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.

Starting March 10th, committee hearings resume and the bills that have survived will be added to agendas in the opposite house. Here is a more in-depth look at the budget and some of this session’s most important bills.

Budget

The state’s budget outlook seems to look better each month and a third round of federal funding may be on the way. But our work for stable education funding is far from over. The next major revenue forecast will be released at the March 17th meeting of the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. This forecast will be used to provide important information to budget writers as they work to put together the 2021 supplemental operating budget and the 2021–23 operating budget. Our job is to keep telling our stories about what financial support we need from the state to educate each and every student safely.

Action Step!

It would be very helpful if you could send a short email to your legislators this week (2 representatives and 1 senator and include their assistants if possible) with a brief update from you.

Here is contact information if needed:

• House of Representatives
• Senators

Here is a list of things to mention - and feel free to add other topics if you’d like.

• How is re-opening your school going - any positive news to report?
• What challenges are you facing with re-opening (shortage of staff, etc…)?
• Ask for their support of HB 1476 (levy/enrollment) and SB 5128 (transportation).

Here is language to use for #3: We urge your support for HB 1476 which will address a necessary levy policy fix, as well as state funding to ensure enrollment-based education programs are appropriately funded, and for SB 5128 which will ensure transportation funding stability. We are working hard to manage our schools safely and need reassurance that in addition to federal support, our state provides consistent and stable funding for our K–12 schools.

Graduation Bills

Governor Inslee signed HB 1121 this week which allows the State Board of Education to grant emergency waivers for graduation. The State Board is working on final rules right now and they should be adopted at next week’s March 10–11 meeting. HB 1162 has passed the House and moves on to the Senate. This bill would reduce the number of credits required for graduation from 24 to 20 and add a performance exhibition pathway to the list of pathway options. SB 5249 passed the Senate and moves on to the House. This bill would continue the work of the Mastery-Based Learning Work Group. Finally, SB 5299 passed the Senate and would allow a student, upon approval, to substitute an approved computer science course for a third-year math or science credit for graduation purposes. This substituted computer science course must align with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan.

Attendance

HB 1113 passed the House this week and this bill emphasizes the need for multi-tiered systems of support for students who are not attending school and more explicitly requires attempts at tiered supports/interventions as before a petition is filed. It would create a longer timeline for districts before filing a truancy petition and it would update the name “community truancy board” to “community engagement board”. The bill emphasizes that this board should be used after other coordinated supports and interventions have been attempted.

Learning Assistance Program (LAP)

HB 1208 passed the House this week and this bill requires that school districts budget and expend Learning Assistance Program (LAP) funds: 1) immediately and temporarily, to identify and address the academic and nonacademic needs of students resulting from and exacerbated by the COVID–19 pandemic; and 2) at the end of the Governor-declared state of emergency due to COVID–19 or beginning September 1, 2025, whichever is later, using the framework of the Washington Integrated Student Supports Protocol. This bill would also make changes to requirements and restrictions on the use of LAP funds, for example: the LAP is no longer required to focus first on addressing the reading needs of kindergarten through fourth grade students or to be designed to reduce disruptive behaviors; and the list of best practices, strategies, services and activities that may be supported by the LAP is repealed. It directs the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning (CISL) to review and report on programs and practices used in the LAP and it expands the Extended Learning Opportunity Program to ninth and tenth grades.

School Resource Officers and Other Safety Staff

HB 1214 passed off the House floor this week and this bill would add new requirements to ESDs and school districts related to safety and security staff. At the beginning of the 2021–22 school year, school districts with safety and security staff must adopt and periodically update a policy and procedure concerning safety and security staff. The required elements of the policy and procedure consist of certain existing SRO agreement requirements that are extended to the policy and procedure, for example: 1) a clear statement regarding safety and security staff duties and responsibilities; 2) the recognition that trained safety and security staff know when to informally interact with students; and 3) the description of the complaint process related to safety and security staff. The adopted policy and procedure must also include: 1) an explanation of how safety and security staff will engage in creating a positive school climate and positive relationships with students; 2) the inclusion of a description of the complaint process for companies that provides safety and security staff on contract; and 3) prescribed communication methods with students and students’ families about the role and responsibilities of safety and security staff at the beginning of the school year.

Security staff must also complete training requirements on 13-mandated subjects within the first six months of working on school property when students are expected to be present. The ESDs must identify or develop classroom training on the 13-mandated subjects. These subjects consist of the existing 12-mandated topics previously required for SRO training, along with the addition of the topic of “restorative justice principles and practices.” All school safety and security staff must complete two days of on-the-job training with experienced safety and security staff, at the school of the experienced staff, within the first year of working on school property during the school day; and safety and security staff who are not the SROs must complete at least six check-in trainings with experienced staff within the first year of working on school property during the school day.

Mental Health

Several bills have passed their house of origin that would support the mental health of students and adults. These include HB 1125 which would establish the school-based health center program office within the Department of Health, HB 1373 which would require public schools to post contact information for behavioral health organizations on their website home pages and to post corresponding information on social media websites used by the school district, and SB 5327 which would creating a confidential youth safety and well-being tip line.

HB 1363 also passed which would require OSPI to publish on its website links to resources, self-assessments, and best practices for educators and local policymakers to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the workforce. It also directs WSSDA to develop or revise, a model policy and procedure to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the workforce that includes specified elements, for example, establishing a district-wide workforce mental health committee. And, it requires school districts to adopt, by the beginning of the 2021–22 school year, policies and procedures related to secondary traumatic stress that incorporate specified elements.

We are also tracking HB 1354 concerning suicide review teams and HB 1477 which would implement a national 988 system to enhance and expand behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services. We hope to see these both pass by March 9th.

Professional Learning

HB 1426 passed the House and this bill would require that to renew an administrator certificate on or after July 1, 2023, continuing education must meet the following requirements: 10 percent must focus on equity-based school practices; 10 percent must focus on the national professional standards for education leaders; and 5 percent must focus on government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes. To renew a teacher certificate on or after July 1, 2023, 15 percent of continuing education must focus on equity-based school practices. These requirements do not apply to a person renewing both a teacher certificate and an administrator certificate.

SB 5044 passed the Senate a few weeks ago and moves to the House next week. This bill would add equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism to existing cultural competency standards and training for school board directors, district staff, and school staff. It would direct school districts to prioritize one of three professional learning days to focus first on these topics.

Outdoor School for All

Outdoor School for All is gaining some great momentum! This is a statewide effort to get all 5th or 6th grade students to outdoor camp for a week. Senator Sam Hunt sponsored a $10 million budget request that would help start on this goal by getting 20,000 students to outdoor camp. The Washington Outdoor School Consortium (WOSC) is sponsored by our Washington School Principals Education Foundation (WSPEF) and our staff is working with a fantastic group of outdoor education advocates all across the state to make this happen. Find out more on Outdoor School for All’s website.

Other bills being tracked include:

House

HB 1028 | Repealing the EdTPA
HB 1139 | Addressing lead in drinking water
HB 1176 | Concerning student fines and fees
HB 1213 | Expanding child care and early learning programs
HB 1273 | Concerning menstrual products in schools
HB 1295 | Concerning institutional education
HB 1302 | College in the high school programs
HB 1325 | Youth behavioral health
HB 1342 | Reduced price lunch copays
HB 1356 | Prohibiting the inappropriate use of Native American names, symbols or images HB 1484 | Concerning the first responder building mapping information system

Senate

SB 5030 | School counseling programs
SB 5043 | School employee housing
SB 5147 | Exploring alternative school calendars
SB 5161 | Teaching tribal history
SB 5184 | Establishing a foster care point of contact in each building
SB 5242 | Media literacy and digital citizenship
SB 5264 | Chinese American history
SB 5265 | Creating a bridge year pilot program
SB 5321 | Expanding access to the college bound scholarship
SB 5322 | Prohibiting SEBB and PEBB dual enrollment

More Links

• How to Sign-in for Remote Testimony (register a position, written, or live testimony)
• Fred Yancey’s Retirement & Health Benefits Update
• Dan Steele’s (WASA) Report from 1/15/21
• TVW
• Legislative Website
• AWSP Advocacy and Action Center

This content is emailed weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504. Each newsletter contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up to date. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice.  

“We have two ears and one mouth, and we should use them proportionally.” ~ Susan Cain”

Debates and voting also known as ‘Floor’ action have continued throughout the week. The pattern seems to be that for every three or four bills a chamber passes with bipartisan support, they then debate for hours on a controversial bill which ends with a partisan vote (28/21 or 57/41).

These floor debates will get even more spirited as all bills have to be out of their houses of origin by the end of the day March 9th. An opposition technique comes into play as these floor deadlines near. That is death by amendment. The threat by the opposition of proposing multiple amendments for a bill guarantees to take up time debating thus running the clock and potentially killing other bills awaiting action. This is often a reason a controversial bill may not even come to the floor. As a work-around, the majority party schedules a Saturday session like that did last week to debate (6 hours) and then pass the low-carbon fuel bill. Rumor has it, this Saturday, the debate will be over the capital gains, (SSB 5096) bill. Next week, committee hearings re-start and the process begins anew.

Meanwhile, here is a summary of what is still in obvious play.

Retirement Related Proposals

SB 5021 | Concerning the effect of expenditure reduction efforts on retirement benefits for public employees, including those participating in the shared work program. This bill provides that specified public pension and retirement calculations will not be reduced as a result of state mandated furloughs. (Passed the Senate 29/20. A scheduled hearing before the House Appropriations Committee on 3/11.)

ESSB 5115 | Establishing health emergency labor standards | Creates an occupational disease presumption for frontline employees during a public health emergency for the purposes of workers’ compensation. | Requires employers to notify L&I when a certain percentage of their workforce becomes infected during a public health emergency. | Requires employers to provide written notice to employees on the premises and their union of potential exposure to the infectious or contagious disease during a public health emergency. | Prohibits discrimination against an employee who is high risk for seeking accommodation that protects them from the disease or using all available leave options if no accommodation is reasonable. (Passed the Senate 48/1. Assigned to House Labor Committee. Hearing scheduled 3/12.)

SB 5352 | Allowing new government employees the option of opting out of retirement system membership if the employee is age sixty or older when first hired or when the employee’s employer opts into retirement plan participation. (Senate Floor Calendar).

SB 5367 | Directing the department of retirement systems to create rules regarding automatic refunds of retirement contributions in the retirement systems listed in RCW 41.50.030. (Passed Senate 47/0/2. Scheduled hearing 3/11 before House Appropriations).

SB 5453 | Concerning plans 1 and 2 of the state retirement systems. This bill by Senator Schoesler was introduced on Feb. 12th and assigned to Ways and Means. Although no hearing to date has been set, this bill is NTIB. (No movement)

School Employee Benefit Board (SEEB) SB 5322 | Prohibiting dual enrollment between school employees’ benefits board and public employees’ benefits board programs. (Passed the Senate 48/0/1 and scheduled hearing on 3/11 before House Appropriations Committee).

SSB 5326 | Concerning health and pension benefits for school bus drivers employed by private nongovernmental entities. This bill was moved to the Rules Committee after the WM Executive Session on Feb. 22. (Senate Rules Committee/ No movement).

Other bills:

There are a number of bills proposed that deal with expanding various employee benefits and qualifications. They address such areas as unemployment compensation, family and medical leave, and workmen’s compensation. These proposals may or may not apply to school districts and represent potential added costs to a district’s operations.

Two bills (E2 SHB 1073 and ESSB 5097) in the 2021 virtual legislative session are proposing changes.

E2SHB 1073 | Expands coverage of the paid family and medical leave program. The substitute bill removes the modified employee eligibility threshold of $1,000 earned and the expanded job protection and health benefit continuation provisions. Limited alternate eligibility is provided for claims between January 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. The expanded definition of “family member” is modified and takes effect September 1, 2021. An intent section and emergency clause are added, with an immediate effective date applicable to the new alternate eligibility provisions. A null and void clause is added, making the bill null and void if funding for the bill is not provided in the operating budget. (Passed House 56/40/2)

ESSSB 5097 | expands coverage of the paid family and medical leave program. It a) changes the definition of family member, b) modifies the requirements for certain employment protections upon return from leave, and c) modifies which employees are eligible for continuation of health benefits during leave. (Passed Senate 29/19/1. Assigned to hearing before House Labor on 3/4).

