AWSP Blog

The first cut-off of the Session has come and gone. Policy bills not out of committees are ‘dead’, unless revived at legislative whim. Meanwhile, the action now moves to floor debate on bills. The fiscal committees still meet in order to move fiscal bills. Their deadline is February 5th, the next cut-off. A caveat: Any bill that has dollars connected to it, can be deemed ‘necessary to implement the budget’ and be acted upon at any time regardless of timelines.

We cleared the first big hurdle of this year’s legislative session this week when bills had to pass out of their policy committees. Bills with fiscal implications must pass out of House Appropriations or Senate Ways and Means by February 5. The next step after that is for bills to be passed off the floor of the House or the Senate and the deadline for that is February 13. After that, the bills move to the other side and the process repeats.

With Black History Month here, you may ask, "What does this mean for me?" In our daily lives, many of us may not know how to best honor, acknowledge, or celebrate cultures, whether our own or somebody else's.

There are so many great things about this special month that make it special. February is the month of love, a new grading term for some, my daughter's birthday, and IT is finally starting to stay light a bit longer on my drive home. (YAHOO to all of them). February is a time for magical learning in the classroom when our students begin to hit their stride and "get it". Our seniors are coming to the realization that graduation is around the corner. All of our hard work IS paying off and we see the fruits of our labor.

As we usher in February, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our Member Engagement Month – a month-long campaign dedicated to fostering connection, amplifying your voices, and providing you with exciting opportunities to shape the future of education for principals and assistant principals across the state. At AWSP, we believe that an engaged and active membership is the heartbeat of our professional association. It is your passion, dedication, and insights that drive positive change in the educational landscape. That's why we're rolling out a series of initiatives, blog posts, and weekly emails throughout the month to help you make the most of your membership.