AWSP Blog

Invasive what? At first, it seems like just a cool new pet or fun hobby accessory to add to the house. But sometimes exotic pets or pet accessories that are native to other countries can be destructive here in Washington state. For instance, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a notice this week about invasive zebra mussels that are not native to Washington but are hitching a ride on "Betta Buddy" brand moss balls that people frequently use in aquariums. The moss balls and accompanying zebra mussels become a problem when aquarium owners dump out their tank water and the zebra mussels go down the drain with it and into our environment.

This second half of session is just a repeat of the first half except each house is hearing the bills that passed the opposing chamber. And the process starts with committee hearings and as Milton Berle once said, “a committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours.”

As we approach the final quarter of this historic and challenging school year, principals across Washington are navigating remote, hybrid, and modified in-person learning environments for students, educators, and families. We've helped assemble a panel of principals to join the League of Education Voters for one of their lunchtime "LEVinars."

This week was all about floor action in both the House and the Senate. Listening to the discussion among legislators as they discuss bills and potential amendments - even on Zoom - can be very insightful. Legislators are working hard to get bills passed by their next deadline of March 9th when they have to be passed out of each house to stay alive.

Weekly special education and Section 504 resources from Abby Bowers, Capital Region ESD 113's Director of Special Programs.