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:

2019 WSPTA Supported Issues are:

(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!


 
 
May 2019
 

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  
 
October 2018
Legislative Advocacy Update:
 
FPE PTA participated in the 40th Annual WSPTA Legislative Assembly Oct 20-21 at Green River College. The event was attended by over 220 delegates from around the State. The focus of the two-day session was to identify the Legislative Priorities for the 2019 & 2020 WSPTA Platform, and vote on new/amended PTA principles & resolutions.  Participants learned about the issue proposals, had the opportunity to debate pros & cons, and make amendments.  Finally, delegates voted on the top five legislative priorities. 
 
The top 5 issues for 2019/20 include:
  1. Social Emotional Learning
  2. School Construction & Simple Majority for Bonds
  3. Prevent Gun Violence
  4. Strategies to Address the Teacher Shortage
  5. Strategic K-12 Investments to Close Gaps
 
You can read more about the issues here - https://www.wastatepta.org/focus-areas/advocacy/  
 
There are many ways you can help advocate for all children in our community & state on these issues (and more):
  • 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
 
Email president@fpepta.org for more information.
 
 
September 2018
 

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.

 
 
August 2018
 
8/23/2018 Update from your PTA Legislative Advocacy Team:
 
Welcome back Falcons! Legislative Advocacy is a central part of our National PTA mission.  Parents, Students, Teachers and Administers all have an important role to play in advocating for the overall wellbeing of our children in schools; from safety to funding, there are legislative bills and actions happening right now.
 
YOUR VOICE NEEDED - The US Department of Education is considering using money intended for mental health services and bullying prevention to buy guns for schools. The National PTA opposes this action.  Please take a minute to use the link below to contact our Legislators to reject the use of Federal funds to purchase firearms for schools.   
 
Click here to contact your Legislators: https://www.pta.org/home/advocacy/take-action
 
You can read more on the National PTA’s position on School Safety here https://www.pta.org/docs/default-source/files/advocacy/position-statements/safe-and-supportive-schools-ps.pdf
 
Are you interested in joining our school advocacy team for the 2018/19 school year? Please contact advocacy@fpepta.org
 
 
 
February 2018
 
ALL HANDS ON DECK—Advocacy Alert
 
The much-needed Equity for HiCap bill (SHB 2927) is in trouble. It needs to get onto the House Appropriations schedule today (2/6). The bill passed unanimously through the Education Committee, so agreement is not the issue. It is a priority issue in that Appropriations has only so much time to hear bills before the deadline, and this bill needs to be slotted higher on the list.
 
Please Stop and Do These 3 Things Now:
1. If you are in the Puget Sound area, we are urging everyone to stop what you are doing right now and contact Education Committee Chair Tomiko Santos sharonTomiko.santos@leg.wa.gov and Appropriations Vice Chair June Robinson june.robinson@leg.wa.gov about SHB 2927. Sample e-mail below (although it’s always better to rewrite it in your own words):
To: sharonTomiko.santos@leg.wa.gov,june.robinson@leg.wa.gov
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]
 
2. Outside of the Puget Sound area, please send the same e-mail to following Appropriations Committee members (or, if you have family or friends in Washington, have them do so as well):
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
 
3. In addition, if you are, or you have friends or family, in the **Spokane** area, please have them call Appropriations Chair Timm Ormsby at (360) 786-7946, using that e-mail as a script, or send the same e-mail to him using this form:
https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/memberEmail/3/2
Spread the word TODAY!