January 12, 2024

BUCKLE UP FOR THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The 2024 Legislative Session convened this week and it was a "buckle up" kind of a start. In the first week, we heard bills on all of your legislative priorities and many, many more. We are working to keep you updated on this quick draw to the first cutoff date on January 31st, when policy bills must make it out (voted on and passed) of committee in order to progress. Any bill that was still "alive" at the end of last session is back in the queue. Plus, any prefiled or newly filed bill is added to the list. I heard this week that there are more returning and new bills this short session than have been seen since 2013. The pandemic policy proposal pause is officially over. Committee schedules are full and will continue to be for the foreseeable future (at least through the end of January).

You know that expression, "if you aren't at the table, then you're on the menu"? It's kind of a gross colloquialism, but you get the point. Good news for us though - we had several seats at important tables this week. In addition to weighing in on many bills (see section below for details), WSSDA was asked to present during two work session panels in this first week of session. Work sessions are designed to help legislators and the public dig in to complex issues with significant policy and budgetary implications. To kick off a work session on Tuesday, January 9th in House Education, Dr. Avanti Bergquist (Renton) represented WSSDA on a panel to discuss isolation (seclusion) and restraint. To close a discussion out on Thursday, January 11th during a Finance Committee hearing, Dr. Melissa Beard (Tumwater) represented WSSDA on a panel to discuss school finance. You can watch these and other work sessions on TVW. We are proud of our esteemed presenters on these two important matters and it's an honor that WSSDA was asked to sit at the table.

There is a lot of work ahead and it will all move quickly. We have only 55 days remaining to encourage more of an investment in the future of public education – the foundation of Washington's economy, safety, and security – and we’ll need your help to make that case. We only have two weeks remaining to help our legislators understand the importance of paraeducator flexible funding through the prototypical school funding model, lifting the special education cap, providing free school meals, updating the STARS formula to meet actual costs, and simple majority for school bonds. We encourage you to stay connected with us throughout the session. Every day matters and your prompt response to questions and issues is imperative. Feel free to contact us anytime at strategicadvocacy@wssda.org.

WEIGHING IN ON BILLS

WSSDA staff carefully considers each education bill and identifies one or more member-adopted positions to determine a position before weighing in. Additionally, the Legislative Committee, each member representing their Director Area (DA), meets every week to sift through some of the most challenging issues and brings forward perspectives that can be shared during testimony or written comments. Below are the options available to "weigh in."

Sign-In

Pro, Con, or Other
State WSSDA's position for the record.
WSSDA has a legislative and/or permanent position that aligns with or connects to the bill, but it is not a legislative priority this session.

No Position

WSSDA will not weigh in on a bill if there is not a clear legislative or permanent member adopted position.

Testify

Pro, Con, Other
The bill is likely one of WSSDA's priorities.
If we are con or other, we inform the bill sponsor in advance to avoid catching them by surprise in a hearing.
State our position during a live hearing, which is also recorded for the record.

Written Comments

We may submit our position on a bill via email and/or through the online system for the record.

HOW WSSDA WEIGHED IN

Guided by WSSDA's member-adopted positions, we weighed in on the governor's proposed operating and capital budgets and multiple bills. Some of your fellow school board members also provided expert testimony as follows:

Appropriations (House) 1/8 @ 4:00pm

HB 2104 - Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations. Testify PRO - Mike Hoover, WSSDA Consultant

Ways and Means (House) 1/9 @ 4:00pm

SB 5950 - Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations. Testify PRO - Marissa Rathbone, WSSDA Staff

Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) 1/10 @ 8:00am

SB 5838 - Establishing an artificial intelligence task force. Sign In PRO - Marissa Rathbone, WSSDA Staff

Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) 1/10 @ 10:30am

SB 5809 - Concerning enrichment funding for charter public schools. Written concerns, Melissa Beard, WSSDA Consultant

SB 5823 - Concerning school district elections. Testify PRO – Kimberly Yee, Fife SD & Marissa Rathbone, WSSDA Staff

SB 5873 - Providing adequate and predictable student transportation. Testify PRO - Kelsi Hamilton, Chehalis SD

SB 5882 - Increasing prototypical school staffing to better meet student needs. Testify PRO - Sara Betnel, Shoreline SD

SJR 8207 - Amending the Constitution to allow a majority of voters voting to authorize school district bonds. Testify PRO – Marissa Rathbone, WSSDA Staff

Education (House) 1/11 @ 8:00am

E2SHB 1479 - Concerning restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs. Sign In PRO

HB 1914 - Improving the education of students with varying abilities by enhancing special education services. Testify OTHER - Abigail Westbrook, WSSDA Staff

HB 2058 - Increasing student access to free meals served at public schools. Testify PRO – Sandra Zavala Ortega, Vancouver SD and Kathy Mulkerin, Walla Walla SD

Capital Budget (House) 1/11 @ 1:30pm

HB 2089 - Concerning the capital budget. Testify PRO - Marissa Rathbone, WSSDA Staff

Appropriations (House) 1/11 @ 4:00pm

SHB 1368 - Requiring and funding the purchase of zero emission school buses. Testify OTHER – Mike Hoover, WSSDA Consultant

Consumer Protection & Business (House) 1/12 @ 8:00am

HB 1933 - Supporting the servicing and right to repair of certain products with digital electronics in a secure and reliable manner. Sign In PRO

You can also track education bills and weekly schedules on the WSSDA website.

Please let us know if you have any questions or comments by emailing strategicadvocacy@wssda.org.

ADVOCACY TIPS

Make that call.

Things happen fast during session. If you want to have an impact, you need to reach out to your legislators to share your perspective, especially when WSSDA sends a call to action.

Present solutions, not problems.

Whenever you have concerns about a bill, offer a solution or an alternative to help the sponsor (mostly) get to where they want to be.

Be flexible.

It is common for over 2,000 bills (that number is not a typo!) to be filed during a session. Identify opportunities to advance priorities along with other ideas or bills and decide when compromise is better than getting nothing.

Persuade.

Advocacy is about persuading people, not being right. Listen to where people are coming from and frame what you want to say with that in mind. Acknowledge what they want, find common ground with the policy aims, and explain why your amendment/idea works to support an end goal.

Disagree with policies, not people.

Discuss ideas, not individuals or groups.

You don’t have to be a legislative expert.

Don’t be deterred by the complexity of the process, the jargon, or the terminology. You have something to bring: actual in-the-field experience and knowledge of your issues. That’s what legislators want to hear. Relax and be you!

Ask.

If you don’t understand something, ask. There are so many people eager to help you!