January 26, 2024

PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION

The best part of my job as your director of advocacy is working with you and our education partners to make public education stronger and student outcomes better. It is rewarding and worthwhile work. It is also not done without its frustrations. Like you, I have to remind myself regularly what is at the heart of our sometimes exhaustive efforts: our young people. There is yet to be a session where we walk away with all of our student and staff needs being addressed, but we consistently move the needle on our collective goals. This is PROGRESS.

Progress is amending bills to move them closer to alignment with our positions. Progress is any additional funding for staffing, special education, transportation, and/or school facilities. Progress is building and strengthening relationships among ourselves and with our legislators. Progress is helping our legislators to understand the challenges and opportunities of our students, staff, and communities. Progress is not perfection.

WSSDA has contributed to the improvement of the several key bills so far this session. Some of the bills that have been amended with input from our staff and consultants include:

HB 1368 : Requiring and funding the purchase of zero emission school buses. (Amended Bill/Striker)

Turns it into a grant program;
Requires contracts for pupil transportation to use only ZEV starting Sept. 1, 2030;
Requires OSPI to determine when ZEVs cost the same or less than non-ZEV. At that point, ZEVs are mandatory; and
Requires OSPI survey schools on ZEV use and submit a report to the legislature by December 1, 2024 (ambitious timeline requiring district responses).

HB 1914: Improving the education of students with varying abilities by enhancing special education services. (Amendments, as described)

Changes requirements related to the quantitative service report

HB 2331/SB 6208: Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials.

Will be amended to refine "Anyone" in Section 1 to "Anyone with a student living in the school district"

Every day matters and your timely and ongoing advocacy is essential. Follow us on Instagram @wssda_1477 for action alerts and 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 thoughtful and relevant testimony as follows:

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

SB 6012 - Helping approved teacher preparation programs respond to the continuously changing needs of the modern classroom. (Signed in PRO)

SB 5966 - Concerning restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs. (Signed in PRO)

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

HB 1228 - Building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education. (Signed in PRO)

HB 2381 - Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers. (Signed In PRO)

Education (House) - 1/23 @ 4:00pm

HB 2331 - Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials. (Testified OTHER - Marissa Rathbone, WSSDA Staff)

HB 2398 - Requiring parent representation on instructional materials committees. (Testified OTHER - Marissa Rathbone, WSSDA Staff)

HB 2018 - Improving student outcomes by restricting mobile device use by public school students. (Signed In OTHER)

Ways & Means (Senate) - 1/23 @ 4:00pm

SB 5873 - Providing adequate and predictable student transportation. (Testified PRO – Ronda LItzenberger, Eatonville SD)

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

SB 6082 - Increasing compensation for Washington paraeducators. (Signed in OTHER – Written Comments by Melissa Beard)

SB 6123 - Adjusting classified school employee salaries. (Signed in PRO)

SB 6208 - Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials. (Testified OTHER - Marissa Rathbone, WSSDA Staff)

SB 6216 - Establishing a statewide network for student mental and behavioral health. (Signed in PRO)

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

SB 6031 - Modifying the student transportation allocation to accommodate multiple vehicle types for transporting students. (Signed In PRO)

SB 6205 - Mandating instruction on the meaning and history of the pledge of allegiance in public schools. (SignED In OTHER)

SB 6045 - Concerning school district efficiencies and consolidation.

(Testified CON – Tim Garchow, Executive Director, WSSDA

SB 6264 - Supporting the implementation of competency-based education. (Signed 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

It is a light week for pubic hearings as the policy cutoff is January 31st at 5 pm. Any bill not voted favorably out of its policy committee of origin is considered "dead" (unless it returns in the budget proviso as 'necessary to implement the budget').

Early Learning & K-12 Education (Senate) - SHR 1 and Virtual J.A. Cherberg - 1/29 @ 1:30pm

SB 6223 - Public Hearing - Updating school district director compensation.

SB 5964 - Public Hearing - Increasing student access to free meals served at public schools.

Education (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 1/29 @ 1:30pm

HB 1228 - Exec Session - Building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education.

HB 1239 - Exec Session - 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.

E2SHB 1565 - Exec Session - Supporting and strengthening the professional education workforce.

HB 2037 - Exec Session - Concerning Holocaust and genocide education in public schools.

HB 1935 - Exec Session - Promoting resource conservation practices that include student education and leadership opportunities in public schools.

HB 2038 - Exec Session - Collecting data on student transfers and withdrawals from public schools and school districts.

HB 2130 - Exec Session - Extending special education services.

HB 2331 - Exec Session - Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials.

HB 2381 - Exec Session - Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers.

HB 2398 - Exec Session - Requiring parent representation on instructional materials committees.

Appropriations (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 1/29 @ 4:00pm

HB 1368 - Exec Session - Requiring and funding the purchase of zero emission school buses. (Concerns)

HB 2180 - Exec Session - Increasing the special education enrollment funding cap.

Education (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 1/30 @ 4:00pm

E2SHB 1479 - Exec Session - Concerning restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs.

HB 1843 - Exec Session - Modifying school district elections.

HJR 4207 - Exec Session - Amending the Constitution to allow 55 percent of voters voting to authorize school district bonds.

HB 1922 - Exec Session - Establishing a grant program for the purchase and installation of vape detectors in public schools.

HB 2018 - Exec Session - Improving student outcomes by restricting mobile device use by public school students.

HB 2335 - Exec Session - Concerning state-tribal education compacts.

Ways & Means (Senate) - SHR 4 and Virtual JACB - 1/30 @ 4:00pm

SB 5850 - Public Hearing - Supporting students who are chronically absent and at risk for not graduating high school. (Remote Testimony Available).

SSB 5923 - Public Hearing - Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education. (Remote Testimony Available).

SSB 5838 - Public Hearing - Establishing an artificial intelligence task force. (Remote Testimony Available).

Appropriations (House) - HHR A and Virtual JLOB - 2/1 @ 10:30am

HB 1897 - Public Hearing - Concerning enrichment funding for charter public schools. (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.