WSPTA Testifies on SB 5014, SB 5548 and SB 5146
On Friday, January 25, WSPTA President Michelle Nims gave testimony on three separate bills in front of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee (click here for the full text). For SB 5014, she spoke in support of the bill which would delink state assessments from high school graduation requirements and shared stories. President…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testimony on HB 1139 regarding the teacher shortage
On January 24, 2019, Jen Flood, the advocacy chair for the Mercer Island Council PTA testified in favor of HB 1139 to the House Education Committee. HB 1139, Expanding the Current and Future Educator Workforce Supply, aligns with one of our top five legislative priorities, “Strategies to Address the Teacher Shortage,” as voted on by…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on SB 5057 – Friday, January 18, 2019
On Friday, January 18, 2019, Corina Pfeil of Kenmore, WA testified on behalf of WSPTA in the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee in support of SB 5057, which would raise the age for sale of tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems (vaping devices) to 21.
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA testifies on HB 1010 and SB 5153 – January 15, 2019
On Tuesday, January 15, 2019, two WSPTA members journeyed to Olympia on behalf of the children of Washington state. Dr. Gwen Loosmoore of Mercer Island addressed the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee on HB 1010 concerning the disposition of forfeited firearms by the Washington state patrol. Dr. Loosmoore shared that Gun Violence Prevention as…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on HB 1109
On the opening day of the 2019 legislative session, WSPTA President Michelle Nims testified in front of the House Appropriations committee. President Nims thanked the legislature for its large investments in K-12 funding over the last several biennia and encouraged additional strategic investments to close the opportunity gaps facing students. She continued to share WSPTA’s…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on HB 2927
House Education Committee members heard from Washington State PTA’s Sebrena Burr on HB 2927, concerning highly capable students at a hearing Monday, January 29. Announced as a 15-minute hearing, the testimony stretched into nearly 30 minutes as speaker after speaker expressed why it was important to pass this bill this session. Update: On February 2,…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies in favor of an improved school construction assistance program
WSPTA Region 6 Director Sherry Rudolph joined school district advocates speaking in favor of an improved school construction assistance program that updates formulas for student space allocations and more accurately reflects actual costs.
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Testifies on Proposed Changes to the Education Funding Law
WSPTA Legislative Director Nancy Chamberlain and WSPTA Region 6 Legislative Chair Heidi Bennett testified before the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee on four bills that proposed many changes to the education funding law passed last year. For a review of the WSPTA testimony click here.
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA Gives Testimony – HB 2698
Speaking on behalf of the Washington State PTA, Beth Sigall testified in favor of HB 2698, which would extend some of deadlines for paraeducator standards adopted last session, and fund $500,000 in training costs for paraeducators across the state. Standards for paraeducators is one of WSPTA’s Top 5 issues for the 2018 session. For more…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
WSPTA President Testifies on Governor’s Budget
WSPTA President Michelle Nims testified in support of Governor Inslee’s supplemental operating budget before House and Senate budget committees. Michelle also stressed the importance of funding family and community engagement coordinators at every school, phased in by high-poverty schools first. For a complete review of testimony, click here.
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative