WSPTA Testifies – Bill would create flexibility in LAP funding
WSPTA member Heidi Bennett spoke in favor January 29 on HB 1208, a bill to increase flexibility for Learning Assistance Program funding. Bennett requested two amendments to provide guidance to districts and clarify parent expectations, specifically because statutes that allow for the use of LAP to be used for dyslexia screening and other best practices…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Weighs in on SRO Bill
HB 1214 would make changes to laws adopted in the 2019 legislative session regarding training for school resource officers and data collection. Nancy Chamberlain speaks in favor of the bill while asking for an amendment to strengthen training requirements. Listen to Nancy’s testimony here.
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on SB 5128, a transportation funding fix
WSPTA member Heidi Bennett spoke on SB 5128, a transportation funding fix, in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on January 28. Bennett thanked lawmakers but encouraged them to keep districts as whole as possible, because districts incurred costs bringing school to students when students couldn’t come to them or, for districts that have been…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Weighs in on Broadband Bill
Washington State PTA members adopted a position last fall to close the digital divide. Hear members Nancy Chamberlain and Tori Emerson speak in favor of a bill that would expand broadband access across the state by extending retail sales authority to public entities like cities and PUDs. Listen to Nancy and Tori’s testimony here, given…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies to House Committees
WSPTA Asks for Limits to High Capacity Magazines Kate Dillon Levin testified before the House Finance committee February 25th in favor of a new bill that would restrict high capacity magazines. Levin is one of the authors of the Preventing Gun Violence resolution adopted at Legislative Assembly. Hear Kate’s testimony. House education committee hears immigration…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Testimony – WSPTA Supports Gun Destruction Bill
With the lobbyist for the NRA sitting next to her, Seattle parent Kate Levin did a fabulous job of sharing why the Washington State PTA supports HB 1010, a bill that would allow the Washington State Patrol to destroy confiscated guns rather than requiring the patrol to store and then sell the guns. Levin made…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on SB 6505, the OSPI Dual Credit Bill
Northshore parent Austina De Bonte testified on SB 6505, the OSPI dual credit bill on Friday, January 31, 2020. Austina shared that while we support SB 6505 we do have concerns due to the potential consequences for lack of additional funding for implementation. She spoke compellingly in support of removing barriers to accessing dual credit…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Family engagement critical to student success, Estep says
WSPTA Executive Director Andrew Estep shared WSPTA’s support for a workgroup focused on developing a framework and standards for family and community engagement in a Jan. 28 public hearing of the House Education Committee. The proposed substitute to HB 2631 would include parents representing specific segments of the student population and a member from WSPTA.…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA supports bill to consider work group on life-threatening allergy issues
Parent volunteer and school nurse Laura Peterson testified in the House Education committee Monday, Jan. 20, in support of a bill that would create a workgroup to improve the prevention and treatment of students’ life-threatening allergic reactions in K-12 settings. The workgroup also would recommend ways to reduce the waste of autoinjectors like Epi-Pens, and…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on HB 2440 – The Time to Act is Now
One of WSPTA’s top 5 legislative priorities is Gun Violence Prevention, and this session one focus is on restricting access to high capacity magazines. Parent volunteer Gwen Loosmore testified in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary committee Tuesday, January 21, in support of a bill that would restrict the manufacture, sale, purchase, and possession of…
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Advocacy
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Legislative