ACTION ITEMS to Support Washington's Students This Week!

 
 

ACTION ITEMS to Support Students This Week!

The easiest way to have an impact is signing onto a bill. To sign on, click the link, click on "testify" and then click on "I would like my position noted for the legislative record"

SIGN IN PRO ON THE FOLLOWING 3 BILLS:

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SB 5025 – Concerning educational interpreters.
Sign in PRO by Tuesday, Jan 28 • 7 am

SCPTSA says: We know that educational interpreters are critical for student success, yet it is possible now to have educational interpreters who are not qualified.  This bill addresses standards and accountability.

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SB 5253 – Extending special education services to students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which the student turns 22.
Sign in PRO by Thursday, Jan 30 • 9:30 am

SCPTSA says: under current law, school districts cease serving a student as soon as the student turns 22. This law would allow qualifying students to complete the school year in the year that they turn 22.

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HB 1310 – Concerning special education funding.
Sign in PRO by Thursday, Jan 30 • 3 pm • Remote Testimony Available

SCPTSA says: Special education is how students with IEPs access basic education. It is not acceptable that our state denies funding for basic education for some students solely because those students are disabled.  Our district is obligated, legally, morally, and ethically, to provide access to education for these students, whether or not our state chooses to fund. Last year alone, our state came up short for Seattle Public Schools Students by $74 million. HB 1310 is an OSPI request bill that addresses the three levers of special education funding - the cap, the multiplier, and safety net that need to be fixed to improve funding to districts, and this bill supports inclusion.

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Thank you for supporting Students!!
Questions? Please reach out to president@scptsa.org.

SCPTSA Supports HB 1296

SCPTSA Supports HB 1296

The House Education Committee in the Washington State Legislature held a public hearing this morning. SCPTSA Co-President Samantha Fogg was able to testify, and we also appreciate our advocates and partners who signed up to testify but were not called.   

1296 is a large bill that works to promote a safe and supportive public education system, touching on many issues of importance to our students and families, providing protections for both students and for educators, defining terms.

Questions about bills and state legislative advocacy?  Join our Saturday Drop In Hour from 2-3 all through Legislative Session. Interpretation into Somali, Spanish, and ASL.

Read more

THANK YOU to our members and partners for their testimony, and willingness to testify, in support of 5180 and 5123 today!

THANK YOU to our members and partners for their testimony, and willingness to testify, in support of 5180 and 5123 today. We know that not everyone was called, and want to honor how hard it is to prep for an 8AM hearing and not get called.

Did the testimony inspire you to want to support SB 5180 and SB 5123? You can submit written testimony until 8am on Wednesday, Jan 22.

➜ Submit written testimony on 5180
➜ Submit written testimony on 5123

Should these bills move forward, we will continue to update you with more testimony opportunities.

Please be aware that these hearings today included a lot of CON testimony, and the entire hearing may be difficult for impacted persons to listen to. Please use care, especially as we are honoring that first semester is coming to a close and especially many of our high school students are trying to stay focused on studying for finals.

Did you know? The WIAA Gender Diverse Youth Sport Inclusivity Toolkit - that is supported by every major professional sports team in our area - for school sports has been in place since 2007 - with a process for filing complaints for issues of abuse - and they have had fewer than 10 filings with most of them being inaccurate or unfounded.

Education advocates—It’s time to rally! ➜ Please sign in PRO on these four "BIG 3" bills.

 
 

Education advocates—It’s time to rally!

Please sign in PRO for the legislative record on these four bills.
Washington state is NOT fully funding the cost of basic education, forcing districts across our state to go into “binding conditions,” close schools, lay-off staff, and make cuts to essential services. There is overwhelming consensus across our state that lack of fully funding the “BIG 3”—transportation; materials, supplies, & operating costs (MSOC); and special education—is the reason for our education funding gap!

SB 5187 – Providing adequate and predictable student transportation.
Sponsor: Wellman

SB 5192 – Concerning school district materials, supplies, and operating costs.
Sponsor: Nobles

SB 5263 – Concerning special education funding.
Sponsor: Pedersen

SB 5307 – Concerning special education funding.
Sponsor: Wellman
By Request: Superintendent of Public Instruction

Action Alert ➜ SCPTSA is looking for testifiers on SB 5180 & SB 5123! Community please sign-in PRO for both bills!

Senate Early Learning & K12 Committee
Tuesday, Jan 21
Public Hearing starts at 8 am
Testimony can be done remotely or in person in Olympia

SB 5180 Securing the rights of students to have a safe, civil, and respectful learning community that is free of discrimination by ensuring all schools adopt and enforce gender inclusive protections, policies, and procedures.

SB 5123 Relating to expanding protections for certain students to promote inclusivity in public schools.

SCPTSA will be holding a Drop In Advocacy Hour at 2 pm tomorrow, and every Saturday throughout session to talk about how to advocate at the legislature, provide testifier support, etc. We will have interpretation into Spanish, Somali, and ASL. All are welcome! Zoom link

Questions? Please reach out to president@scptsa.org

Action Alert ➜ Please write your Representatives immediately!

Dear Advocates,

Please write your Representatives immediately to ask them to co-sponsor Rep Pollet and Rep Couture's bill HB 1310 before 2 pm TODAY. 

Those of you in the 46th LD, as Representative Pollet is one of your Representatives, instead of writing to ask him to sign, you can send him a thank you. Those of you in the 34th, please thank Representative Alvarado as she has confirmed that she is signing on as a sponsor, but please continue to reach out to Representative Fitzgibbon. 

Not sure who your Representatives are? 
Use this District Finder

Please send a quick letter now!