Advocacy in Action! March 20, 2023
Parent advocate Jennifer Crespi urged members of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee to support E2SHB 1479, relating to isolating and restraint of student. Listen to Jennifer’s testimony at the March 20th hearing here. Also on March 20th, long-time advocate for mitigating gun violence Gwen Loosmore testified in the Senate education committee in support of HB 1230,…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! March 15, 2023
WSPTA advocacy committee member Tori Emerson testified as Other on ESHB 1436, the House bill regarding special education funding, before the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee on March 15th. Tori asked senators to consider amending the House bill to remove the cap and increase the multiplier to the levels found in E2SSB 5311. Listen to…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! March 14, 2023
Parent advocate Natalya Yudkovsky asked House Education Committee members to support E2SSB 5243, meaningful high school and beyond plans. Natalya shared the elements of the revised HSBP supported by WSPTA, including elements added at the association’s request for student data privacy and making sure technology needs for the platform are covered, including the portability of a…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! March 13, 2023
March 13th was a busy day for Washington State PTA, with four members testifying in both the Senate and House education committees. WSPTA past president Michelle Nims shared a personal story about her daughter’s experience in high school to underscore the importance of HB 1308, which would add a performance-based pathway for graduation purposes during a Senate…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! March 1, 2023
House Education Committee, March 1, 2023 Austina De Bonte, WSPTA member and President of the Washington Coalition for Gifted Education, urged House Education Committee members to pass SSB 5072, universal screening for highly capable students during a public hearing March 1st. Listen to Austina here. Rene Price, testifying on behalf of Washington State PTA, overcame…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! February 16, 2023
WSPTA President Nancy Chamberlain testified in favor of SB 5712, a bill that would increase the Washington College Grant eligibility up to 150 percent of median family income, and would make the Bridge Grant Program under the Washington College Grant permanent. In addition, beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, it would establish the Washington College…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! February 9, 2023
Thursday, February 9th was special education funding day in the House and Senate budget committees. Over in the Senate Ways & Means Committee, Advocacy Director Lizzy Sebring thanked bill sponsor Senator Lisa Wellman for her commitment to more fully funding services for disabilities but told legislators it was time for the cap to go. Lizzy’s testimony…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! February 7, 2023
Parent Advocate Devon Kellogg testified on February 6 in the House Appropriations Committee on SHB 1170, improving climate resilience through updates to the state’s integrated climate response strategy. She encouraged legislators to include K-12 schools in the coordination and engagement of the updated strategy. Devon’s testimony can be found here. Overcoming some internet connectivity issues,…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! February 6, 2023
The House Education Committee on Monday, February 6 was a busy place for WSPTA testifiers! Parent advocate Tori Emerson shared her experience as a beginning teacher with House Education Committee members while supporting HB 1565, strengthening the professional education workforce. Listen to Tori here. Speaking in favor of adding another graduation for high school pathways…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocacy in Action! January 30, 2023
Parent advocate Tanya Aggar shared testimony with the House Education Committee January 30th on HB 1479, an OSPI-request bill that would make changes to the isolation and restraint statute, including prohibiting the use of isolation rooms. Tanya shared that WSPTA supported the intent of the bill, but had some concerns about language in the bill…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative