• Tapping Into Hidden Potential — A Book Summary From The Main Idea

    by David Morrill | Mar 25, 2024
      The Main Idea text over a blue rounded rectangle over a background of books

    Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

    Are we truly tapping into each student’s fullest potential? We know that every single student has potential for growth and achievement, but it’s not always so clear how to unleash that potential in schools.

    Adam Grant’s latest book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things, has some great ideas for us.

    Adam is an organizational psychologist but I chose to summarize this book because his research and ideas have important implications for us in education.

    What does Grant suggest we do to bring out the best in students? He has a multi-level approach (and I love that each starts with an S!)

    1. SKILLS: Recognize student potential and help students accelerate their achievement by actively teaching them 3 character skills: determination, proactivity, and discipline.
    2. SCAFFOLDS: Create the types of scaffolds that help to boost student motivation and support students in overcoming obstacles.
    3. SYSTEMS: Build systems in our schools that support teachers in building relationships, supporting individual students, and developing a love of learning in students.

    Oh, and by the way, all of the ideas also work to bring out the potential in our teachers and ourselves, too!

    Here are my resources for this book:

    Read to the bottom to see the 2 free workshops I'm co-leading that may be helpful to you, and I'll be back on April 15. 

    PS: To learn more or purchase the book, click here: Penguin Random House

    I Suggest A Coffee Hour With Families To Discuss Character Skills

    I have another book for you that highlights character skills.

    This one argues that kids are missing what they need most: the character strengths that help them feel purposeful, hopeful, and whole. The culture that surrounds them promised that if they strived for more (better grades, better performance, more accolades, more likes) then they would be happy, but that’s not what ended up happening.

    Author, psychologist, and parenting expert Michele Borba, Ed.D. pulls back the curtain on why the current generation of kids is so anxious, depressed, and lonely in her book.

    The good news is that Borba believes it’s never too late to teach kids the 7 character skills that actually get kids to thrive. And this teaching can happen in the home and at school.

    Click for my 2-page overview, HANDOUT, and discussion questions to use with parents: Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine.

    I suggest you hold a coffee hour and share the insights from this book with caregivers and educators alike so together you can help kids thrive while building parent engagement at the same time!


    Chapter Chat on Trust & School Climate

    Join Kim Marshall and me for a free, online, 1-hour Chapter Chat on our latest Best of Marshall Memo installment on TRUST & SCHOOL CLIMATE

    Trust is the secret sauce that helps you build everything in your school. Learn how.

    Because of the popularity of the topic, we will be offering it twice, April 11 or May 8. You can register here.


    Did you miss last month's book summary? Click here for Support and Retain Educators of Color. I appreciate the concrete ideas leaders can implement now. 

    AWSP members, head to this page to access past book summaries.


    photo of Jenn David Lang
    Jenn David-Lang

    The Main Idea
    Jenn has worked in the field of education for over 25 years. She has had a wide range of experiences in both teaching and administration. She founded and directed Providence Summerbridge, a nonprofit to raise the academic achievement of urban middle school students; she taught both math and English; she provided professional development for teachers; and she has helped to start a number of New York City schools. Jenn received her principal’s certification and Ed.M. from the Bank Street College of Education. Through all of these experiences, she has seen firsthand that principals just don’t have enough time to keep abreast of the latest ideas in education.

     

  • School Celebration Newsletter | April 2024

    by David Morrill | Mar 25, 2024
     five colorful cupcakes with frosting and sparklers

    It is Officially Spring

    I love APRIL. Springtime brings crazy schedules for the Cromwell family. However, I am determined to enjoy these precious moments with my family along with the later sunsets, the blooming flowers, the birds chirping in the morning, and evenings on the back deck. All of these beautiful signs of spring make me smile. This month of April you need not to feel guilty about shutting down your phone for an evening or weekend. Go for a walk, turn the music up a bit louder on your drive to and from work, get a massage, AND treat yourself to some me time. April is when we are starting to see the finish line for this school year, so fill YOUR bucket. I know you will find this edition of the School Celebration Newsletter helpful to bring laughter, joy, and appreciation to your work. As always, feel free to reach out to me @sholtys on Twitter/X if I can do anything to support your work or be a sounding board of ideas. I believe in you!


    A Few of My Favorites

    peanut butter, emergen-c, and a cartoon for administrative professionals day

     


    April Days to Celebrate

    April 2 | (caution on this one) National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day | Purchase Smucker UnCrustables (they are individually wrapped) and add a sticker that says “We All Go Together Like Peanut Butter and Jelly.” Or, for a non-peanut food treat, have student choral responses be Jelly. The principal says peanut butter, and students respond back with Jelly as an attention-getter.

    April 3 | National Tweed Day | Can you have a fun tweed dress up day today?

    April 4 | National Vitamin C Day | Pick up a box of “Emergen-C” at Costco and share with staff to encourage them to build up their immune system to get through this spring.

    April 5 | National Deep Dish Pizza Day | Check with your local pizza restaurants and see if they would be willing to donate a few pizzas to honor your staff. Either treat staff to a pizza lunch or utilize them as prizes for a drawing for dinner.

    April 10 | National Siblings Day | Have staff share pictures of themselves with their siblings and post them on a bulletin board or on your school’s media screens. What a great way for your students to get to know the faculty.

    April 11 | National Pet Day | Have staff share pictures of their pets. Then have a class competition to see which classroom can match the most staff with their pets.

    April 12 | National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day | Ask your PTO or school booster group to make grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch today. April 12 is also National Licorice Day. Have staff vote on preferences for Red Vines vs. Twizzlers?? Or provide licorice in your staff room for a quick snack. Include a note to say, “I am extending a vine to help you pull through the week.”

    April 15 | National Laundry Day | Purchase Shout wipes with a sticker or note that says I want to shout out to the world how thankful I am for you. (Shout wipes are a must-have in the Cromwell Household.)

    April 17 | National Banana Day | OK, so let me share with you that my grandmother believed in the power of bananas. Those, along with peppermint and honey, could cure just about everything. Bananas have potassium along with a ton of other good-for-you nutrients, and well, they do amazing things for the human body. On this day, I will be providing bananas for every staff member and a note that says, “Have a banana. It cures just about everything." –Grandma Alice.

    April 18 | National Animal Cracker Day | Do you remember the red circus boxes of animal crackers? Add a stick on each one that says, “I am thankful you are a part of our circus.”

    April 19 | National Garlic Day | Give everyone a bulb of garlic and a pack of tic tacs with a note “I will always have you covered.” Or create a poster in the staff room where staff could share favorite things to use garlic in and for.

    April 22 | Earth Day | You got this one. But it is also National Jelly Bean Day, and I love Jelly Bellies. Have a game of Beanboozled available for staff or a beautiful colorful jar of jelly beans available today. Note: there are also small packs of Jelly Bellies available.

    April 24 | National Bucket List Day | Create a bucket list board in your staff room. Ask staff to write on a post-it something that is on their bucket list and place it on the board.

    April 24 | National Administrative Professionals Day | The most important day of the month to remember.

    April 26 | National Pretzel Day | Pretzels in the staff room or handed out in your treat cart with a note “Everywhere I turn I see great things happening in your classroom/school.”

    April 30 National Raisin Day | Create a buffet of different types of raisin products (plain, chocolate covered, yogurt covered, oatmeal raisin cookies, etc). Add signs that say, “We are ‘raisin’ up great leaders at (your school).”


    photo of cindy Cromwell
    Cindy Sholtys-Cromwell

    Principal, Loowit High School and Kelso Virtual Academy (K-12)
    Kelso School District

    Cindy is in her 24th year as a school administrator. She is currently the principal of Kelso Virtual Academy and Loowit Alternative High School within the Kelso School District in Kelso, Washington. Cindy has been recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as the 2021 National Digital Principal of the Year. She has two teenagers and has been married to her husband, Leszek, for 23 years. Find her on Twitter @sholtys.

     

  • Elementary Leaders, NAESP Needs Your Vote

    by David Morrill | Mar 19, 2024


    cartoon image of hands putting ballots in a box with the naesp logo next to it


    Last week, I had the honor of representing our state and AWSP members at the NAESP National Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. While there, I was able to hear from both candidates running for NAESP Vice-President. Both candidates were able to answer the questions put before them, though Ann-Marie Gleason articulated her thoughts and personalized her stories.

    Whoever wins the election will be representing our voice through discussions with leaders and legislators across our states and in our country’s capital. Please take a moment and go to Advocacy - NAESP and click on the banner to cast your vote. 
     
    In service, 

    Tamera.
  • The Greatness Guide: Leaders Make Tough Choices

    by David Morrill | Mar 15, 2024

    an image with author Robin Sharma on it and the words Lessons from 'The Greatness Guide':  Leaders Make Tough Choices

    I recently read a passage from The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma. In it, he states,

    Being a leader isn’t about being liked, it is about doing what’s right. 

    He goes on to say, 

    Leaders fearlessly make tough calls. They speak their truth. They run their own race, making the right decisions and worrying little about public opinion. They are courage in action. 

    It seems lonely, but it's also the only thing that makes sense to me lately.

    I’ve realized that in the world of leadership, the path less traveled is often paved with tough decisions and unwavering values. It's not about being everyone's favorite, and being kind doesn’t make you weak. Leadership is about making decisions that, while they may not please everyone, are in the best interest of students, staff, community, and the mission at hand.

    As leaders, we must embrace the reality that not everyone will like us or agree with our decisions, and that's okay. It’s not a popularity contest. It’s about integrity, courage, and standing firm to your convictions, even when people oppose you.

    As leaders, we make difficult choices, we communicate openly and honestly, and we must lead by example. It has to be about fostering an environment where respect is earned through actions, not through seeking approval. Although we may not be able to please everyone, we can hopefully earn their respect through consistency, transparency, and unwavering commitment to bettering those we serve. 

    I know my challenges aren't unique, and I'm not the only one with doubt. I also know my skills, experiences, and unique qualities contribute to the diverse fabric of our team, and I'm grateful for that. In the end, I would rather do what's right than be liked. Especially, if doing what's right is what's good for kids. Is that so bad?

  • What Is Our Definition of Post-Secondary Success?

    by Caroline Brumfield | Mar 14, 2024


    post-secondary_blog_graphic

    I recently attended the second of three convenings at the Gates Foundation with educational partners from every sector you can imagine. From early learning to higher education, various perspectives, organizations, community partners, and agencies were in the room—including students.

    Why are we meeting? To urgently address our state’s low FAFSA completion rates, decreasing number of students pursuing post-secondary educational opportunities, and how these trend data compare to our state’s current and future job market. We are not moving in the right direction as a system. Something must be done, and soon.

    Wrestling with the Data

    For years, many diverse perspectives have shaped our K-12 system and the pathways beyond it, from higher education, business and industry, and parents. Many voices, many silos. I'm encouraged by all these voices – and more – coming together to answer some tough questions. Why are fewer students pursuing two- and four-year degrees? Why are fewer students completing the FAFSA? With workforce wages often starting now at $22 dollars an hour at places like McDonald's, that can seem like a lot of money right out of high school. Why are more students satisfied with that and not choosing to pursue any kind of additional education or training?

    As the group of adults wrestled with the data, the trends, and our own reflections on how we ended up in this predicament, the students eloquently shared their perspectives. They spoke about mixed messages on the value of a college degree, the anxiety of college debt, the complexities of financial aid applications, and a challenging economy forcing families to work multiple jobs to survive.

    What Exactly Does "Post-Secondary Success" Mean?

    The group then shifted into a robust conversation about the definition of “post-secondary” success. What exactly does that mean? Is post-secondary success the completion of a four-year degree? Is it a two-year associate degree? Is it some form of certification leading to a skilled job? Is it simply graduating from high school?

    Should the definition be limited to the pursuit of additional education alone, or is there more we should consider? When one of the students said his definition was “happy, healthy, and hopeful,” the room was thrown into a frenzy. What does that look like on the High School and Beyond Plan? What is that pathway? Can one be happy, healthy, and hopeful without a college degree and a high-wage job? Our youth are asking that question even though employment forecasts clearly indicate that additional educational pursuits will be necessary.

    This problem has no easy solution, but one thing is clear: We need to come to some sort of agreement around the definition of post-secondary success, and it better include the perspective of our students—and be much broader than the completion of a degree or certificate.

    It's About Desired Outcomes

    Post-secondary success should be defined as the achievement of desired outcomes following the completion of education beyond high school, such as vocational training, college, or university. These outcomes should be diverse to match the diverse contexts, dreams, and ambitions of our students and may include factors such as:

    1. Employment: Securing a job in a chosen field or industry with opportunities for career advancement and financial stability.

    2. Further Education: Pursuing advanced degrees or certifications to enhance skills, knowledge, and career prospects.

    3. Personal Growth: Developing critical thinking abilities, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong passion for learning.

    4. Financial Stability: Attaining a level of income that allows for financial independence, including the ability to repay student loans and support oneself and potentially others.

