House…
State Board of Education Adopts Resolution on Biology Graduation Requirement
Washington State PTA has supported efforts that would eliminate the state-mandated requirement to pass high school assessments in order to graduate, and has actively supported legislation in the 2017 session to “delink” the test passing requirement from graduation. The State Board of Education (SBE) recently adopted a clear position to remove the requirement to pass…
Category:
Education
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Legislative
104th Annual #WSPTAconvention Summary
It was such a pleasure to welcome so many members to our 104th Annual #WSPTAconvention! Enthusiasm and energy filled the days and helped make this year’s event fun and gratifying. As in years past, we developed a program full of opportunities for PTA leaders to learn and grow in their leadership skills, discover the power of…
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Advocacy
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Awards
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Education
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Events
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Family Engagement
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Leadership
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Legislative
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Membership
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Programs
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Reflections
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Training
Dueling Assessment Bills
Returning to Olympia for floor action May 2, the Senate passed SB 5891 (de-linking the biology end of course) and the House passed HB 1046 (de-linking all state assessments from graduation). Both bills passed unanimously. The House came on the floor at 10 a.m. and passed about a dozen bills, including breakfast after the bell…
Senate Budget Committee Hears Bill on Tax Increases, Bills Signed/Vetoed
On May 1, the Washington State Legislature will enter the second week of a 30-day special session. Senate budget committee heard testimony for and against tax proposals Wednesday, April 26. Parents, social services advocates and those seeking a more “progressive” tax structure testified in favor, while small and large business owners opposed. The Republican-controlled committee…
Legislature Adjourns, Budgets/Education Unfinished
After a week of mundane business, punctuated with bill signings in the Governor’s office, the 2017 105-day session adjourned “sine die” Sunday around 11 a.m. Governor Jay Inslee is expected to officially call for a special session Monday. At a press conference April 21st, the Democratic governor expressed frustration that the Senate Republicans and House…
Clock Ticks Down on 2017 Regular Legislative Session
With one week left in the 105-day 2017 regular legislative session, which ends April 23rd, operating budget negotiators have made no progress towards a final budget deal. This mean, yes, a “not so special, special session.” Neither chamber has the requisite 50 or 25 votes needed to pass a budget that also has the revenue…