ADVOCACY ALERTS
Washington State PTA Advocacy Week - February 24th-28th, 2020
Hi Falcons,
All week the WSPTA will send out calls to action for WSPTA legislative topics. Please take a few moments to add your voice to these important matters. Advocacy week is an extension of the postcards that were collected and mailed for WSPTA Focus Day in January. More information on WSPTA Advocacy Week can be found here: https://www.wastatepta.org/events-programs/focus-day/
Wednesday, February 26th Call to Action: Fund Paraeducator Training
Take Action HERE.
Please contact your legislators to support Washington State PTA's priority issue "Fund Paraeducator Training". Paraeducators are the only educators who spend their entire workday with students, directly assisting them in learning, growing and navigating the world around them. Many paraeducators begin as PTA volunteers and continue to develop their relationships with these students in their own communities.
You can customize the message, especially if you have a personal message about funding for paraeducators and the impact this issue has on your family, school, and community. Please share this message with members of your PTA and/or council, and encourage them to write their legislators too.
Thank you,
Tuesday, February 25th Call to Action: Equity in the Identifying of Highly Capable Students
Take Action HERE.
Please contact your legislators and help advocate to support Washington State PTA's priority issue "Equity in the Identifying of Highly Capable Students". Highly Capable programs across the state do not currently reflect the demographic makeup of the communities in which they reside. Children in poverty and from minority groups are 2.5 less likely to be identified for, and in, highly capable programs.
You can customize the message, especially if you have a personal message about equity for highly capable students and the impact it is having on your family, school, and community. Please share this message with members of your PTA and/or council and encourage them to write their legislators too.
Monday, February 24th Call to Action: Best Practices for School Meals
Take Action HERE.
Please contact your legislators and help advocate to support Washington State PTA's priority issue "Best Practices for School Meals". WSPTA recognizes that schools play a critical role in providing access to adequate nutrition and the formation of healthy eating habits that are a cornerstone to health, well-being, learning, and academic achievement. For too many Washington students, meals at school are their only food for the day. Without adequate time to enjoy a complete meal, students may be prevented from reaching their full potential.
You can customize the message, especially if you have a personal message about school meals and the impact it is having on your family, school, and community.
October 2019
41st Washington State PTA Legislative Assembly Update
The WSPTA Legislative Assembly is coming up at the end of the month (October 26-27) at Bellevue College in Bellevue.
Come learn about the issues affecting students across Washington state and participate in sessions about what we can do about them. In addition, meet people from other schools and see what is going on locally and across the state.
WSPTA’s current legislative priorities are:
- Social Emotional Learning
- School Construction and Simple Majority for Bonds
- Gun Violence Prevention
- Addressing the Teacher Shortage
- K-12 Investments to Close Gaps
2019 WSPTA Supported Issues are:
- Improving School Meals
- School Recess
- Family Engagement for Student Success
- Funding Paraeducator Training
- Increased Access to High-Quality Preschool
- Raising the Age of Tobacco and Electronic Nicotine Deliver to 21
- Safe Schools Plans and Emergency Preparedness
(More) Helpful Links:
Legislative Assembly Page: https://www.wastatepta.org/events-programs/legislative-assembly/
2019 Voters Guide: https://www.wastatepta.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Legislative-Assembly-Voter-Guide-FINAL.pdf
Voting Delegate Information: https://www.wastatepta.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Voting-Delegate-Information-FINAL.pdf
If you are interested in going or have any questions, please reach out to us at advocate@fpepta.org so that we can determine our voting delegates, organize carpools, and help each other!
Final 18/19 Legislative Advocacy Update:
The 2019 Legislative session ended (on time) and with it the passage of many important bills that impact children across our state. The legislature passed several bills that will help alleviate some of the most critical school funding shortfalls including increasing the levy authority and increased funding for special education. Also passed was new legislation that improves school safety, increase teacher retention & recruitment to address the teacher shortage, new policies to protect transgender youth and much more.
You can read more about what happened this session here: https://www.wastatepta.org/2019-legislative-session-ends-time-sine-die/
Thank you to all who took action this year – writing and calling your representatives, testifying on bills, and participating in WA State PTA advocacy efforts. As we all know there is more work to be done.
So, how can you help?
- Join Diego Bartholomew and the FPE PTA Legislative Advocacy Committee for the 19/20 school year. Emailadvocacy@fpepta.org for more information.