    5. Contribution to Society: Making positive contributions to the community, either through professional work, volunteering, or advocacy.

    6. Well-being: Achieving a balance between work, personal life, and mental and physical health.

    Post-secondary success is not solely determined by academic achievements but also by holistic development, including interpersonal skills, adaptability, resilience, and the ability to successfully navigate the challenges of the world.

    Looking Ahead to the HSBP...and Beyond

    The High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) has been an unfunded mandate in our state for over a decade. And because the mandate came without resources, in most cases, you’ll find students engaged in compliance-based participation. As we look to roll out a statewide platform to increase the relevancy and intentionality of the post-secondary planning process, I hope we can expand our definition of post-secondary success.

    I hope we can communicate to our students that life’s journey will include many pathways full of twists, turns, bumps, roadblocks, and open doors. Most importantly, the more they are equipped with training, credentials, experiences, and education, the more prepared they’ll be to navigate life while also being happy, healthy, and hopeful.

  • Assistant Principals: A Direct Line of Hope

    by David Morrill | Mar 11, 2024

    On the left, a man in a suit sits with elementary kids. On the right, a woman hugs a a female elementary student.

    School leadership is all about hope. Hope starts with the leaders who set the tone for the entire school through their beliefs about students, their belief in the adults working directly with students, and the belief that each and every student has a bright and promising future.  

    Principals carry this burden of school-wide hope, but if they are lucky, they are not alone. While principals set the tone for the entire school, there is another group who are quite often working on hope from a completely different angle—our assistant principals. These unsung heroes are a direct line of hope to some of our most hopeless students. Our assistant principals have the opportunity to reach many of our students who don’t feel loved (at school or at home), who don’t have any sense of belonging in their lives, and far too often lack any vision of life in the future, yet alone where they might get their next meal.

    When students lack love, belonging, and any glimpse of life beyond the day, it’s our assistant principals who answer the call. When relationships have deteriorated elsewhere in the school, who is usually first on the scene to speak hope into the student? The assistant principal. When a student is having a bad day, who is first to be called? The assistant principal. When life is spinning out of control, resulting in inappropriate behavior, who steps in? The assistant principal.

    If you are a small school or elementary principal who doesn’t have an assistant principal, God bless you. You are reading this right now, knowing you are doing it all. If you are an assistant principal, I hope you hear and understand your role’s power and impact. Our most hopeless population of students needs you. You are their direct line of hope. You, in many cases, might be their only line of hope.

    As we look at the disparities and inequity of resources across the education system, one key indicator of hope remains crystal clear. Schools that are adequately funded and staffed with assistant principals have more direct lines of hope for kids than those lacking this precious resource. Until the system can adequately fund and staff other necessary adults to build relationships with students like counselors, social workers, therapists, etc., assistant principals are truly our only hope.

    What does this look like in practice? Picture for a moment a tale of two schools. Both have 700 students. One has a principal, two assistant principals, two counselors, and a dean of students. The other has just one principal and a counselor. Same number of students, two totally different feelings of hope in the school for students and staff. I wish this were just a fictitious example, but unfortunately, it’s a reality for way too many schools across our state.

    While policymakers and other stakeholders continue to debate how to best fund education, many of our schools are barely hanging on. Hope can’t wait. Our students need hope now, and the easiest way to address hopelessness is to provide more direct lines of hope through the addition of more assistant principals across the system. If we don’t act soon, we run the risk of losing more of our great principals who are also barely hanging on. And we all know how important consistent leadership is to the entire school community.

    As we look ahead to National Assistant Principals Week (April 1-5), let’s take time to reflect on the crucial role assistant principals play in our education system and where we’d be without the hope they bring to our students each and every day.

  • FYI: Important Update for Washington State Principals and Assistant Principals – New Evaluation Deadline in Effect!

    by David Morrill | Mar 11, 2024

    an image of a calendar with June 1 and the words Principal And Assistant Principal Evaluations Are Due June 1

    As winter winds down and we can see spring just around the corner, we just want to remind principals and assistant principals that your own evaluation must be wrapped up on or before June 1 of each school year. This includes your summative conference, scoring, final eval, etc. This is the first year this date has been REQUIRED, per the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 392–191A–190(8) (see the WAC text below).

    This new June 1 deadline marks a significant shift for completing your own evaluations. Be mindful of this date and plan accordingly to ensure your part in a smooth and timely evaluation process. Please make sure you and your supervisor are on the same page with this new requirement.  


    Stay on Target

    • Mark Your Calendar: Make a note of the June 1 deadline for your own evaluation and set reminders to stay on track.
    • Plan Ahead: Ensure that all necessary steps in the evaluation process are scheduled and accounted for well in advance.
    • Collaborate and Communicate: Engage in open communication with your evaluator to try and facilitate an open, growth-oriented process.

    Reach out if you have any questions about the changes. We appreciate your commitment to excellence in education and all you do for your students and staff each and every day.


    WAC 392–191A–190

    Minimum procedural standards—Conduct of the focused evaluation for certificated principals and assistant principals.

    The conduct of the evaluation of principals or assistant principals must include, at a minimum, the following:

    1. One of the eight criterion for certificated principals or assistant principals must be assessed in every year that a comprehensive evaluation is not required.
    2. The selected criterion must be approved by the principal’s evaluator and may have been identified in a previous comprehensive summative evaluation as benefiting from additional attention.
    3. The evaluation must include an assessment of the criterion using the leadership framework rubrics and the superintendent of public instruction’s approved student growth rubrics. More than one measure of student growth data must be used in scoring the student growth rubrics.
    4. The focused evaluation will include the student growth rubrics selected by the principal or assistant principal and approved by the principal’s evaluator. If criterion 3, 5, or 8 is selected, evaluators will use those student growth rubrics. If criterion 1, 2, 4, 6, or 7 is selected, evaluators will use criterion 3, 5, or 8 student growth rubrics.
    5. A summative score is assigned using the summative score from the most recent comprehensive evaluation. This score becomes the focused summative evaluation score for any of the subsequent years following the comprehensive summative evaluation in which the certificated principal or assistant principal is placed on a focused evaluation. Should a principal or assistant principal provide evidence of exemplary practice on the chosen focused criterion, a level 4 (Distinguished) score may be awarded by the evaluator.
    6. Should an evaluator determine that a principal or assistant principal on a focused evaluation should be moved to a comprehensive evaluation for that school year, the principal or assistant principal must be informed of this decision in writing at any time on or before December 15th.
    7. Districts shall implement the changes described in subsections (5) and (6) in this section no later than the 2017–18 school year. A district has the option to implement beginning in either the 2016–17 or the 2017–18 school year.
    8. Principal and assistant principal evaluations, including a scheduled summative conference with their evaluators must be held on or prior to June 1st of the school year for which the evaluation is being made.
  • Legislative Update | March 4-8, 2024

    by Caroline Brumfield | Mar 08, 2024

    legislative update header graphic

    We've Crossed the Finish Line!

    Drew_3.8.24_LU
    Pictured above: Colorado State University Student Drew Thompson crosses the finish line.

    Yesterday, the Legislature adjourned “Sine Die”. Over the past few days, decisions were solidified about final supplemental budgets and final bill language. Here is my description about this year’s legislative session based on the book Fortunately that I used to read to my own kids. 


    Fortunately…bills to change graduation requirements did not pass!
    Unfortunately…these and other bills will return next year.
    Fortunately...the principal intern grant received more money!
    Unfortunately...it was only a small portion of what we asked for and what people need.
    Fortunately...AWSL got some additional funding for student programs!
    Unfortunately...our Seattle area director position did not get funding (but fear not we have a plan!)
    Fortunately...there is money for inclusionary practices!
    Unfortunately...it is included in the section with restraint and isolation practices and we don’t yet know what this means.
    Fortunately…the capital budget provided some much needed funding for school construction!
    Unfortunately…the operating budget fell short of many pieces that districts need to cover the costs of MSOC, special education, transportation, and staffing costs.


    So, it’s a mixed bag for sure. I’m sure your superintendents and district finance staff are anxiously awaiting numbers from OSPI about what your district funding will look like for next year. This information will be sent out over the next few weeks. We know that some districts have cut multiple building administrator positions already, and that others are waiting for the final budget to come back from the Legislature before staffing decisions are made. Please reach out to us if you have questions or concerns about your position for next year.

    Budget 

    Here is a look at some of the pieces of this year’s supplemental operating and capital budgets.

    Prototypical School Staffing ($71.8 million NGF-O 2023-25; $71.8 million Total 2023-25; $156 million 4-year NGF-O) Funding is provided to increase staffing allocations in state prototypical school funding formulas for paraeducators, office supports, and non instructional aides beginning in the current 2023-24 school year, as required in SB 5882. 

    Special Education Enhancements ($29.1 million NGF-O 2023-25; $29.1 million Total 2023- 25; $83.5 million 4-year NGF-O) Funding is provided for an increase to the funded enrollment limit for students eligible for special education from 15 percent to 16 percent, as required in HB 2180. Additionally, funding is provided for cohorts of special education teacher residents, inclusionary professional development, and anticipated increases in safety net awards. 

    Maintenance, Supplies, and Operating Costs ($43.6 million NGF-O 2023-25; $43.6 million Total 2023-25; $94.7 million 4-year NGF-O) Per pupil rates for maintenance, supplies, and operating costs (MSOCs) are increased by $21 beginning in the current 2023-24 school year, as required under HB 2494. The categories of MSOCs increased are utilities and insurance, instructional professional development, and security and central office. 

    Community Eligibility Provision ($45 million NGF-O 2023-25; $45 million Total 2023-25; $90 million 4-year NGF-O) Funding is provided for additional reimbursements to schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provisions program for school meals not reimbursed at the federal free meal rate. 

    Transportation Actuals for 2023-24 ($76.9 million NGF-O 2023-25; $76.9 million Total 2023-25; $166 million 4-year NGF-O) Appropriations are increased to reflect updated 2023-24 school year transportation allocations calculated by OSPI in February of this year, which are above the estimated amounts assumed through January.

    Besides these major areas of funding, the legislature provided funding for a whole variety of programs including more money for principal interns (the total is now $700,000), funding for AWSL to support work with student advisory groups, 9th grade success grants, inclusionary practices project, and more. If you have questions about a specific program, please reach out.

    Capital Budget highlights include:

    • SCAP’s construction cost allocation (CCA) was increased from $271.61 a square foot to $375 per square foot for a total increased investment of $103.9 million in K-12. 
    • $114.8 million investment in the Small District Modernization Grant Program to fund 33 small school modernization projects and district energy assessments.
    • $68 million for skills centers construction and modernization projects at Tri-Tech, Wenatchee Valley, Whatcom County, Cascadia Tech, and Sequim skills centers. 
    • $45 million for clean classroom air. Provides grant funding for districts to improve HVAC systems, air filtration enhancements, and air quality and energy efficiency improvements.

    Bills

    I’ve taken the bills from my bill tracking list and put them here by category for your information. The restraint and isolation bill did not make it out this session, but additional funds were put in the final budget for continued professional development. The financial literacy and computer science competency bills did not make it, but I am sure legislators will bring these back next year. We are encouraging them to have a thoughtful process to review all graduation requirements rather than simply adding more. Coming soon will be my “Top Ten” list of bills that principals and assistant principals should know about for the 2024-25 school year with a bit more detailed information.


    Budget Bills

    • HB 1248 Pupil transportation (health benefits for contracted drivers)
    • HB 2180 Increasing the special education cap (to 16%)
    • SB 5852 Concerning the special education safety net
    • SB 5949 Supplemental capital budget
    • SB 5950 Supplemental operating budget
    • SJM 8007 IDEA funding (requesting Congress to fully fund 40% of the costs of IDEA)

    Health and Safety

    • HB 1618 Concerning the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse
    • HB 1956 Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education
    • HB 1999 Concerning fabricated intimate or sexually explicit images and depictions
    • HB 2256 Addressing the children and youth behavioral health work group
    • HB 2260 Establishing civil penalties for the unlawful sale or supply of alcohol to minors
    • SB 5790 Concerning bleeding control and medical equipment in schools
    • SB 5804 Concerning opioid reversal medication in high schools
    • SB 5853 Extending the crisis relief center model to provide behavioral health crisis services for minors
    • SB 5891 Designating trespassing on a public school bus as a felony offense
    • SB 5906 Implementing a statewide drug overdose prevention and education campaign
    • SB 6079 Making juvenile detention records available to managed health care systems
    • SB 6109 Supporting children and families by clarifying the child removal process in circumstances involving high-potency synthetic opioids

    High School/Graduation

    • HB 1146 Notifying high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance
    • HB 2004 Providing early registration at institutions of higher education for military students
    • HB 2025 Modifying placement and salary matching requirements for the state work-study program
    • HB 2110 Reorganizing statutory requirements governing high school graduation
    • HB 2214 Permitting beneficiaries of public assistance programs to automatically qualify as income-eligible for the purpose of receiving the Washington college grant
    • HB 2236 Expanding and strengthening career and technical education core plus programs
    • HB 2441 Establishing a pilot program eliminating college in the high school fees for private not-for-profit four-year institutions
    • SB 5670 Providing summer running start for rising juniors
    • SB 5904 Extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs
    • SB 5953 Concerning financial aid grants for incarcerated students
    • SB 6053 Improving equitable access to postsecondary education with education data sharing

    Students/Curriculum

    • HB 1879 Naming the curriculum used to inform students about tribal history, culture, and government after John McCoy (lulilaÅ¡)
    • HB 2331 Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials
    • SB 5462 Promoting inclusive learning standards and instructional materials in public schools

    Workforce

    • HB 1228 Building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education
    • HB 1239 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
    • HB 1277 Improving the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental course of study for paraeducators
    • HB 1377 Posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education
    • HB 1889 Allowing persons to receive professional licenses and certifications regardless of immigration or citizenship status
    • HB 1950 Concerning the public service loan forgiveness program
    • HB 1985 Providing a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees' retirement system plan 1 and the teachers' retirement system plan 1
    • SB 5180 Adopting the interstate teacher mobility compact
    • SB 5647 Providing temporary employees necessary information about school safety policies and procedures
    • SB 5882 Increasing prototypical school staffing to better meet student needs (paraeducators)

    Other

    • HB 2335 Concerning state-tribal education compacts
    • HB 2381 Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers
    • SB 5883 Concerning the burden of proof for special education due process hearings

    Here is my complete bill tracking list if you’d like to check out all of the bills. 