ESHB 1214 |Creates the category of safety and security staff for kindergarten through grade 12 public schools. | Provides requirements for safety and security staff agreements, data collection, and training, for educational service districts, school districts, and charter schools. (Passed House 67/30/1)

SHB 1363 Addressing secondary trauma in the K–12 workforce. It is in Rules Committee awaiting scheduling for floor action. (Passed House 58/40. Hearing scheduled 3/12 before Senate Early Learning/Education)

HB 1486 Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. (House Rules).

SHB 1492 | Concerning extended benefits in the unemployment insurance system. | Allows claimants of unemployment insurance to be eligible for extended benefits regardless of whether their 52-week benefit year has expired. | Allows the state’s extended benefit program to “trigger on” without having to wait the 13 weeks between extended benefit periods. | Amends a job search provision, for the purposes of federal conformity, regarding denying extended benefits for failing to accept an offer of, or apply for, suitable work. (Passed the House 94/2/2. Assigned to House Labor.).

SSB 5064 | Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. (Senate floor calendar).

ESSB 5115 |Establishing health emergency labor standards. | Creates an occupational disease presumption for frontline employees during a public health emergency for the purposes of workers’ compensation. | Requires employers to notify L&I when a certain percentage of their workforce becomes infected during a public health emergency. | Requires employers to provide written notice to employees on the premises and their union of potential exposure to the infectious or contagious disease during a public health emergency. | Prohibits discrimination against an employee who is high risk for seeking accommodation that protects them from the disease or using all available leave options if no accommodation is reasonable. (Passed Senate 48/1. Hearing on 3/12 before House Labor.)

SSB 5137 Suspending workers’ compensation cost-of-living adjustments for fiscal year 2022, changing the basis of certain future adjustments to the consumer price index, and capping the rate of increase for future adjustments. (Senate floor calendar).

SSB 5425 Concerning extended benefits in the unemployment insurance system. This bill a) allows claimants to be eligible for unemployment insurance extended benefits regardless of whether their 52-week benefit year has expired, b) allows the state’s extended benefit program to “trigger on” without having to wait the 13 weeks between extended benefit periods, and c) amends a job search provision, for the purposes of federal conformity, regarding denying extended benefits for failing to accept an offer of, or apply for, suitable work. (Senate Rules).

SSB 5254 Concerning the use of protective devices and equipment during a public health emergency. Requires an employer that does not require a specific type of personal protective equipment (PPE) to accommodate an employee’s or contractor’s voluntary use of that PPE during a public health emergency, subject to certain conditions. (Passed Senate 47/1/1/1. Referred to House Labor.)

Fred Yancey
The Nexus Groups

In this edition of AWSP News, we discuss:

• state testing,
• addressing the mental health needs of your students, staff and community,
• some virtual “Retirement Readiness” seminars from our friends at Veba,
• a new OSPI sponsored statewide survey for students in grades 6–12,
• two new statewide networks for rural principals,
• a budget request of $10 Million to send up to 20,000 students to Outdoor School,
• the difficult yet necessary decision not to hold our 2021 in-person summer programs on our campuses,
• our US Senate Youth Program Washington winners, and
• a chance to serve a two-year term on the AWSL Student Voice & Advisory Council.

Prefer to read the news? Check out the script.

AWSP is so excited to partner with Shelley Moore on these videos. In the second video of "The Five 'P's' of Inclusion" Series, Shelley looks at how we can connect place to our understanding of inclusion. Drawing from Indigenous worldview, this video promotes seeing inclusive classrooms as more than locations, and emphasizes the building of community, identity and belonging. 

To see the first video in the series, watch this video about Presuming Competence!

The first fiscal committee deadline passed on Monday, and the list of active bills got even smaller as executive action by both the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee was not taken on some bills. The Legislature spent the rest of this week (and will spend all of next week) on floor action trying to get bills passed out of each house in order to meet the next deadline of March 9th. This is a much slower process in a remote session, so fewer bills will survive this session. We are watching to see which bills are still moving and will keep advocating to get bills of importance to the floor for votes.

