WSPTA Testifies: Closing the Funding Gaps
Advocacy in Action! On Monday, February 3, WSPTA President Angela Steck testified in favor of HB 1338, a bill that would close the gaps between what the state funds and what it costs to operate schools across the state. Angela asked House Appropriations Committee members to pass the bill and pointed out that PTAs have…
Week Four: Big 3 Bills Continue to Advance
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Click here to see the week four bill tracker. Last week the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee advanced three bills related to special education funding, Materials, Supplies & Operating Costs (MSOC), and student transportation. SB 5187 would direct OSPI to update the student transportation funding formula (report due June 1,…
Gov. Bob Ferguson creates rapid response team to support children facing separation
Last week, National PTA released a statement on the importance of protecting children regardless of immigration status. The following is the text of a press release published this week by the Office of Washington Governor Bob Ferguson. January 27, 2025 Executive Order brings agencies, schools together to support kids separated from parents or caregivers OLYMPIA…
Big 3 bills heard in Senate Ed, Special Education bills to be heard this week
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org You can access the Week 3 Bill Tracker here. The Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee heard testimony on four bills related to what is being informally called “The Big 3.” These bills seek to close the funding gaps that have widened in three specific basic education and constitutionally protected areas:…
WSPTA Testifies: Close the Funding Gaps
Advocacy in Action On January 22, the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee heard public testimony on bills that would close the funding gaps in what are being called “The Big Three” – special education, school operating costs (MSOC), and student transportation. WSPTA Board Secretary Melissa Stone was part of a panel of education…
Pomp, Ceremonies, Committees and an Inaugural Ball Kick off 105-day Session
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Newly elected state House of Representative members and Senators were sworn in at opening ceremonies in the House and Senate on January 13, the first day of this long session. On Tuesday, former Governor Jay Inslee, who had served three terms (12 years), addressed a joint session of the House and Senate…
69th Legislature Convenes January 13 Amid New Faces, Projected Deficit
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org The Washington State Legislature convenes Monday, January 13th for the first year of the 2025-27 biennium and a 105-day session that is scheduled to end April 27, 2025. Legislators must adopt two-year budgets for operating, capital, and transportation, based on updated revenue forecasts and changes to caseloads since they left town in…
Legislature passes halfway point, budgets released soon
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org While the Senate adjourned for the weekend February 9, the House worked into the wee hours last Friday and through late afternoon Saturday in an effort to advance bills before the February 13 deadline by which bills must pass out of the chamber in which they started. See the full 2024 Bill…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Mid-Week Update: Fiscal cutoff spells end for more bills
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Monday, February 5 was the final day for bills to pass out of the fiscal committees in the chamber in which they started. The exceptions to this are revenue bills and any bills labeled Necessary to Implement the Budget or NTIB. And, as a reminder, no bill is ever officially done…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Advocates Assemble! WSPTA at Focus on Advocacy Day 2024
It’s hard to believe it’s already been a week since hundreds of PTA advocates assembled in Olympia for the 2024 edition of Focus on Advocacy Day. We wanted to share some photos from the day, including the terrific image below of parents, students, educators, and advocates from across Washington standing on the Capitol steps. WSPTA…