    Say Thank You! 

    Here is a link to write your own "Thank You" message to your legislators. Even though we didn’t get everything we asked for, it’s nice to say thanks for what was accomplished. Scroll down the webpage until you see the “Compose Your Own Message” section. Fill in your address and then select “Go” and the names of your local, state, and federal elected officials will appear. Select the ones you’d like to email and write your own message.

    Thanks to YOU!

    It is an honor for me to represent you at the Capitol. Thank YOU for all that you do for students and staff. A big thank you to all of you who spent time discussing legislation as part of our advocacy council meetings or grade level committees, contacting or meeting with legislators, sending action alerts, providing testimony, or spending some time in Olympia advocating this session! Advocacy is education and your involvement in advocacy helps to educate policymakers about the needs of building leaders and students.

    I will send periodic updates throughout the next few months as we start planning our advocacy efforts for 2025. Please reach out if you have questions or comments. 


     Important Links:

    Get Involved

    Many thanks for all that you do for students and staff. Please reach out if you have questions or comments. Thank you!
  • 2 - 1 = ? | Where Do Assistant Principals Fit Into the Equation?

    by David Morrill | Mar 07, 2024

    2 minus 1 equals question mark written in one chalk on a blackboard

    Management math attempts to make complex scenarios simple. For instance:

    • The two-pizza rule: “Every meeting should be small enough that attendees could be fed with two large pizzas.”

    • EBITA: Earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization… or a measure of a company’s real performance, or “bull-honkey” according to Charlie Munger.

    • C-suite number of direct reports: According to Harvard Business Review, a ghastly number of ten.

    Before working in education, I worked in the private sector as an HR manager for aerospace manufacturing firms in Los Angeles. My time on the other side of the wall (the office versus the shop) gave me plenty of time to evaluate the efficient operations of machines, people, and processes. It was the latter that I find most interesting now.

    Machines can only go so fast. Humans can only work so long without making mistakes. But processes can always be optimized. The production team would always cringe when they had to expedite a part to the supplier. Even though the part would arrive at the assembly line on time, it would eat into every bit of planned profit. Processes then became areas of study and analysis. If people and spindle speed (or machine speed) were constants, then what could be done to make the process more efficient? This is why businesses provide ample research on organizational structures, team composition, and process optimization. Toyota was historically famous for its process engineering, which led to continuous improvement activities in the early 20th century. Business understands people’s capacity has a ceiling, so they search for efficiencies in processes. 

    Which brings me to the funny math of school management.

    Many districts, faced with an irreconcilable budget deficit, have had to make the tough decision to cut people and programs, and sometimes assistant principals. I spoke with a local principal who was notified his 400-student school will no longer have an assistant principal for the 2024–25 school year. Allow me to do some math.

    • This one principal will need to supervise 30 classroom teachers, five office staff, and about 15 classified staff.

    • This one principal will be the sole disciplinarian for 400 students.

    • This one principal will direct school improvement activities.

    • This one principal will evaluate all teachers and staff.

    • This one principal will be the only authority that can field public questions or inquiries.

    • This one principal will solely direct the professional development of new teachers, seasoned teachers, and paraprofessionals.

    • This one principal will be the sole budget authority for the school’s expenditure.

    • This one principal will be the only personnel called out in board policies that require grievances or concerns relating to the education of the school’s students, as well as the orderly operation of public service in its community.

    How is it that business math and public education math have such wildly different expectations for running workplaces? It seems to me that the answer to the above algorithm is “crazy."

    I admit the budget shortfalls many districts are facing are challenging. However, I have one bit of advice to anyone in positional authority over a district's budget: if you cut an assistant principal from a school, then relocate a district office staff person to that same school — there will already be an office ready to house an educational leader. The math might be tough, but the solution is easy.


  • Feedback for OSPI on the Model Student Handbook

    by David Morrill | Mar 06, 2024

    OSPI blog

    Dear colleagues,  
     
    OSPI is seeking your feedback on model student handbook language that school districts will be required to use to notify students, families, and employees about important rights, complaint options, and contacts.   
     

    Background

    Sec. 1 of HB 1207, now codified at RCW 28A.300.286, requires OSPI to “develop, and periodically update, model student handbook language that includes information about policies and complaint procedures related to discrimination, including sexual harassment and addressing transgender students, and information about policies and complaint procedures related to harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB), as well as the overlap between the policies and complaint procedures. The model handbook language must also include a description of the services available through the office of the education ombud and the contact information for the office of the education ombuds.”  
     
    OSPI has existing sample handbook language available, which served as a starting point for this new model handbook language.  
     
    School districts will be required to include this handbook language in their student handbooks and on their websites, beginning in the 2024–25 school year. 
     

    Request for Feedback 

    We invite your input on this draft, and we are especially hopeful for feedback in the following areas: 
    • Readability—We are sharing legal and procedural information, so we welcome any recommendations on plain language, phrasing, and legal accuracy.
    • Usefulness of information—How do we provide useful information without overwhelming readers with details? We are not intending this handbook information to take the place of full district policies and procedures, and desire for this information to be "family-friendly".
    • Length of document—Given this will be published in each school’s student handbooks, we know space and printing costs could be an issue.

    Next Steps & Timeline 

    OSPI is required to post this handbook language online by July 1, 2024. However, because school districts update student handbooks for printing several months before the new school year, we are hoping to have the language posted and shared with districts by late March. Could you please provide any feedback by the end of the day on Thursday, March 7, 2024. 
  • Online Modules for Administrators Government-to-Government Relationships Training Now Available!

    by David Morrill | Mar 05, 2024

    New Administrator Certification Requirements Related to Government-to-Government Relationships with Federally Recognized Tribes

    Good news, everyone! The long-awaited asynchronous Government-to-Government training is here. Need some background? Here's an excerpt from a previous blog post.

    As you may know, there are new administrator certificate renewal requirements as of July 1, 2023. One of the new requirements is to have five clock hours of Government-to-Government training. Administrators also need to complete 10 clock hours related to leadership standards and 10 equity-related clock hours before renewing their certificates. 

    This training has been developed and is being implemented by OSPI's Office of Native Education (ONE). Initially, these trainings were only being done in person or in a live-virtual platform. Many school leaders across the state have let us know that they have been unable to attend these sessions, or have been placed on a waiting list as these sessions have filled up very quickly. We have been continually advocating for additional trainings and an asynchronous option for busy school leaders.

     

    And from OSPI's March 5th, 2024 Office of Native Education Newsflash: 

    The video-based modules for the Administrators Government-to-Government Relationships Training are now available! This fulfills the new state requirement mandate enacted by HB 1426 requiring all renewing administrator certificates on or after July 1, 2023 to complete a five-hour Government-to-Government Relationships Training.



    Please register in pdEnroller.



    Directions and links to enroll in the Canvas course are on the Event Page. Registrants must take the course in WAESD’s Canvas Account. If you do not have one, you must create a STUDENT account and enter the course code when you sign up. Again, links and codes are on the pdEnroller Event Page. You will then enter the course code to be registered and taken to the Course listing in WAESD’s Canvas.



    There are five individual video module assignments with embedded quizzes. All five need to be completed. If you received module credit(s) from a previous training, please contact the facilitator, Maxine Alex, to receive that credit(s). Suggested completion time is April 26, 2024, to allow 10 weeks for the recertification process by the June 30, 2024, deadline.



    For questions regarding this course and clock hours, contact Maxine Alex.

     


    Additional Help:


    More Options

    For those people whose certificate expires June 2025 or later, Government-to-Government training will be offered as a pre-conference session at our 2024 Summer Conference
  • Legislative Update | Feb. 26 - March 1, 2024

    by Caroline Brumfield | Mar 01, 2024

    legislative update header graphic

    Let It Fly

    Eli_LU
    Pictured above: Eli Scott, from Colorado State University, lets the discus fly.

    Spring is on its way as you can tell from this crazy weather week with a little snow, a lot of rain, and a bit of wind. Bulbs are coming up, and baseball and fastpitch teams are gearing up for the season ahead. Track and field athletes shift to their outdoor season where they can really let things fly with the discus and javelin. This week, I’m featuring one of Drew’s best buddies from Colorado State, Eli Scott, who absolutely crushed it last week in the final indoor meet of the season.

    The beginning of March also means that we are closing in on the end of this year’s short legislative session. Today, March 1, is the last day to consider (or pass) opposite house bills (except initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, differences between the houses, and matters incident to the interim and closing of the session). March 7 is scheduled to be “Sine Die” – the last day of the legislative session.

    Work goes on behind the scenes to reconcile the two different budgets from the House and the Senate. The Senate would increase total state spending by $1.9 billion and the House would increase total spending by $2.2 billion. Of that, about $450 million is expected to go to K-12 education for both maintenance level spending and new policies and programs. The major difference in education funding between the two budgets is that the House is prioritizing increased funding for MSOC and the Senate is prioritizing funding for increasing the prototypical funding model for paraeducators. We expect to see the final budget sometime next Tuesday or Wednesday.

    For a detailed look at the current differences in education spending between the House and Senate budgets, see this chart shared by Dan Steele from WASA. Thank you, Dan.

    Initiatives

    The legislature held hearings this week on three of the six voter-backed initiatives that are up for consideration this year. Initiative 2109 would repeal the state’s new capital gains tax which could mean that the state collects $1 billion less in tax per year. This could impact K-12 funding. In a Seattle Times article, Rep. Steve Bergquist said, “The state must fund basic K-12 education, so a repeal in November would mean that legislators would target early learning and higher education programs, as well as nonbasic spending on K-12, to trim spending of proceeds from the tax.” 

    A joint hearing with the House and Senate Education Committees on Initiative 2081 titled “Concerning parental rights relating to their children's public school education” was held on Wednesday. Legislative staff gave an excellent overview of the initiative and how it connects to current laws related to parental rights. Check out this chart to see how at least 90% of issues in this initiative are already covered by current law. Some education advocates weighed in as “other” and stated that they absolutely support parental rights but are concerned that the vagueness of this initiative may cause confusion. The initiative passed out of both committees this morning and will go to the floor of each house for a vote.

    Read more about the initiatives in this article from the Seattle Times. 

    Below is a re-cap of the major items in K-12 spending for this session. The total amounts are still being adjusted through amendments to the bills or in budget negotiations.

    House Budget 

    Special Education Enhancements ($32.3 million NGF-O 2023-25; $32.3 million Total 2023- 25; $114.9 million 4-year NGF-O) Funding is provided for an increase to the funded enrollment limit for students eligible for special education from 15 percent to 17.25 percent, as required in HB 2180. Additionally, funding is provided for cohorts of special education teacher residents to participate in training, coursework, and classroom co-teaching with mentor teachers. 

    Maintenance, Supplies, and Operating Costs ($43.4 million NGF-O 2023-25; $43.4 million Total 2023-25; $94.7 million 4-year NGF-O) Per pupil rates for maintenance, supplies, and operating costs (MSOCs) are increased by $21 beginning in the current 2023-24 school year, as required under HB 2494. The categories of MSOCs increased are utilities and insurance, instructional professional development, and security and central office. 

    Community Eligibility Provision ($41.2 million NGF-O 2023-25; $41.2 million Total 2023- 25; $90.4 million 4-year NGF-O) Funding is provided for additional reimbursements to schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provisions program for school meals not reimbursed at the federal free meal rate. 

    Transportation Actuals for 2023-24 ($76.9 million NGF-O 2023-25; $76.9 million Total 2023-25; $165.8 million 4-year NGF-O) Appropriations are increased to reflect updated 2023-24 school year transportation allocations calculated by OSPI in February of this year, which are above the estimated amounts assumed through January.