This week several principals attended the National Leaders Conference (virtually!), which was put on by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). There were some good keynote sessions (you can see the presentation slides here) from Dr. Marguerite Roza, Director of the Edunomics Lab of Georgetown University, Danny Carlson, NAESP Associate Executive Director of Policy and Advocacy, and Jeremy Anderson, President of the Education Commission of the States.

We also met with some staff members from the offices of Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, Representative Pramila Jayapal, and Senator Patty Murray. A big thank you to Paul Marquardt, Principal at Shining Mountain Elementary in Bethel; Erika Burden, Principal at Westwood Middle School in Cheney; and Derek Forbes, Principal at Meridian High School in Meridian who spent a few hours as our NAESP and NASSP representatives to meet with congressional staff to talk about education funding, assessment, broadband, and school reopening issues.

Outdoor School for All is gaining some great momentum! This is a statewide effort to get all 5th or 6th grade students to outdoor camp for a week. Senator Sam Hunt sponsored a $10 million budget request that would help start on this goal by getting 20,000 students to outdoor camp. The Washington Outdoor School Consortium (WOSC) is sponsored by our Washington School Principals Education Foundation (WSPEF) and our staff is working with a fantastic group of outdoor education advocates all across the state to make this happen. Find out more on the Outdoor School for All website.

The State Board of Education held a special meeting on Thursday this week to discuss new rules related to emergency waivers for graduation. Thank you to those who provided initial feedback to their survey. If you have any additional feedback, the survey will be open until March 5th or you can send written comments to sbe@k12.wa.us by that same date. The board intends to approve the new rules at their next meeting on March 10–11. For more information, check out SBE’s website.

We know you are working tirelessly to get schools reopen to more students and we love hearing how rewarding it is for both students and staff to be back in buildings. As we track the discussions related to budget and policy with the Legislature and federal government, we are working to make sure that funding stays whole for next year and that your districts have the resources necessary to keep schools running safely for all. Let us know if you have any questions and keep up the great work! We are cheering you on and here to support you.

Here is the list of bills that are still active and as a reminder, some bills that may be “dead” may actually be considered “zombie bills” because they could be brought back in some fashion. Thanks to Fred Yancey for this reminder!

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Bills Still Active

Budget

• HB 1368 | Federal funding for COVID–19 (passed and signed by Governor Inslee)
• HB 1476 | Addressing enrollment declines due to the COVID–19 pandemic
• SB 5128 | Concerning transportation funding

House

• HB 1028 | Repealing the EdTPA
• HB 1113 | Concerning school attendance
• HB 1121 | Emergency graduation waivers (passed and awaiting Governor Inslee’s signature)
• HB 1139 | Addressing lead in drinking water
• HB 1162 | Adding a performance exhibition pathway and changing to 20 credits for graduation
• HB 1176 | Concerning student fines and fees
• HB 1208 | Concerning the LAP program
• HB 1213 | Expanding child care and early learning programs
• HB 1214 | Concerning training for and data collection of school safety staff
• HB 1225 | School based health centers
• HB 1273 | Concerning menstrual products in schools
• HB 1295 | Concerning institutional education
• HB 1302 | College in the high school programs
• HB 1325 | Youth behavioral health
• HB 1342 | Reduced price lunch copays
• HB 1354 | Concerning suicide review teams
• HB 1356 | Prohibiting the inappropriate use of Native American names, symbols or images
• HB 1363 | Secondary trauma resources for K–12 staff
• HB 1373 | Promoting student access to information about behavioral health resources
• HB 1426 | Continuing education requirements for administrators and teachers
• HB 1477 | National 988 system for suicide prevention
• HB 1484 | Concerning the first responder building mapping information system

Senate

• SB 5030 | School counseling programs
• SB 5043 | School employee housing
• SB 5044 | Concerning equity training and dismantling institutional racism in public schools
• SB 5147 | Exploring alternative school calendars
• SB 5161 | Teaching tribal history
• SB 5184 | Establishing a foster care point of contact in each building
• SB 5242 | Media literacy and digital citizenship
• SB 5249 | Mastery-based learning
• SB 5264 | Chinese American history
• SB 5265 | Creating a bridge year pilot program
• SB 5299 | Allowing the use of computer science credits for the purpose of a third year math or science credit
• SB 5321 | Expanding access to the college bound scholarship
• SB 5322 | Prohibiting SEBB and PEBB dual enrollment
• SB 5327 | Creating a confidential youth safety and well-being tip line

