January 19, 2024

NO SHORTAGE OF POLICY IDEAS

Typically, a supplemental legislative session (even number year, sixty days, short session) is designed to see solid bills through from the previous session that didn't quite make it to the finish line, correct a few that were enacted but need a few revisions, and include a few minor enhancements to the biennial budget. However, I heard this week that there have not been this many new bills in supplemental year for over a decade. That's not necessarily a record we like being set as it creates some unnecessary distraction from the most critical public education issues. Luckily, however, several of the new education related bills have momentum and are related some of your legislative priorities:

Lifting the Special Education Cap to 17.25% (SB 6014 / HB 2180)
Increasing funding to cover the costs of paraeducators to meet Initiative 1351 levels (SB 5882 / HB 1960)
Reducing or eliminating financial penalties for non-substantive errors with safety net applications (SB 5852)
Increasing student access to free meals served at public schools. (HB 2058)
Providing adequate and predictable student transportation. (SB 5873)

While we won't see every one of our priorities to the finish line, there is great potential for each of them. I am confident that we'll see progress in several priority areas for sure. I would attribute that momentum to your ongoing advocacy during session and throughout the interim and for the strong connections we maintain with legislators and other education organizations and stakeholders. Your continued help advocating with your legislators through March 7th (last day of session) is essential. There are multiple ways to participate in the legislative process. I recommend that you engage in the one or two that work best for you. But do one, at least. It's the advocacy that you don't do that will certainly have no impact.

If you need some data to tell the story of your needs for special education, I recommend this comprehensive data dashboard designed by Rob Perkins of the Evergreen School Board. In it, you can determine current costs and allocations and existing needs translated in numbers, charts, and graphs. This should be helpful as you communicate the funding gaps with your legislators.

Additionally, if you haven't read Gone missing: The struggling public schools as a top issue in WA | The Seattle Times, you should make some time to do so over the weekend. Recent polls indicate that education is low on the radar of our legislators. It's up to us to change that dynamic. Every day matters and your timely and ongoing advocacy is essential. Feel free to contact us anytime for ideas, tools, and support 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 through written comments. Below are the options available to "weigh in."

Sign-In

Pro, Con, or Other
Records WSSDA's position.
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 one of WSSDA's priorities or required background due to opposition or concern.
If we are con, we will inform the bill sponsor in advance of the hearing.
States our position during a live hearing, which is on the record.

Written Comments

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

HOW WSSDA WEIGHED IN

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

Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) - 1/15 @ 1:30pm

SB 5852 - Concerning special education safety net awards. (Testify PRO - Kelsi Hamilton, Chehalis SD)

SB 5883 - Concerning the burden of proof for special education due process hearings. (Signed In OTHER – Sent written comments and suggested amendments)

SB 6014 - Increasing the special education enrollment funding cap. (Testify PRO – Carl Cary, Granite Falls SD)

SB 5956 - Concerning the maximum per-pupil limit for enrichment levies. (Testified Other – Melissa Beard, WSSDA Consultant)

SJM 8007 - Requesting Congress to fully fund 40 percent of the costs of IDEA. (Testify PRO – Lisa Keating, Tacoma PS)

Education (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 1/15 @ 1:30pm

HB 1843 - Modifying school district elections. (Monitor)

HB 1915 - Making financial education instruction a graduation prerequisite and a required component of public education. (Signed In OTHER, submitted written comments by Luckisha Phillips, Federal Way SD)

HB 1935 - Promoting resource conservation practices that include student education and leadership opportunities in public schools. (Sign in PRO)

HB 2282 - Identifying African American studies curricula for students in grades seven through 12. (Monitor)

HJR 4207 - Amending the Constitution to allow 55 percent of voters voting to authorize school district bonds. (Monitor)

Ways & Means (Senate) - SHR 4 and Virtual JACB - 1/15 @ 4:00pm

SB 5059 - Concerning prejudgment interest. (Amended, Monitoring)

Environment, Energy & Technology (Senate) - 1/16 @ 1:30pm

SB 6016 - Creating a green energy community fund to support school districts and nonprofit organizations that service the communities where renewable energy projects are located. (Sign In PRO)

State Government & Tribal Relations (House) - 1/16 @ 1:30pm

HB 1692 - Creating student advisory groups. (Sign in PRO)

Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) - 1/17 @ 10:30am

SB 5813 - Mandating instruction on agricultural literacy for students in grades seven through 12. (Sign in OTHER – Submit written comments)

SB 5819 - Making financial education instruction a graduation prerequisite and a required component of public education. (Sign in OTHER – Submit written comments)

SB 5849 - Concerning a computer science competency graduation requirement.

(Sign in OTHER – Submit written comments)

Appropriations (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 1/17 @ 4:00pm

HB 2053 - Establishing the ninth grade success grant program. (Sign In PRO)

HB 2180 - Public Hearing - Increasing the special education enrollment funding cap.