    Senate Budget

    Transportation Actuals – $76.9 million NGF-O (2023-25); $88.9 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided to account for OSPI allocation of transportation funding to school districts. 

    K-12 Staffing – $49.6 million NGF-O (2023-25); $129.8 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided to modify the prototypical school staffing model and to implement SB 5882 (prototypical school staffing) which increases staff allocations for paraeducators, office supports, and non instructional aides. 

    CEP Expansion – $45 million NGF-O (2023-25); $45 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided to reimburse additional school districts required to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) pursuant to Chapter 7, Laws of 2022 (SHB 1878). The funding will support schools not eligible for the full federal reimbursement rate. 

    Transportation – $23.1 million NGF-O (2023-25); $25.6 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided for adequate and predictable student transportation as proposed in SB 5873. For McKinney-Vento homeless students, $400 per student is provided to 32,086 students. Funding is provided in the amount of $170,000 for OSPI to collect student expenditure data, $6 million is provided to the OSPI for supplemental transportation allocations, and $4 million is provided to OSPI to allow contract bus drivers and related staff to opt-in to benefits. Funding is provided to OSPI in the amount of $130,000 to implement SB 6031

    Special Education – $13.5 million NGF-O (2025-27); $36 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided to increase the 15 percent enrollment limit on state special education funding to 15.6 percent.

    The House partly honored our request for additional funding for the principal intern grant program and added $223,000 to the current amount of $477,000 for a total of $700,000. The Senate did not add additional funds for the grant. This was well short of the $1 million we requested be added. Neither side added funding to support current building principals so we continue to impress upon the legislature the critical nature of this request.

    Bills

    I’ve taken the bills from my bill tracking list and put them here by category for your information. A few of these won’t make it past Friday’s deadline and a few others may not make it to the ultimate finish line next week. The restraint and isolation bill did not make it out this session, but additional funds may be put in the final budget for continued professional development. The financial literacy bill did pass out of the Senate last night, but with an amendment that removes the half-credit graduation requirement. 

    Budget Bills

    • HB 1248 Pupil transportation
    • HB 2180 Increasing the special education cap
    • SB 5852 Concerning the special education safety net
    • SB 5950 Supplemental operating budget

    Capital Projects

    • HB 1044 Providing capital financial assistance to small school districts
    • HB 2089/SB 5949 Supplemental capital budget

    Health and Safety

    • HB 1618 Concerning the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse
    • HB 1956 Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education
    • HB 1999 Concerning fabricated intimate or sexually explicit images and depictions
    • HB 2256 Addressing the children and youth behavioral health work group
    • HB 2260 Establishing civil penalties for the unlawful sale or supply of alcohol to minors
    • SB 5790 Concerning bleeding control and medical equipment in schools
    • SB 5804 Concerning opioid reversal medication in high schools
    • SB 5853 Extending the crisis relief center model to provide behavioral health crisis services for minors
    • SB 5891 Designating trespassing on a public school bus as a felony offense
    • SB 5906 Implementing a statewide drug overdose prevention and education campaign
    • SB 6079 Making juvenile detention records available to managed health care systems
    • SB 6109 Supporting children and families by clarifying the child removal process in circumstances involving high-potency synthetic opioids

    High School/Graduation

    • HB 1146 Notifying high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance
    • HB 2004 Providing early registration at institutions of higher education for military students
    • HB 2025 Modifying placement and salary matching requirements for the state work-study program
    • HB 2110 Reorganizing statutory requirements governing high school graduation
    • HB 2214 Permitting beneficiaries of public assistance programs to automatically qualify as income-eligible for the purpose of receiving the Washington college grant
    • HB 2236 Expanding and strengthening career and technical education core plus programs
    • HB 2441 Establishing a pilot program eliminating college in the high school fees for private not-for-profit four-year institutions
    • SB 5670 Permitting 10th grade students to participate in running start in online settings
    • SB 5904 Extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs
    • SB 5953 Concerning financial aid grants for incarcerated students
    • SB 6053 Improving equitable access to postsecondary education with education data sharing

    Students/Curriculum

    • HB 1879 Naming the curriculum used to inform students about tribal history, culture, and government after John McCoy (lulilaÅ¡)
    • HB 1915 Making financial education instruction a graduation prerequisite and a required component of public education
    • HB 2331 Modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials
    • SB 5462 Promoting inclusive learning standards and instructional materials in public schools

    Workforce

    • HB 1228 Building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education
    • HB 1239 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
    • HB 1277 Improving the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental course of study for paraeducators
    • HB 1377 Posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education
    • HB 1889 Allowing persons to receive professional licenses and certifications regardless of immigration or citizenship status
    • HB 1950 Concerning the public service loan forgiveness program
    • HB 1985 Providing a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees' retirement system plan 1 and the teachers' retirement system plan 1
    • SB 5180 Adopting the interstate teacher mobility compact
    • SB 5647 Providing temporary employees necessary information about school safety policies and procedures
    • SB 5882 Increasing prototypical school staffing to better meet student needs (paraeducators)

    Other

    • HB 2335 Concerning state-tribal education compacts
    • HB 2381 Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers
    • SB 5883 Concerning the burden of proof for special education due process hearings

    Here is my complete bill tracking list if you’d like to check out all of the bills.
     


    Take Action!

    Send a Quick Action Alert

    Here are links to three quick action alerts that will send an email to your legislators after you enter your own name and address. The first one is to ask that the Legislature commit additional available revenue projected in the February revenue forecast to help stabilize school district budgets and address the fiscal crisis facing our school districts. The next is to request support for a budget proviso that would add more funds to the principal intern grant and to provide regional support for current building leaders. The last one allows you to write your own message. Try these now…they are so easy! Scroll down the page until you see the Action Alert you would like to send.

    Be a Principal Partner with a Legislator

    If you would like to commit to communicating more regularly with your legislators, let me know. Email meif you would like to be a “Principal Partner with a Legislator”.

    Invite Your Legislator to be the “Principal for a Day”

    We had a very successful pilot project a few weeks ago when Senator Claire Wilson shadowed Principal Terrie Garrison at Fir Grove Elementary in Puyallup and when Representative Clyde Shavers shadowed Principal Jenny Hunt at Broad View Elementary in Oak Harbor. We plan to hold this event again in October, 2024. If you would like a legislator to shadow you next fall, send me an email.

    Meet with Your Legislators

    It’s really easy to set up meetings either in-person or via Zoom with your legislators. They should prioritize meeting with you because you are their local constituents. Here is a link for their contact information and it’s also helpful to include their legislative assistants in your email to request a meeting. It’s possible to meet with them now during the legislative session, but it will probably be a short 15-minute conversation. During the interim, they should have more time to meet with you. Either option works because it’s all about developing a working relationship with our policymakers.

    Participate on our Advocacy Advisory Council

    We have over 50 principals and assistant principals who belong to our AWSP Advocacy Advisory Council. During the legislative session, we meet weekly on Zoom to discuss the bills being heard that week and to strategize about how we, as an association, will respond. During the interim, we meet occasionally via Zoom to stay in touch about various issues, meet with legislators about bills that they are considering, and develop our legislative platform. Email me to get involved at this level. 

    Below are additional links to find out more about these bills and to contact your own legislators. Legislators care very much about hearing directly from their constituents. When we weigh in as an association, it is helpful and important, but having many of you reach out directly with a short email to legislators can be much more powerful.  


    Important Links:


    Get Involved

    Many thanks for all that you do for students and staff. Please reach out if you have questions or comments. Thank you!
  • Retirement & Health Benefits for March 1, 2024

    by Julie Woods | Mar 01, 2024

    Retirement Blog

    "I have not aligned myself with any party. Sitting tight waiting for an attractive offer." Will Rogers

    Action has centered around floor debate and voting on proposed bills from the opposite house. As explained previously in the TWIO, if any bill is changed/amended by action in the opposite chamber, the ‘reconciliation’ process must take place. The “*” before a bill below indicates that reconciliation will need to occur. If no changes take place and the proposed bill is adopted by the opposite house, the bill is signed and then sent to the Governor for his response.

    March 1st is the last day to consider opposite house bills. All attention will then turn to the budget negotiations and reconciling differences between bills. (The negotiations between the houses over the budget occur in some sort of back room.) The release of the budget will come closer to Sine Die on March 7th.

    There are unknown actions yet to come, particularly amendments to proposals, as the deadlines approach. There are also many bills on each chamber’s calendars. Some will advance; some will ‘die’. And then of course, there are bills that are deemed necessary to implement the budget (NTIB) which previously were ‘dead’ can be revived, by whim of legislator, bills can also be resurrected. (zombie bill).

    Below is a select summary of proposed legislation and status as of the writing of this report.


    Retirement Related Proposals

    SHB 1985: Providing a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees' retirement system plan 1 and the teachers' retirement system plan 1.

    Comment: This bill passed House 97/0 and passed the Senate 49/0. It would provide an ad-hoc 3% pension increase in 2024 not to exceed $110/month for TRS1/PERS1 Plan retirees. Once signed by leaders in both Houses, the bill will be sent to the Governor for his action.

    HB 2481: Waiving health benefit premiums in the public employees' benefits board.

    Comment: This bill would waive, as the title suggests, the health benefit premium of the deceased during the month of one’s death. The survivors, if covered by insurance, would still pay the balance of the premium.

    It passed House 97/0 and passed the Senate 49/0 and will be sent to the Governor for action.

    Other areas of potential fiscal ($$) impact and (often, unfunded) to districts:

    Below are selected titles and brief summaries of proposed bills that may have potential impact to the business operations of districts. The TWIO has a more extensive list and explanations.

    *SHB 1105: Requiring public agencies to provide notice for public comment that includes the last date by which such public comment must be submitted.

    Comment: This bill requires public agency notices for public comment to include the last date by which public comment must be submitted. • • Establishes penalties for agencies failing to provide the notice.

    It passed the House 98/0. It was amended by the Senate and passed 49/0.

    ESHB 1248: Concerning pupil transportation.

    Comment: This bill provides that school districts may only enter into, renew, or extend pupil transportation services contracts with private nongovernmental entities that provide employee health and retirement benefits comparable to those received by school employees. • Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to reimburse school districts for increased costs due to providing these benefits and provides a formula for calculating the reimbursement.

    It passed the House 57/37/2 and is on the Senate floor calendar awaiting action.

    E2SHB 1618: Concerning the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse.

    Comment: It eliminates the statute of limitations for recovery of damages as a result of childhood sexual abuse for all intentional actions occurring after June 6, 2024.

    The bill as amended passed the House 93/0/5 and is on the Senate floor calendar awaiting action.

    ESHB 1893: Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers.

    Comment: This bill allows individuals unemployed due to a labor strike to receive up to four weeks of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits following a specified disqualification period and the waiting week, provided that the labor strike is not found to be prohibited by federal or state law in a final judgment, in which case the disqualification resumes as of the date of the judgment. • Removes the provision disqualifying an individual for UI benefits based on an employer-initiated lockout resulting from a strike against another employer in a multi-employer bargaining unit.

    It passed the House 53/44/1 and is on the Senate calendar awaiting further action.

    SHB 1905:  Including protected classes in the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act.

    Comment: This bill extends the prohibitions on discrimination in wages and career advancement opportunities and the remedies to a person's membership in a protected class. • Provides that protected class means a person's age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.

    This bill passed the House 63/34/1 and passed the Senate 36/13. It will be sent to the Governor for action.

    HB 1927: Reducing the number of days that a worker's temporary total disability must continue to receive industrial insurance compensation for the day of an injury and the three-day period following the injury.

    Comment:  It reduces the number of days – from 14 to 7 – that a temporary total disability must continue to receive workers' compensation time loss benefits for the first three days following the injury.

    It passed the House 60/37/1 and is on the Senate floor calendar awaiting further action.

    HB 2044: An act relating to standardizing limitations on voter-approved property tax levies.

    Comment: This bill removes the restriction on levy lid lift funds supplanting existing funds.

    This bill passed the House 56/41/1 and is on the Senate floor calendar awaiting further action.

    SHB 2127 - 2023-24 Concerning workers' compensation incentives to return to work.

    Comment: This bill modifies certain return-to-work policies and reimbursement amounts under the workers' compensation program. • Increases the maximum amounts of reimbursements paid to employers participating in the Stay at Work Program and Preferred Worker Program by the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). • Increases the maximum amount paid to qualifying employers for job modification costs by L&I. • Allows L&I to authorize payments for basic skills development for qualifying injured workers.

    This bill passed the House 97/0. It passed the Senate 46/0/3 and will be sent to the Governor for further action.

    HB 2246: Concerning vacation leave accrual for state employees.

    Comment: This bill increases the annual cap on the accrual of unused vacation leave for state employees from 240 hours to 280 hours.

    This bill passed the House 97/0/1 and is on the Senate calendar awaiting further action.

    *SHB 2381: Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers.