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More Links

• How to Sign-in for Remote Testimony (register a position, written, or live testimony)
• Fred Yancey’s Retirement & Health Benefits Update
• Dan Steele’s (WASA) Report from 1/15/21
• TVW
• Legislative Website
• AWSP Advocacy and Action Center

Special Education and 504 Tips & Resources

This content is emailed weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504. Each newsletter contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up to date. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice.  

“Sturm und Drang?” “Ah…I see that I’ll have to introduce you to the finer points of German literature. It means passionate turmoil—literally translated, ‘storm and stress.’ ~ Anonymous”

Both Houses are focusing on ‘floor’ action. They have primarily voted to pass bills that have the support of both parties. Proposals that do not have such consent continue to be approved along party lines. And some bills such as those dealing with police and/or guns generate lively debate. Bills have to be out of their houses of origin by the end of the day March 9th. So, these floor debates will get even more spirited as the controversial bills come before the bodies.

After the March date, bills that failed to clear their house of origin are either still alive because they are deemed necessary to implement the budget, or they are ‘dead’. (Note: It is probably better to think of ‘dead’ bills as ‘zombie bills’ because they potentially could be resurrected.)

Here is a summary of what is still in obvious play. Please note that developments in the Legislature are sometimes spontaneous and unpredictable. This is especially true as deadlines near. This update is accurate when it was written.

Retirement Related Proposals

SB 5021 | Concerning the effect of expenditure reduction efforts on retirement benefits for public employees, including those participating in the shared work program.

This bill provides that specified public pension and retirement calculations will not be reduced as a result of state mandated furloughs. (Passed the Senate 29/20. Assigned to House Appropriations Committee.)

ESSB 5115 | Establishing health emergency labor standards. The bill:

• Creates an occupational disease presumption for frontline employees during a public health emergency for the purposes of workers’ compensation.
• Requires employers to notify L&I when a certain percentage of their workforce becomes infected during a public health emergency.
• Requires employers to provide written notice to employees on the premises and their union of potential exposure to the infectious or contagious disease during a public health emergency.
• Prohibits discrimination against an employee who is high risk for seeking accommodation that protects them from the disease or using all available leave options if no accommodation is reasonable.

The fiscal note, which may well be based on the original bill, shows an increase in benefits paid of $90 M in ’22; $98 M in ’23, and $104M in ’24 in addition to the regular historical pattern of L & I benefits paid. (Passed the Senate 48/1. Assigned to House Labor Committee.)

SB 5352 | Allowing new government employees the option of opting out of retirement system membership if the employee is age sixty or older when first hired or when the employee’s employer opts into retirement plan participation. (Senate Rules).

SB 5367 | Directing the department of retirement systems to create rules regarding automatic refunds of retirement contributions in the retirement systems listed in RCW 41.50.030. (Senate Rules).

SB 5453 | Concerning plans 1 and 2 of the state retirement systems. This bill by Senator Schoesler was introduced on Feb. 12th and assigned to Ways and Means. Although no hearing to date has been set, this bill is NTIB.

School Employee Benefit Board (SEEB)

SB 5322 | Prohibiting dual enrollment between school employees’ benefits board and public employees’ benefits board programs. (Passed the Senate 48/0/1 and assigned to House Appropriations Committee).

SSB 5326 | Concerning health and pension benefits for school bus drivers employed by private nongovernmental entities.

This bill was moved to the Rules Committee after the Ways & Means Executive Session on Feb. 22. Although a number of amendments were initially proposed, mostly by the R’s, most were withdrawn. A striker (substitute bill) was proposed and passed along party lines (14/11) with the exception of Democrat Mark Mullet voting against. As the prime sponsor, Senator Robinson stated, the underlying intention of the bill is that all additional district costs would be covered. “The intent is for districts to remain whole.” But she did object to the one R amendment that would have made this change in costs part of Basic Education.