(Testify PRO – Carl Cary, Granite Falls SD)

Education (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 1/18 @ 8:00am

HB 1956 - Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education. (Sign In PRO)

Capital Budget (House) - 1/18 @ 1:30pm

HB 2017 - Addressing school districts with aged facilities and a history of capital bond failure. (Signed In PRO)

HB 2195 – Strengthening the early learning facilities grant and loan program by revising criteria and providing resources to the Ruth LeCocq Kagi early learning facilities development account. (Testify OTHER - Mike Hoover, WSSDA Consultant)

Consumer Protection & Business (House) - 1/19 @ 8:00am

HB 1934 - Establishing an artificial intelligence task force. (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.

NEXT WEEK IN THE LEGISLATURE

Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) - 1/22 @ 1:30pm

SB 5969 - Public Hearing - Adjusting school districts' authority to contract indebtedness for school construction. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 5978 - Public Hearing - Authorizing the office of the superintendent of public instruction to act as a guarantor for a county when the county provides a loan to a school district. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 5903 - Public Hearing - Concerning representation in the educator preparation act. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 6012 - Public Hearing - Helping approved teacher preparation programs respond to the continuously changing needs of the modern classroom. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 5966 - Public Hearing - Concerning restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs. (Remote Testimony Available).

Education (House) - 1/22 @ 1:30pm

HB 1228 - Public Hearing - Building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education. (Remote Testimony Available).

HB 1239 - Public Hearing - Establishing a simple and uniform system for complaints related to, and instituting a code of educator ethics for, conduct within or involving public elementary and secondary schools. (Remote Testimony Available).

E2SHB 1565 - Public Hearing - Supporting and strengthening the professional education workforce. (Remote Testimony Available).

HB 2335 - Public Hearing - Concerning state-tribal education compacts. (Remote Testimony Available).

HB 2381 - Public Hearing - Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers. (Remote Testimony Available).

Law & Justice (Senate) - SHR 4 and Virtual JACB - 1/23 @ 10:30am

SB 5891 - Public Hearing - Designating trespassing on a public school bus as a felony offense. (Remote Testimony Available).

Education (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 1/23 @ 4:00pm

HB 2331 - Public Hearing - Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials. (Remote Testimony Available).

HB 2398 - Public Hearing - Requiring parent representation on instructional materials committees. (Remote Testimony Available).

HB 2037 - Public Hearing - Concerning Holocaust and genocide education in public schools. (Remote Testimony Available).

HB 2018 - Public Hearing - Improving student outcomes by restricting mobile device use by public school students. (Remote Testimony Available).

HB 1922 - Public Hearing - Establishing a grant program for the purchase and installation of vape detectors in public schools. (Remote Testimony Available).

Ways & Means (Senate) - SHR 4 and Virtual JACB - 1/23 @ 4:00pm

SB 5873 - Public Hearing - Providing adequate and predictable student transportation. (Remote Testimony Available). (Support/High)

Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) - 1/24 @ 10:30am

SB 6082 - Public Hearing - Increasing compensation for Washington paraeducators. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 6123 - Public Hearing - Adjusting classified school employee salaries. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 6208 - Public Hearing - Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 6216 - Public Hearing - Establishing a statewide network for student mental and behavioral health. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 6236 - Public Hearing - Filing a declaration of intent to provide home-based instruction. (Remote Testimony Available).

State Government & Tribal Relations (House) - 1/24 @ 1:30pm

HB 2250 - Public Hearing - Increasing representation and voter participation in local elections. (Remote Testimony Available).

Education (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 1/25 @ 8:00am

HB 2130 - Public Hearing - Extending special education services. (Remote Testimony Available).

HB 1915 - Exec Session - Making financial education instruction a graduation prerequisite and a required component of public education. (Concerns)

HB 1879 - Exec Session - Naming the curriculum used to inform students about tribal history, culture, and government after John McCoy (lulilaÅ¡).

HB 2005 - Exec Session - Including weighted grade point averages on high school transcripts.

HB 2110 - Exec Session - Reorganizing statutory requirements governing high school graduation.

HB 1956 - Exec Session - Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education.

Law & Justice (Senate) - SHR 4 and Virtual JACB - 1/25 @ 8:00am

SB 5891 - Exec Session - Designating trespassing on a public school bus as a felony offense.

Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) - 1/25 @ 1:30pm

SB 6031 - Public Hearing - Modifying the student transportation allocation to accommodate multiple vehicle types for transporting students. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 6205 - Public Hearing - Mandating instruction on the meaning and history of the pledge of allegiance in public schools. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 6045 - Public Hearing - Concerning school district efficiencies and consolidation. (Remote Testimony Available).

SB 6264 - Public Hearing - Supporting the implementation of competency-based education. (Remote Testimony Available).

JOIN US FOR LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE AND DAY ON THE HILL

You don't want to miss this opportunity to learn, network, and advocate together. For more information about the 2024 WASA - WSSDA - WASBO Legislative Conference and Day on the Hill, click here.

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!