    Comment: This bill expands eligibility for economy and efficiency waivers to the 180-day school year requirement to school districts with 1000 or fewer students, rather than 500 or fewer students, and increases the cap on the total number of districts that may seek such a waiver from 10 to 30. • Requires school districts to include the following additional information in the waiver application when explaining the impact on employees in education support positions: expected position and work hour reductions, reductions in force, and the loss of work benefits or eligibility for work benefits.

    This bill passed the House 97/0/1 and was amended and is currently on the Senate calendar awaiting further action.

    E2SSB 5670:  Permitting 10th grade students to participate in running start in online settings.

    Comment: This bill permits rising 11th grade students to participate in Running Start courses during the summer academic term. • Requires that rising 11th grade Running Start students take no more than ten quarter credits per summer academic term, or the semester equivalent. • Requires school districts to provide information about Running Start enrollment opportunities during the summer academic term.

    This bill passed the Senate 48/0/1 and is on the House calendar awaiting further action.

    *ESB 5790: An act relating to bleeding control equipment in schools.

    Comment: This bill requires school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools to maintain and make available certain bleeding control equipment and acquire and maintain at least one semiautomatic external defibrillator on each school campus beginning in the 2026-27 school year. • Specifies that schools must have a certain number of employees trained to use the bleeding control equipment. • Directs school districts to comply with existing requirements regarding semiautomatic external defibrillators.

    This bill passed the Senate 47/0. It was amended and passed the House 95/0.

    ESSB 5793: Concerning paid sick leave.

    Comment: This bill allows an employee or transportation network company driver to use paid sick leave when their child's school or place of care is closed after the declaration of an emergency. • Modifies the definition of family member for the purpose of using paid sick leave to include any individual who regularly resides in the employee's home or where the relationship creates an expectation the employee care for the person, and that individual depends on the employee for care, except it does not include an individual who simply resides in the same home with no expectation the employee care for the individual. • • Provides that a child also includes a child's spouse. Requires the Department of Labor and Industries to develop materials and conduct outreach to inform individuals and businesses about the new provisions of the act.

    It passed the Senate 28/21 and the House 76/19/3 and has been sent to the Governor for action.

    *SSB 5804: Concerning opioid overdose reversal medication in public schools.

    Comment: This bill requires all school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools, not just those with 2000 or more students, to obtain and maintain at least one set of opioid overdose reversal medication doses in each of the public schools and to adopt a related policy.

    It passed the Senate 49/0 and was amended and passed the House 95/0.

    *ESB 5824: Concerning the dissolution of libraries and library districts.

    Comment: This bill changes the number of signatures required to file a petition to dissolve a library created by a county, city, or town from 100 taxpayers to 25 percent of qualified electors of that county, city, or town. • Increases the percentage of voters required to file a petition to dissolve a library district, and consequently a library created by that district, from 10 percent of eligible voters residing outside of incorporated cities or towns to 25 percent of all eligible voters residing in the library district. • Removes the exclusion of qualified electors residing in incorporated cities or towns within library districts from voting on propositions to dissolve a library district. • Authorizes a library created by a county, city, town, or library district to also be dissolved by independent action of the legislative body of the governmental unit in which the library is located.

    The bill passed the Senate 49/0. The House amended the bill and passed 90/5/3.

    SB 5883: Concerning the burden of proof for special education due process hearings.

    Comment. This bill provides that a school district has the burden of proof when it is a party to a special education due process hearing. • Creates an exception to this burden of proof requirement in circumstances when a parent seeks reimbursement for a unilateral parental placement.

    This bill passed the Senate 48/0/1. It passed the House 94/1/3 and has been sent to the Governor for action.

    ESSB 6031: Modifying the student transportation allocation to accommodate multiple vehicle types for transporting students.

    Comment: This bill provides that the pupil transportation funding formula may not be construed to mandate the type of vehicle used for pupil transportation and encourages districts to use the vehicle type that the district deems to be the safest and most cost-effective. • Requires district-owned cars to be included in the overall transportation allocation rather than being subject to a private reimbursement rate and requires additional district-owned ridership data to be considered. • Requires school districts to report the number of miles driven per vehicle type when reporting transportation data to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. • Expands the school bus purchase and reimbursement process to include passenger vans used in lieu of school buses. • • Requires that training and qualification rules that apply to school bus drivers must also apply to drivers transporting students in Washington State Patrol-inspected school vehicles other than school buses.

    This bill passed the Senate 48/0 and is on the House calendar awaiting further action.

    Fred Yancey
    The Nexus Group LLC 

  • School Celebration Newsletter | March 2024

    by David Morrill | Feb 26, 2024
     five colorful cupcakes with frosting and sparklers

    Welcome to March

    There are so many reasons to embrace this month. However, it can be one of the toughest months for our staffs. March lends itself naturally to great opportunities of celebration to love on your staff between college basketball March Madness (Go Zags!), St. Patrick's Day or a few other exciting days I have included in this newsletter. I hope you can find one or two ideas to implement and utilize with your team. Please know I love seeing your creativity and appreciate when you tag me in your celebrations on X/Twitter. March is going to be an AWESOME month. Have fun and remember to take care of you. Peace and love, Cindy.


    A Few of Cindy's Favorites

    Screenshot 2024-02-26 at 11.30.50 AM


    March Days to Celebrate

    March 1 | "National Peanut Butter Lover's Day" (not fair to those of us with peanut issues but....) | Provide staff with a buffet of peanut butter products (peanut butter cookies, nutter butter cookies, peanut butter cups). Or you could give staff an individual Jiff To Go Peanut Butter cup with their choice of a chocolate bar, apple, pretzel or banana to dip into their cup. Place a little sticker that says "to help charge your batteries when you are on the go."

    March 1 | "National Day of Unplugging" | This is a Friday and I want to encourage you to make this a weekend celebration. Encourage your staff and students to unplug ALL weekend. That means YOU too!! No weekend text or emails to your staff; it can wait till Monday.

    March 4 | "National Grammar Day" | Create a paragraph with various typos and misuse of punctuation. Provide a copy to each staff member and have them mark the errors and make the corrections on the paper. They can turn it back in to you for a prize or entry into a drawing.

    March 6 | "National Oreo Cookie Day" | The easiest one of the month!! Run to your neighborhood grocery store and purchase various flavors of Oreos. Leave them in the staff room for a snack. Play "minute to win it Oreo style" at lunch time with students by having students tilt their head back and place 1 Oreo on it. They have one minute to get the cookie into their mouth and eat it with hands behind their backs. March 6 is also “National Frozen Food Day. What if you asked each staff member to donate a frozen food item to the staff freeze? These could be used for staff who forget their lunch.

    March 7 | National Cereal Day | Have a smorgasbord of travel cereals available for staff to greet them this morning. Include a little note of positivity such as "Breakfast the Meal of Educational Champions" or "Hope this starts your Tuesday off healthy and full."

    March 12 | "National Girl Scout Day" | A buffet of girl scout cookies provided for a morning pick me up. Have the coffee warm and available for staff to enjoy as they nibble.

    March 14 | "National Pi Day" | Treat everyone to an individual pie. March 14 is also National Potato Chip Day. This is ridiculously easy by going to your neighborhood store and picking up a variety pack of chips AND it is also “National Write Down Your Story Day.” What if you asked staff to write about a success they have had this month that will make a difference in someone else’s life? Stories could be shared in the staff room or used on your school's social media account.

    March 19 | "National Let's Laugh Day" | A day of "dad" jokes, riddles, and my favorite knock, knock jokes. Share a few fun videos as part of your morning connection to start off the day with a few laughs. A side note: the most popular type of video that makes almost adults smile is a video of a baby laughing; try it.

    March 20 | "International Day of Happiness" | Make sure you celebrate and do something today for yourself to bring happiness into your life. Principals spend so much time giving to others that it is important for us to carve out time and intentionally fill our own bucket. Today is your day to do it.

    March 21 | “National French Bread Day” | Help staff figure out what they will have as part of their dinner tonight by purchasing a loaf of French bread for everyone.

    March 22 | "World Water Day" | Everyone gets a bottle of water and they can choose from various mixtures and flavorings to add such as lemonade, Hawaiian punch, spark, or tea. Basically anything you can find in the powdered drink section.

    March 26 | "National Spinach Day" | Provide staff with packs of spinach seeds or other green leafy vegetables staff can plant in their garden. Add a note about growing great learners and you have this day nailed!

    March 28 | “National Something on a Stick Day” | Cake pops in the afternoon to help everyone get through this Thursday afternoon.


    photo of cindy Cromwell
    Cindy Sholtys-Cromwell

    Principal, Loowit High School and Kelso Virtual Academy (K-12)
    Kelso School District

    Cindy is in her 24th year as a school administrator. She is currently the principal of Kelso Virtual Academy and Loowit Alternative High School within the Kelso School District in Kelso, Washington. Cindy has been recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as the 2021 National Digital Principal of the Year. She has two teenagers and has been married to her husband, Leszek, for 23 years. Find her on Twitter @sholtys.

     

  • Hit It Out of the Park with Substitute Administrators

    by David Morrill | Feb 23, 2024

    baseball blog


    As busy building leaders, we know we’ve made it past the halfway mark of the school year. Sickness is still hitting our schools, we have district meetings that never land on the right day, many behaviors are here to stay, and sports and activities are on a whole other level. You can see the writing on the wall and need a possible solution.

    Now that spring training is kicking off, and there’s a renewed sense of hope for baseball fans across the country, allow me to use a baseball analogy to highlight a possible new tool in your school leadership toolbelt; if you haven’t already, I suggest that busy building leaders call in a “pinch hitter. ” Or, in this case, a substitute administrator to support them. Let me talk through some common baseball strategies connected to what principals can do to ensure they have support in their buildings.

    Definition: Pinch Hitter

    A player who bats in place of a teammate, typically at a critical point in the game.


    Do you ever wonder why our most valuable educator (next to the classroom teacher) gets pulled from the building for various meetings and events but has yet to have a substitute? Sometimes, a replacement may not be needed for schools with adequate staff resources; however, many elementary and small middle schools need access to administrative staff beyond counselors and administrative assistants. Let’s be honest, no matter how many staff we have, we each have a more than full-time job. And all of us have found ourselves short-handed post-pandemic. Either way, when school leaders are out of the building, ill, or engaged in activities off campus, the work piles up and is waiting for them when they return, not to mention the “S” word: safety. We don’t want any of our players to end up on the injured reserve list.

    Definition: Injured Reserve List (IR)

    The injured reserve list (IR) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play.


    A logical solution to ensuring building leaders have safe, productive learning environments, not to mention double the work when they return, ensuring they can be present and available to the students and staff they serve, would be to have a substitute administrator cover the building when they are away or are engaged in activities and cannot be disturbed. When thinking about this complex situation, we can liken the school building to a baseball game. We need the team (the teachers), the students (the fans), the coach (the administrative team), and the manager (the district office).


    Winning the World Series

    Houghton Mifflin, a long-time curriculum development company, describes model schools as providing opportunities for students to be academically prepared, equipped with social and emotional schools, and engaged in stimulating, joyous learning experiences. For our schools to achieve at high levels and be considered for the Hall of Fame, the conditions must be right, which means having ample support.

    Definition: The World Series. The professional championship for North American major league baseball, played at the end of the season between the champions of the American League and the National League. It was first played in 1903.

    When considering the needs of our schools, students, and staff, why would we consider putting in a pinch hitter for these valuable leaders, much like we would for a baseball team? The National Education Association (NEA) describes substitutes as “educational bridges” and states the following:

    While we’ve spent significant time and attention on improving teaching and learning in America’s public schools over the past 25 years, there is one part of the education equation that is rarely addressed: The important role that substitute teachers play in America’s public schools.



    The National Education Association recognizes that effective substitute teachers make a significant contribution to the school program. They serve as educational bridges when regular classroom teachers are absent. The Association urges school districts to employ highly qualified individuals to fulfill the critical role of substitute teachers.


    Post-Game Interviews

    How a principal feels about their position and level of support is almost as important as getting their work done.

    Definition: Post-Game Show

    A post-game, postgame, or post-match show is a TV or radio presentation that occurs immediately after the live broadcast of a major sporting event.

     

    Having a substitute administrator in a building without assistant principals has allowed me to grow professionally and take care of my personal wellness. I have always held to the philosophy that our positions are not a job but a lifestyle, but without a competent substitute whom I confidently know will help navigate the day-to-day challenges, the lifestyle can quickly turn into a never-ending treadmill. - Dr. Jeff Naslund, Elementary Principal 
    Having the opportunity to have a sub-principal has been enormously helpful, professionally and personally. Professionally, it has allowed me time to attend meetings or meet with teachers and maintain operational support for students and teachers in my absences. I have been able to be away for training, and bring back those ideas to positively impact student achievement back at school. Personally, it's an incredible support for work-life balance. Maybe other principals are like me and hesitate to take a sick day when sick or a personal day for a special family occasion. This contributes to poor physical and mental health and eventually to burnout. Knowing the building is covered, and I can step away from my phone and email for a few hours is so valuable. - Christine Spinnell, Elementary Principal 
    Subbing allows me to experience all the great aspects of the job. I get to connect with students, support teachers, and interact with parents in positive conversations. It is a joy to be in the schools, and I look forward to my days subbing.