- Mark your calendar for the 19/20 WA State PTA Legislative Assembly will be Oct 26-27, 2019. We will be able to send voting representatives to help shape the 2020 WA State PTA legislative platform.
- Finally, subscribe to the WA State PTA Action Network to receive action alerts and informational updates:https://actionnetwork.org/forms/subscribe-to-wsptas-action-network-group
- Social Emotional Learning
- School Construction & Simple Majority for Bonds
- Prevent Gun Violence
- Strategies to Address the Teacher Shortage
- Strategic K-12 Investments to Close Gaps
- Vote in all local and state elections (ballots for the 2018 election need to be postmarked by Nov 6th)
- Write, call or email your state representatives in support of these issues
- Participate in the PTA Advocacy week (February 11-15) & Focus Day in Olympia (February 11th)
- Subscribe to receive timely advocacy alerts: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/subscribe-to-wsptas-action-network-group
- Join the PTA Legislative Advocacy Committee
Are you interested in representing Fairmount Park Elementary & District 6 Council at the 2018 Legislative Assembly?
Legislative Assembly (LA) is a powerful event where we determine our long-term and short-term legislative platform for the next 2-years. You don’t need legislative advocacy experience to participate. Workshops offered during the assembly will help provide insight around the legislative process.
Legislative Assembly is October 21 & 22 at the Green River College in Auburn. You will need to be a registered PTA member to participate.
What participant can expect, you will:
>> Hear from inspiring speakers, find out about progress last year, how to engage and important information on the upcoming legislative session.
>> Learn about all the issues, resolutions and principals submitters, and caucus to build consensus on the issues.
>> Vote submissions on/off the WSPTA short and long-term platforms
>> VOTE on the TOP 5 Priority Issues
Helpful Links
o LA home page: https://www.wastatepta.org/events-pro…/legislative-assembly/
o 2018 WSPTA Guide to Proposed Legislative Principles, Issues and Resolutions includes the complete descriptions and persuasive statements for all submittals: https://www.wastatepta.org/…/2018-Legislative-Assembly-Vote…
o Voting Guide for Delegates to learn about the process: https://www.wastatepta.org/…/2018-Legislative-Assembly-Vote…
Please contact board@fpepta.org for more information.
Subject: Urgent: Get SHB 2927 onto Appropriations Schedule
Body of E-mail:
Dear Ms. Tomiko, Dear Ms. Robinson:
The Equity for HiCap bill (SHB 2927) has still not been scheduled for appropriations. I am worried that it is going to miss the cut off. Can you please work with Rep. Timm Ormsby to get this on the appropriations hearing schedule ASAP? As you know, this is a very urgent issue for Seattle and will substantially improve equity--and long term, the achievement gap. Catching these students early will prevent disengagement, behavior problems, drop outs and kids lost to the prison pipeline, ultimately saving the state money--as well as being the right thing to do.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Timm.Ormsby@leg.wa.gov, June.Robinson@leg.wa.gov, Bruce.Chandler@leg.wa.gov, Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov, Drew.Stokesbary@leg.wa.gov, Steve.Bergquist@leg.wa.gov, Vincent.Buys@leg.wa.gov, Michelle.Caldier@leg.wa.gov, Eileen.Cody@leg.wa.gov, Cary.Condotta@leg.wa.gov, Joe.Fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov, Paul.Graves@leg.wa.gov, Larry.Haler@leg.wa.gov, Drew.Hansen@leg.wa.gov, Paul.Harris@leg.wa.gov, Zack.Hudgins@leg.wa.gov, Laurie.Jinkins@leg.wa.gov, Ruth.Kagi@leg.wa.gov, Kristine.Lytton@leg.wa.gov, Matt.Manweller@leg.wa.gov, Eric.Pettigrew@leg.wa.gov, Gerry.Pollet@leg.wa.gov, David.Sawyer@leg.wa.gov, Joe.Schmick@leg.wa.gov, Tana.Senn@leg.wa.gov, Larry.Springer@leg.wa.gov, Derek.Stanford@leg.wa.gov, Pat.Sullivan@leg.wa.gov, David.Taylor@leg.wa.gov, Steve.Tharinger@leg.wa.gov, Brandon.Vick@leg.wa.gov, Mike.Volz@leg.wa.gov, JT.Wilcox@leg.wa.gov
https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/memberEmail/3/2