     

    Whether in a building for a day, week, or long term, staff have a feeling of security knowing someone is present who can answer questions, help with student behavior, manage emergencies, and show a presence around the school. It also makes it much easier for the building administrator to be out of the building, knowing they won’t have as many situations to manage when they return. Lynn Olsen, District Designated Principal Substitute 

    Expand your Roster

    Draft Prospects

    When considering this strategy, determine who could be “drafted” as substitute principals. Here are some ideas:

    • Interns: It would benefit administrative interns to learn in a different context. Consider having them come to your building, do a walkthrough, and set up a time for them to substitute for you.
    • University Site Supervisors: Did you know that all the administrative preparation programs across the state employ administrative intern supervisors? These folks may be retired, unable to commit to a full-time position, have flexible schedules, and may be available to support your school.
    • Retired District Employees: Consider calling one of your former colleagues. Districts may be more inclined to hire a former administrator for support. Additionally, the HR process may be easier to navigate for former employees.
    • District Substitutes or Current Teachers with Administrative Credentials: You may have an administrator in your building or on the substitute list. For various reasons, individuals with administrative credentials don’t go into administration. In these cases, it may be easier to hire a general substitute for their position and have them cover the office in your absence.

    Definitions

    The Draft

    The process used to allocate baseball players to Major League teams.

    Prospect

    A potential baseball player that coaches and scouts are looking to add to their team.

    40-Man Roster

    Includes a combination of players on the 26-man roster, injured lists, the bereavement/family medical emergency list, and the paternity leave list, as well as some Minor Leaguers.


    Did you know a typical baseball team comprises 26 players; however, all teams develop a 40-man roster that can support teammates for medical, family, and other issues.

    Though there is no authentic substitute for a principal besides another principal, consider the following additional players who you can prepare to support you when you are absent or engaged in office-bound activities:

    Office Assistant(s) — if you are going to be unavailable, your front office staff, as you know, are your first defense to ensure your building is running smoothly. If something pressing “comes to the office,” be sure they can assign it to someone else in your absence.

    Counselor — as we know, counselors play a very different role than administrators. However, their skillset can be utilized by de-escalating a situation, calling parents to notify them of a situation, and ensuring them your support when you return.

    Assistant Principals and Athletic Directors (at other buildings, too) — we know that if you have access to these additional staff, you have a backup; however, it’s essential to be explicit with what you want them to do in your absence. For example, supervise arrival and dismissal, check in with specific students, and stop into designated classrooms. Additionally, ensure your staff knows who is “subbing” for you and how to reach your designee if they need anything.

    District Office Staff — consider having someone from the district work from your office and address anything that walks through the office door. This would be an excellent way to support their work connected to students and staff in the building and a great opportunity for them to be visible and approachable to school staff.

    Support Staff — again, specific staff have job duties and scope based on their title and contract; however, having an extra supervisor and an extra set of eyes may help when you are out of the building. Alternatively, having someone check in with students regarding any issues can prevent situations before they start. Do you have a support staff who is a “kid magnet?” If so, consider getting a sub for their regular duties and having them be more visible and available when you are out of the building. When you return, they can report any situation to you directly.

    Supervisor/Superintendent — again, this is an excellent opportunity to be in the “principal’s shoes” and to provide context for both the superintendent and/or your supervisor. You can let them know the measures you have put in place to ensure your students achieve and have rigorous learning opportunities and receive authentic feedback while also gaining empathy and compassion for all you do to support your school.


    On The Field: What Substitute Administrators Can Do:

    • Supervise lunch/halls/class/bus
    • Take parent calls, identifying themselves as a substitute
    • Check-in with substitute teachers and provide support
    • Support the counselor
    • Cover the office
    • Make announcements and be an adult supervisor presence in the principal's absence
    • Stop in classrooms and provide feedback to the leader
    • Be a second supervisor and provide information/feedback to the principal

    Definition: Baseball positions. In baseball, each of the nine players on a team is assigned a particular fielding position when it is their turn to play defense.

    In summary, the work of the building principal is complex and cannot be “substituted”; however, even the most famous skilled athletes have access to coaching and support. Why wouldn’t our most valuable player – school principals – have access to similar resources? Asking for a substitute or substitute support could mitigate some of the low-level work that distracts us from the heavy lifting our principals are expected to do every day. This way, when they return to the building without extra work and follow-up to complete, providing an overall sense of efficiency and effectiveness, not to mention enlisting a possible partner to support you in the ongoing work, resulting in overall job satisfaction.

    There are three types of baseball players: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” - Tommy Lasorda 

    Our 2019 Interview With Mariners Manager Scott Servais

  • Legislative Update | Feb. 19-23, 2024

    by Caroline Brumfield | Feb 23, 2024

    legislative update header graphic

    Budgets are Released and There's No Looking Back Now

    Drew_LU_2.23.24
    Pictured above: Drew Thompson from Colorado State University competes in high jump.

    A collective “ugh” was felt by the education community this week at the Capitol as the House and Senate released their supplemental budgets. Education advocates remain concerned by inadequate funding and we are using several talking points from OSPI to help explain why districts are facing shortages. Here are a few of them:

    Transition from ESSER

    • On average, ESSER funds made up just 3-5% of a school district’s budget. These funds bought learning devices, connectivity, PPE, and kept our bus drivers and teachers employed during the pandemic to continue serving students as we adjusted to a new, remote learning environment. 
    • When you look at the net impact of ESSER funds, these temporary dollars only slightly offset the permanent state funds that our schools lost due to changes in student enrollment levels during the pandemic. 

    Overall K-12 Funding/Enrollment decline

    • With ESSER going away, fewer permanent funds mean that some of our districts are making really difficult decisions about their budgets. This in itself is not new, because districts are used to engaging in budget reductions as enrollment fluctuates. 
    • However, due to the increasing inflation over the past few years, we are seeing worrisome trends in funding for our state’s paramount duty: our public schools.
    • We can see that the share of the state’s budget that the legislature invests in schools has been in a downward trend since 2019, declining from 51% of the budget to now just 43%.
    • We are grateful for the legislature’s investments in things like special education, counselors, nurses, and other support staff, however, while the actual dollar amounts provided by the legislature have increased, the buying power of those dollars has actually been decreasing since the 2019-20 school year. 
    • If you look at total K-12 spending (local and state) funding per student (taking into account all of the increased investments, the lower enrollment, and adjusted for inflation) we are actually investing $1,000 less per pupil than we were 5 years ago. This is equivalent to almost $1B in state resources. Yet, our systems are expected to provide the same, if not better, level of programming. 

    But, there’s no looking back. We have to press on and continue our advocacy efforts to push for adequate funding that meets our state’s “paramount duty” to fund public schools. 

    The Washington Research Council wrote a good overview comparing the House and Senate supplemental budgets that were released earlier in the week. Besides increases in maintenance level spending (for COLAs and some additional increases to the prototypical model for nurses, counselors, and social workers), here is a look at the major items of new spending from both sides.


    House Budget

    Special Education Enhancements ($32.3 million NGF-O 2023-25; $32.3 million Total 2023- 25; $114.9 million 4-year NGF-O) Funding is provided for an increase to the funded enrollment limit for students eligible for special education from 15 percent to 17.25 percent, as required in HB 2180. Additionally, funding is provided for cohorts of special education teacher residents to participate in training, coursework, and classroom co-teaching with mentor teachers. 

    Maintenance, Supplies, and Operating Costs ($43.4 million NGF-O 2023-25; $43.4 million Total 2023-25; $94.7 million 4-year NGF-O) Per pupil rates for maintenance, supplies, and operating costs (MSOCs) are increased by $21 beginning in the current 2023-24 school year, as required under HB 2494. The categories of MSOCs increased are utilities and insurance, instructional professional development, and security and central office. 

    Community Eligibility Provision ($41.2 million NGF-O 2023-25; $41.2 million Total 2023- 25; $90.4 million 4-year NGF-O) Funding is provided for additional reimbursements to schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provisions program for school meals not reimbursed at the federal free meal rate. 

    Transportation Actuals for 2023-24 ($76.9 million NGF-O 2023-25; $76.9 million Total 2023-25; $165.8 million 4-year NGF-O) Appropriations are increased to reflect updated 2023-24 school year transportation allocations calculated by OSPI in February of this year, which are above the estimated amounts assumed through January.

    Senate Budget

    Transportation Actuals – $76.9 million NGF-O (2023-25); $88.9 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided to account for OSPI allocation of transportation funding to school districts. 

    K-12 Staffing – $49.6 million NGF-O (2023-25); $129.8 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided to modify the prototypical school staffing model and to implement SB 5882 (prototypical school staffing) which increases staff allocations for paraeducators, office supports, and non instructional aides. 

    CEP Expansion – $45 million NGF-O (2023-25); $45 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided to reimburse additional school districts required to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) pursuant to Chapter 7, Laws of 2022 (SHB 1878). The funding will support schools not eligible for the full federal reimbursement rate. 

    Transportation – $23.1 million NGF-O (2023-25); $25.6 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided for adequate and predictable student transportation as proposed in SB 5873. For McKinney-Vento homeless students, $400 per student is provided to 32,086 students. Funding is provided in the amount of $170,000 for OSPI to collect student expenditure data, $6 million is provided to the OSPI for supplemental transportation allocations, and $4 million is provided to OSPI to allow contract bus drivers and related staff to opt-in to benefits. Funding is provided to OSPI in the amount of $130,000 to implement SB 6031

    Special Education – $13.5 million NGF-O (2025-27); $36 million NGF-O (2025-27) Funding is provided to increase the 15 percent enrollment limit on state special education funding to 15.6 percent.

    You can see that the biggest difference between the two budgets is that the House is prioritizing increased funding for MSOC and the Senate is prioritizing funding for increasing the prototypical funding model for paraeducators. 

    The House partly honored our request for additional funding for the principal intern grant program and added $223,000 to the current amount of $477,000. The Senate did not add additional funds for the grant. This was well short of the $1 million we requested be added. Neither side added funding to support current building principals so we continue to impress upon the legislature the critical nature of this request.

    All of these differences will have to be resolved through budget negotiations in the next two weeks.

    Take Action Now!

    Please take action now and send an email to your legislators about increasing K-12 funding. This is an easy way to get the word out across our state that they must support our paramount duty. Click on the link above, and scroll down the page until you see the orange “Action Alert” on school funding. Enter your home or school address and then you’ll see a prewritten email that will go to your legislators. You can also add more information or anecdotes to this email if you’d like. 

    Bills

    The restraint and isolation bill (HB 1479) failed to move out of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee. 

    The computer science competency bill (SB 5849) and the financial literacy requirement for graduation bill (HB 1915) are both still alive. We continue working with other advocates to either amend these bills to direct the State Board of Education to review graduation requirements comprehensively or to not pass them this session. 

    Additional bills are still moving through the session, and those with a fiscal implication need to pass out of House Appropriations or Senate Ways and Means by Monday, February 26. After that, they must pass out of the opposite house by March 1. The session is scheduled to end on March 7.
     
    Here is my complete bill tracking list if you’d like to check out all of the bills.


    Engage in Advocacy

    February is our “Member Engagement Month,” and there is no better way to engage with your professional association this month than by getting involved in our advocacy efforts. There are a variety of ways in which you can do this. Some take a few seconds, and some take a little more time. Choose your own level of engagement, but please do take action to support legislation that would help “Grow, Support, and Sustain” our current and future school leaders.

    Send a Quick Action Alert

    This is the easiest option of all. Here are links to three quick action alerts that will send an email to your legislators after you enter your own name and address. The first one is to ask that the Legislature commit additional available revenue projected in the February revenue forecast to help stabilize school district budgets and address the fiscal crisis facing our school districts. The next is to request support for a budget proviso that would add more funds to the principal intern grant and to provide regional support for current building leaders. The last one allows you to write your own message. Try these now…they are so easy! Scroll down the page until you see the Action Alert you would like to send.

    Be a Principal Partner with a Legislator

    If you would like to commit to communicating more regularly with your legislators, let me know. Email me if you would like to be a “Principal Partner with a Legislator”.

    Invite Your Legislator to be the “Principal for a Day”

    We had a very successful pilot project a few weeks ago when Senator Claire Wilson shadowed Principal Terrie Garrison at Fir Grove Elementary in Puyallup and when Representative Clyde Shavers shadowed Principal Jenny Hunt at Broad View Elementary in Oak Harbor. We plan to hold this event again in October, 2024. If you would like a legislator to shadow you next fall, send me an email.

    Meet with Your Legislators

    It’s really easy to set up meetings either in-person or via Zoom with your legislators. They should prioritize meeting with you because you are their local constituents. Here is a link for their contact information and it’s also helpful to include their legislative assistants in your email to request a meeting. It’s possible to meet with them now during the legislative session, but it will probably be a short 15-minute conversation. During the interim, they should have more time to meet with you. Either option works because it’s all about developing a working relationship with our policymakers.

    Participate on our Advocacy Advisory Council

    We have over 50 principals and assistant principals who belong to our AWSP Advocacy Advisory Council. During the legislative session, we meet weekly on Zoom to discuss the bills being heard that week and to strategize about how we, as an association, will respond. This group of people is invited to attend our annual  “AWSP Day on the Hill” which will be held on Monday, February 5th. During the interim, we meet occasionally via Zoom to stay in touch about various issues, meet with legislators about bills that they are considering, and develop our legislative platform. Email me to get involved at this level. 

    Below are additional links to find out more about these bills and to contact your own legislators. Legislators care very much about hearing directly from their constituents. When we weigh in as an association, it is helpful and important, but having many of you reach out directly with a short email to legislators can be much more powerful.  


    Important Links:


    Get Involved

    Many thanks for all that you do for students and staff. Please reach out if you have questions or comments. Thank you!
  • Retirement & Health Benefits for February 23, 2024

    by Caroline Brumfield | Feb 23, 2024

    Retirement Blog

      "People who love sausage and people who believe in justice (politics) should never watch either of them being made." - Otto Bismark

    Both the Senate and the House have been busy with committee hearings as the Feb. 21st deadline for policy bills to be released from committees just passed and the Feb. 26th deadline for fiscal bills approaches. 

    There has been little floor action. Next week debate and floor passage will begin anew and at a rapid pace given the March 1 deadline for bills to clear their respective houses.

    Little has changed since last week’s report. An up-to-date summary will come next week after the deadline dust has settled. 

    There are unknown actions yet to come, particularly amendments to proposals, as the deadlines approach. However, one bill has been singled out by the Washington State School Retirees’ Association (WSSRA) for aggressive lobbying. 


    Retirement Related Proposals

    SHB 1985: Providing a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees' retirement system plan 1 and the teachers' retirement system plan 1.

    Comment: This bill passed House 97/0. It was unanimously approved as request legislation by the Select Committee on Penson Policy. It would provide an ad-hoc 3% pension increase in 2024 not to exceed $110/month for TRS1/PERS1 Plan retirees. (The original bill was set at $125/month.) It had a public hearing Feb. 20th before WM and has been scheduled for executive session. If it passes the committee it will go to Rules. Complicating this, however, is the fact that the proposed Senate Budget (PSSSB 5950) does not fund the COLA unlike the House proposal (PSHB 2104) which does. 

    WSSRA members/constituents are working with the legislators who sit on the WM, the Rules’ Committee and party leaders urging passage of the bill. It needs to come out of committee and out of the Senate. The appropriation cannot take effect unless a bill authorizes it. The bill is NTIB so there is some flexibility regarding deadlines, but with a March 1 deadline, WSSRA is taking no chances. 

    Fred Yancey
    The Nexus Group LLC 

  • Responding to Student Behavior Wearing You Down?

    by David Morrill | Feb 21, 2024

    a close up of a flat car tire on the pavement


    Are you getting worn down by responding to student behavior? If you are, please know we hear you and are working diligently to provide immediate relief and hope. If your answer is no, please reach out to me directly to share the structure, context, and resources that are making it possible for you to manage building operations while also serving as the instructional leader.

    Members at all levels across the state continue to report that responding to student behavior is the number one issue impacting their own mental health, well-being, job satisfaction, and frankly, willingness to stay in the profession. Living in a constant reactive state to the unknown behaviors that surface daily is draining both emotionally and physically. It’s a pace that is not sustainable or realistic. Something must be done.

    While we hear horrific stories of principals and assistant principals physically and verbally assaulted, we also have principals reporting “everything is great,” with daily operations being smooth, predictable, and realistic. While some are looking forward to the spring and continuing to lead their buildings forward, others are resigning midyear or looking to get out. Why is there such a disparity? Where are you on that continuum?

    Creating a positive school culture and systems to support student behavior is an expectation for building leaders. However, the post-COVID student behaviors we’ve seen, combined with a uniform lack of clarity and consistency about the discipline laws, are a significant predictor of job satisfaction for the adults in the building. We know the laws were changed for good reasons. We were harming students with disproportionate discipline policies and practices, and because of those changes, we have drastically reduced exclusionary practices while attempting to keep students in school. However, the effect of the rule changes can feel very different from district to district, or even schools within the district. If you are in a school with adequate resources, staffing, and other MTSS strategies, you may not feel as much pressure as some of your colleagues. If you are a middle school principal with 800 students and no assistant principal, counselor, or other support, you may be in daily survival mode and barely hanging on.

    Addressing this disparity is a top priority for us. If we want to keep our amazing leaders working to make the magic happen for students and adults, then we need immediate action from educational leaders and policymakers in our state. And if we want to grow a workforce of future educators, we’d better do everything we can to ensure the profession is realistic and rewarding.

    We recently hosted a meeting at AWSP with partner agencies from across the state to tackle this very topic. The workload and expectations placed upon our school leaders are untenable and must be adcdressed. The solutions are not easy due to the complex nature of the mess we find ourselves in. From state law to OSPI rules to board policies, district policies, building-level policies, and student handbooks, there is a lack of clarity and consistency across the board. Throw in changes in society and parental expectations, and most principals would tell you “principaling” after Covid is a completely different experience.

    So, how do we tackle this massive statewide problem of practice? It must start with all of us in the K-12 system. Everyone has an angle into this complex problem, and we must all work together to provide both short-term relief and long-term solutions that breathe hope back into the system. What does this look like? Here are just a few ideas that surfaced from the meeting with representatives from the WEA, AWSP, WASA, WSSDA, and the ESDs:

    • Continue to advocate for more resources so all schools can implement strong and robust Multi-Tier Systems of Support.
    • Work with lawmakers on the pros, cons, and consequences of the current discipline laws.
    • Work with OSPI on the urgency to provide clarity on the discipline rules.
    • Work with WSSDA to provide clarity and consistency on model board policy.
    • Work with WASA to identify gaps in the system where schools are grossly understaffed or supported.
    • Work with the ESDs to provide regional training on current laws, resources, community partners, and best practices.
    • Partner with WEA on the need for cohesive training for all adults in the creation of positive school culture and student/adult relationships
    • Increase the prototypical funding model to trigger more assistant principals in the system
    • Work with teacher preparation programs about the realities of the mental health needs of students
    • Work with principal preparation programs about the complex nature and vastly different contexts facing our school leaders
    • Develop new systems and methods of authentically engaging with parents and communities
    • Equip our schools to be in a proactive stance vs reactive with resources like the SupportED School app (developed by principals in Washington)

    These are just a few of the ideas discussed and this was only the first meeting of the group. We are just getting started. If you have questions or ideas, and/or would like to get involved, please reach out to me directly.

    I must provide one final point of clarification. No one in the room at this last meeting representing any of the above agencies wants to see us revert to the old ways of doing. I said this earlier in this post, but it bears repeating; there was a reason we made changes to the discipline laws. We were harming students with disproportionate discipline policies and practices, and because of those changes, we have drastically reduced exclusionary practices while attempting to keep students in school.

    What this group would like to see; however, is the ability for the pendulum to swing back to the middle with resources that accompany the unfunded changes in the law. Until then, we need clarity of the rules, the ability to hold students accountable for harmful behaviors, defined boundaries, and a strong message to students and parents about expectations and what is appropriate for school behavior. To quote one principal in the room, “At what point do the needs of the rest of the students matter more than the one who is disrupting the culture of the entire school?”

    Until schools are adequately equipped to address the massively demanding and complex mental and emotional health of our students, we need to empower the adults to create and maintain a safe and positive school culture for each and every student.

    Finally, not to add more gasoline to this brushfire, but what happens next year in our schools as districts scramble in a budget crisis by cutting assistant principals? What will those schools look, sound, and feel like? That’s my next blog. Stay tuned.

  • Thinking About Retirement? 2024 Edition

    by Caroline Brumfield | Feb 20, 2024

    thinking_about_retirement_2024

    A Retirement Primer From The Nexus Group

    Since covering pension/retirement/health insurance issues on behalf of WASA and AWSP, there are a few important points we have learned. This is just a brief summary of selected retirement related topics. However, the importance of advance planning can not be overstated. These are not issues to put off until the last months of either one’s impending retirement or approaching Medicare eligible age. Start by requesting an official benefit estimate from DRS 3 to 12 months prior to your retirement date. 

    1. The most important resource for planning one’s retirement pension and finding answers to questions is www.drs.wa.gov (the website for the Dept. of Retirement Systems).
    2. On that page, there is a link (Log In) to set up on-line account access. Do so.
    3. An important link is checklist for retirement planning: https://www.drs.wa.gov/life/retire/check/
    4. Request an official benefit estimate from DRS 3 to 12 months prior to your retirement date. Make this request through your online account or check this link https://www.drs.wa.gov/benefit-estimator-tool-newsfeed/
    5. Check to see about either continued enrollment in SEBB or PEBB . Insurance coverage is often a bigger deal to people who are retiring than the COLA (especially since any missed COLA is banked): https://www.drs.wa.gov/tie-your-retirement-newsfeed
    6. There is also a “Contact Us”  https://www.drs.wa.gov/contact/ One can fill out a form with specific questions or make a phone call to talk to someone about your specific situation. DRS is very responsive in both cases.

    What if I want to return to work?

    DRS offers an explanation of the current rules regarding return to work depending on the plan you are under. Contact DRS directly with your situation to insure that your pension payment will not be at risk should you return to work. The link to their information on returning to work is: https://www.drs.wa.gov/life/retired/rrtw/

    When do I retire?

    There can be two different dates; the separation date and the retirement date. They may be different.Separation Date – the last day you’re paid for employment. Typically, your last day in public service. Retirement Date – the first day of the month AFTER your separation date and you’ve applied to retire.

    DRS had previously been encouraging teachers to retire in July but with the advent of SEBB and those benefits stopping in June if they retire we are now seeing most teachers choose a retirement in September so they maintain the SEBB coverage through August and then transition to PEBB in September. This is especially true for teachers who are returning prior to 65 where PEBB is much more expensive. The other reason this can be important is if they forgot to sign up for PEBB for July and August

    One issue that affects school administrators is the loss of two months of service credit.Let me explain:

    When I began as an administrator, I lost two months of service credit. What’s that about?

    If you are a teacher, service credit (years of experience) is calculated from a year that runs from September 1 through September 1. If you are an administrator, service credit runs from July 1 through July 1. So, if you were a teacher and moved into school administration, you ‘lose’ two months of service credit. For example, if you retired from being an administrator after 30 years of service, the Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) would show that you had 29 years, 10 months of service credit. In effect, you have ‘lost’ the two months credit for teaching.

    How can I make up those lost two months?

    There is little likelihood of a legislative fix, but there are some options. One of the first steps in planning for retirement is to estimate your benefit. This link takes you to that page: http://www.drs.wa.gov/benefit-estimators/html/

    You can input your estimated date of retirement. You should input both July 1 of the year you expect to retire and have the estimator calculate your benefit, and you should input September 1 of the year you expect to retire and see the result. Technically, you have never ‘lost’ the two months as a teacher. They have just become phantoms in the system due to the calendar years for the different positions. You are still entitled to that credit.

    So you have a decision to make. If you forgo collecting your first retirement check until September 1, you will have full service credit. If you choose July 1 as your retirement date, you will lose two months of pension checks. If the difference in the benefit is enough to justify the wait, then you may decide to do so. If not, then choose July 1.

    Another related question is: 

    Plan 2/3 teachers and school employees ask: What's the best retirement month for me?
    When it comes to retirement planning, teachers and school employees in Plans 2 and 3 often ask whether it’s better to retire at the end of June (when they stop working) or in September (when their contract ends). Another issue to consider is the cost of living adjustment for Plans 2 and 3 balanced against the SEBB/PEBB insurance issue (See discussion above). Some choose a July 1 retirement date if the last day worked is in June. Why? It all has to do with what’s gained from an earlier start to benefits and COLAs (cost-of-living adjustments) compared with what’s earned from two extra months of service.

    These two scenarios illustrate the differences: 

    • July retirement scenario – Let’s say you decide to retire starting in July 2024. In this circumstance, you’ll receive your pension benefits plus your salary for July and August. In addition, your cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will start in July of the following year (July 1, 2025). What you won’t receive is service credit for July and August. 
    • September retirement scenario – If you retire starting in September 2024, your COLA won’t go into effect until July 2026. That’s one year and 10 months after your retirement. This is because you must be retired for an entire year before receiving your first COLA payment. And since COLAs only go into effect on July 1, you must wait. You’ll earn service credit for July and August, but you’ll delay receiving your COLA (and forego pension payments for July and August). 

    So what’s best? The fact is, if you wait until September, the increase in your benefit from the service credit is minimal compared to the increase you'd receive by retiring in July with an earlier COLA. 

    If you have any questions about your retirement date or COLAs, please contact DRS.

    1. Regarding health insurance: Upon retirement a person can choose to purchase insurance with the Public Employee Benefit Insurance Board, a state-wide insurance ‘cooperative’. Their main site is https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/programs-and-initiatives/public-employees-benefits-board-pebb-programand the retiree link is https://www.hca.wa.gov/employee-retiree-benefits/retirees
    2. Currently there are two possible accounts depending on your situation: PEBB My Account and SEBB My Account, The department is transitioning both into a new program called Benefits 24/7. If you decide to enroll in a PEBB offering, you have to option to sign on to set up an on-line account. https://fortress.wa.gov/hca/ecoveragepebb/login.aspx (Recommended)
    3. Upon retirement, an individual has 60 days of the school district coverage ending to enroll in a selected plan. If one does not do so, he/she will then forfeit any future option to enroll in any PEBB plan.
    4. However, if one has a spouse, for example, whose insurance will continue coverage for you as a retiree, one can defer the PEBB option until such time that one would want/need coverage through the PEBB board. However, those deferring need to request proof of employer coverage to keep on file the longer they are deferred. This must be provided to PEBB upon their request to insure continuous coverage. See #11 below. Again, if one does not file a deferral request, he/she will forfeit future enrollment in any of the PEBB plans.
    5. Regarding the deferral process; two important caveats: (1) If you are covered through the AppleCare insurance option (which is generally free and income-based), the deferral option is not available, and more importantly, (2) If you want to move from the state exchange coverage or other non-PEBB insurance coverage, you must maintain continuous coverage until the PEBB selection comes into effect. If there is any gap in coverage, the PEBB option is forfeit.
    6. Medicare enrollment timelines are tricky and timing is critical to insure adequate coverage and access to Medicare Part B. Research and advance planning are needed here. 

    DISCLAIMER: This information not intended to be for official, legal advice on retirement issues. As always, contact DRS or PEBB for a definitive answer/confirmation of your status and situation.

    *Important* It is always better to call ahead regarding pension information and health insurance questions rather than making a wrong choice and then either trying to undo it or having to live with what may turn out to be a poorer choice. 

    Fred Yancy & Mike Moran
    The Nexus Group

  • Legislative Update | Feb. 12-16, 2024

    by Caroline Brumfield | Feb 16, 2024

    legislative update header graphic

    It's Been a Grind

    Lexie_LU
    Lexie Keller grinds it out in shot put competing for Team USA in last summer's Thorpe Cup held in Marburg, Germany.

    This week feels like a grind as legislators and staff continue working weekends and late nights to pass bills and meet deadlines that just keep coming.

    Thank you all for indulging me as I continue to use track and field analogies for my legislative updates this year as I’m cheering on my son, Drew, in his last season of college track. Drew uses this phrase on occasion, that he’s just “grinding” away at practice and school work. Instead of a picture of Drew, and in honor of Valentine’s Day this week, I thought I would spotlight the hard work of Drew’s girlfriend, Lexie Keller, who earned a spot on the USA Track Team last summer. Yay, sports! (Another common phrase in our family…)

    Legislators grinded through some long hours to meet their deadline of February 13 when bills had to pass off the floor of the House or the Senate to stay alive. Some bills that made it all the way to the floor calendars for a vote died because legislators ran out of time or the bills weren’t prioritized. Now the bills that passed move to the other side and the process repeats. The next cut-off date is February 21 when bills must pass out of policy committees to keep moving.


    Budget

    Collective efforts to push the Legislature to maximize state funding for K-12 education are happening in force this week. After Wednesday’s report from the Economic Forecast Council, a letter was immediately sent to all legislators from statewide associations urging them to allocate any additional revenue from this most recent forecast to the state’s paramount duty, K-12 education. Here is an excerpt:

    "Due to underfunding, many school districts are being forced to reduce budgets, dip into reserves, and overly rely on enrichment levies. Some school districts are, or are considering, closing schools. Others have begun reducing staff, and several are being forced to reduce nonessential programs or seek loans from their county treasurers to meet payroll. 
     
    The Legislature’s recent increases in state funding for K-12 education have been modest at best, while school district expenses have been increasing at a faster rate. When K-12 funding is adjusted for inflation, school districts have seen a net reduction in state funding in the last few years. Further, K-12 education spending as a share of the operating budget continues to decline, from a peak of 52% in 2019 to under 44% in 2023. If the final K-12 funding increase is at the level we are currently assuming, the percentage share of the state budget will further decline.
     
    K-12 education is the state’s constitutional paramount duty—the Legislature’s first priority—and, at a minimum, additional available revenue projected in the February revenue forecast should be provided to help stabilize school district budgets and address the fiscal crisis facing our school districts."


    Take Action Now!

    Please take action now and send an email to your legislators about increasing K-12 funding. This is an easy way to get the word out across our state that they must support our paramount duty. Click on the link above, and scroll down the page until you see the orange “Action Alert” on school funding. Enter your home or school address and then you’ll see a prewritten email that will go to your legislators. You can also add more information or anecdotes to this email if you’d like. 



    Budget, Continued...

    The Washington Research Council (WRC) published a good summary of some of the main budget bills that are still in play. We are pushing for additional funding in special education (raising the cap from 15% to 17.25%), transportation costs for special populations, increasing the prototypical model for paraeducators, and increasing MSOC (Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs). We are also hopeful that the capital budget provides ample funding for school construction. WRC also just released a thorough analysis of the Senate’s supplemental capital budget that came out yesterday, particularly focused on funding for school construction. 

    Here are links to some key budget bills:

    • HB 2180 Increasing the special education enrollment funding cap
    • SB 5873 Providing adequate and predictable student transportation
    • SB 5882 Increasing prototypical school staffing to better meet student needs
    • HB 2494 Increasing state funding for operating costs
    • HB 1044 Providing capital financial assistance to small school districts
    • SB 5789 Concerning the sales and use tax for school construction assistance programs

    The Senate is expected to release their supplemental operating budget on Sunday and the House is expected to release theirs on Monday. We hope to see our specific request for increased funds for principal intern grants and immediate support for current principals in the House budget. 



    Bills

    Below are the bills that were heard this week in education committees. The restraint and isolation bill (HB 1479) passed out of the House on Tuesday but so far has not yet been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee.

    Several bills related to updating curriculum requirements continue to move including Holocaust and genocide education (HB 2037), Since Time Immemorial curriculum (HB 1332), and fentanyl and substance use prevention education (HB 1956). We submitted a joint letter to the Legislature along with WEA, WASA, WSSDA, the State Board of Education, and the Washington State PTA asking them to amend two bills related to computer science competency for graduation (SB 5849) and financial literacy (HB 1915) to direct the State Board of Education to review graduation requirements comprehensively. We also requested that any new graduation requirements be appropriately timed to include middle school students since planning for High School and Beyond Plans now begins in seventh grade. A big thanks to Jeff Charbonneau, Principal at Zillah High School, for his fantastic testimony on SB 5849 to the House Education Committee.
     
    Here is my complete bill tracking list if you’d like to check out all of the bills.

    Bills Heard This Week

    HOUSE

    Wednesday, 2/14

    • SB 5180 Adopting the interstate teacher mobility compact.
    • ESB 5462 Promoting inclusive learning standards and instructional materials in public schools. 
    • SB 5647 Providing temporary employees necessary information about school safety policies and procedures. 
    • SB 5883 Concerning the burden of proof for special education due process hearings. 
    • SJM 8007 Requesting Congress to fully fund 40 percent of the costs of IDEA. 
    • ESSB 6264 Supporting the implementation of competency-based education. 
    • SB 5852 Concerning special education safety net awards. 

    Thursday, 2/15

    • SSB 5648 Including state-tribal education compact schools and charter schools as entities able to receive waivers from the state board of education.
    • ESB 5790 Concerning medical equipment/bleeding control in schools
    • SSB 5804 Concerning opioid overdose reversal medication in public schools. 
    • E2SSB 5670 Providing summer running start for rising juniors
    • E2SSB 5849 Concerning a computer science competency graduation requirement.

    SENATE

    Wednesday, 2/14

    • EHB 1714 Allowing school districts to apply for financial literacy education professional development grants.
    • E2SHB 1332 Supporting public school instruction in tribal sovereignty and federally recognized Indian tribes.
    • HB 1879 Naming the curriculum used to inform students about tribal history, culture, and government after John McCoy (lulilaš). 
    • HB 1146 Notifying high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance.
    • ESHB 1277 Improving the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental course of study for paraeducators.
    • HB 2110 Reorganizing statutory requirements governing high school graduation.

    Thursday, 2/15

    • 2ESHB 1377 Posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education.
    • SHB 2335 Concerning state-tribal education compacts.
    • SHB 1044 Providing capital financial assistance to small school districts with demonstrated funding challenges.
    • SHB 2381 Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers.
    • ESHB 1608 Expanding access to anaphylaxis medications in schools.
    • ESHB 1248 Concerning pupil transportation.
    • E2SHB 1956 Addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education. 

    Bills Being Heard Next Week

    SENATE

    Monday, 2/19

    • E4SHB 1239 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. 
    • ESHB 2236 Expanding and strengthening career and technical education core plus programs. 
    • ESHB 2494 Increasing state funding for operating costs in schools. 
    • 2SHB 2124 Supporting and expanding access to child care and early learning programs.
    • SHB 1945 Streamlining and enhancing program access for persons eligible for food assistance. 
    • 3SHB 1228 Building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education.
    • E2SHB 1368 Requiring and funding the purchase of zero emission school buses.
    • ESHB 1113 Reviewing reprimands for professional educators

    HOUSE

    Monday, 2/19

    • ESB 5344 Establishing a public school revolving fund. 
    • ESSB 5850 Supporting students who are chronically absent and at risk for not graduating high school. 
    • SB 5903 Concerning representation in the educator preparation act. 

    Engage in Advocacy

    February is our “Member Engagement Month” and there is no better way to engage with your professional association this month than by getting involved in our advocacy efforts. There are a variety of ways in which you can do this. Some take a few seconds, and some take a little more time. Choose your own level of engagement, but please do take action to support legislation that would help “Grow, Support, and Sustain” our current and future school leaders.

    Send a Quick Action Alert

    This is the easiest option of all. Here are links to three quick action alerts that will send an email to your legislators after you enter your own name and address. The first one is to ask that the Legislature commit additional available revenue projected in the February revenue forecast to help stabilize school district budgets and address the fiscal crisis facing our school districts. The next is to request support for a budget proviso that would add more funds to the principal intern grant and to provide regional support for current building leaders. The last one allows you to write your own message. Try these now…they are so easy! Scroll down the page until you see the Action Alert you would like to send.

    Be a Principal Partner with a Legislator

    If you would like to commit to communicating more regularly with your legislators, let me know. Email me if you would like to be a “Principal Partner with a Legislator”.

    Invite Your Legislator to be the “Principal for a Day”

    We had a very successful pilot project a few weeks ago when Senator Claire Wilson shadowed Principal Terrie Garrison at Fir Grove Elementary in Puyallup and when Representative Clyde Shavers shadowed Principal Jenny Hunt at Broad View Elementary in Oak Harbor. We plan to hold this event again in October, 2024. If you would like a legislator to shadow you next fall, send me an email.

    Meet with Your Legislators

    It’s really easy to set up meetings either in-person or via Zoom with your legislators. They should prioritize meeting with you because you are their local constituents. Here is a link for their contact information and it’s also helpful to include their legislative assistants in your email to request a meeting. It’s possible to meet with them now during the legislative session but it will probably be a short 15 minute conversation. During the interim, they should have more time to meet with you. Either option works because it’s all about developing a working relationship with our policymakers.

    Participate on our Advocacy Advisory Council

    We have over 50 principals and assistant principals who belong to our AWSP Advocacy Advisory Council. During the legislative session, we meet weekly on Zoom to discuss the bills being heard that week and to strategize about how we, as an association, will respond. This group of people is invited to attend our annual  “AWSP Day on the Hill” which will be held on Monday, February 5th. During the interim, we meet occasionally via Zoom to stay in touch about various issues, meet with legislators about bills that they are considering, and develop our legislative platform. Email me to get involved at this level. 

    Shadow Me for the Day

    Last week, it was a first for me and an absolute joy to have Principal Lisa Kusche from Ballou Junior High in Puyallup, spend the day with me at the Capitol. Lisa participated with me in all of my usual advocacy and committee meetings with other education stakeholders and legislators. It was so great to have her here (and I’m so bummed that I forgot to take a selfie of us!) Email me if you would like to hang out sometime in Olympia.

    Below are additional links to find out more about these bills and to contact your own legislators. Legislators care very much about hearing directly from their constituents. When we weigh in as an association, it is helpful and important, but having many of you reach out directly with a short email to legislators can be much more powerful.  


    Important Links:


    Get Involved

    Many thanks for all that you do for students and staff. Please reach out if you have questions or comments. Thank you!
Back To Top