Three items of note:

1. First, the fiscal note had two statements that are concerning: “Non-zero but indeterminate cost and/or savings.” and “The assumptions outlined above would create total expenditures of approximately $14.5 million per school year. Since districts are currently playing (sic) contracted costs for the purposes of supplying health benefits to their employees, the fiscal impact of this bill is less than the $14.5 million shown above.” No one knows what this means, although how can the state budget to cover this expense if the cost is indeterminate?
2. Private employees would have to meet the 630-hour eligibility requirement to get health benefits, and
3. How does one insure (audit) that the private contractor is indeed paying the employee proper benefits?

(Senate Rules Committee).

Other Bills:

There are a number of bills proposed that deal with expanding various employee benefits and qualifications. They address such areas as unemployment compensation, family and medical leave, and workmen’s compensation. These proposals may or may not apply to school districts and represent potential added costs to a district’s operations.

Two bills (SHB 1073 and SSB 5097 ) in the 2021 virtual legislative session are proposing changes.

SHB 1073 expands coverage of the paid family and medical leave program. It modifies the definition of “family member” for Paid Family and Medical Leave and provides temporary alternate eligibility for claims through June 30, 2022. (House Rules)

SSB 5097 expands coverage of the paid family and medical leave program. It a) changes the definition of family member, b) modifies the requirements for certain employment protections upon return from leave, and c) modifies which employees are eligible for continuation of health benefits during leave. (Senate Floor Calendar).

SHB 1363 | Addressing secondary trauma in the K–12 workforce. It is in Rules Committee awaiting scheduling for floor action. (Passed House 58/40.)

HB 1486 | Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. (House Rules).

SHB 1492 | Concerning extended benefits in the unemployment insurance system.

This bill:

• Allows claimants of unemployment insurance to be eligible for extended benefits regardless of whether their 52-week benefit year has expired.
• Allows the state’s extended benefit program to “trigger on” without having to wait the 13 weeks between extended benefit periods.
• Amends a job search provision, for the purposes of federal conformity, regarding denying extended benefits for failing to accept an offer of, or apply for, suitable work.

(Passed the House 94/2).

SSB 5064 | Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. (Senate floor calendar).

SSB 5137 | Suspending workers’ compensation cost-of-living adjustments for fiscal year 2022, changing the basis of certain future adjustments to the consumer price index, and capping the rate of increase for future adjustments. (Senate floor calendar).

SSB 5425 | Concerning extended benefits in the unemployment insurance system. This bill a) allows claimants to be eligible for unemployment insurance extended benefits regardless of whether their 52-week benefit year has expired, b) allows the state’s extended benefit program to “trigger on” without having to wait the 13 weeks between extended benefit periods, and c) amends a job search provision, for the purposes of federal conformity, regarding denying extended benefits for failing to accept an offer of, or apply for, suitable work. (Senate Rules).

Fred Yancey
The Nexus Groups

Happy March!!

Like many of you, my students are returning back to in person learning and I love it. This however, has brought a total different level of anxiety and stress to staff, students, and families. Which means it is critical that we, as leaders in our school, do something this month of modified “madness” to bring joy into our schools. 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 twitter @sholtys. March is going to be an AWESOME month. Have fun and remember to take care of you. Peace and love, Cindy.

March Days of Celebration

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 2 – Dr. Seuss’s Birthday and Read Across America Day. Put a poster up on the wall in the staff room and encourage staff to write what they are currently reading and the audience it is written for. Cindy Note: I am currently reading “Principaled The Educators Survival Guide” by Kate Barker, Kourtney Ferrua, and Rachel George. It is a must read for all principals!!

March 2 is also “National Egg McMuffin Day.” We all have a McDonalds nearby. Go ahead and surprise a few random staff with breakfast.

March 3 – “World Wildlife Day.” Have you heard of the game show “Name that Tune?” Blend the show and this day of celebration. Play different animal sounds and have staff and students guess what animal makes the sound. Example–a mooing sound for a cow. You could do this with students during transition times or pop on to class zooms for trivia time with the principal.

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 5 – “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 6 – (another Saturday but you could celebrate it on the 5th) “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 one Oreo on it. They have one minute to get the cookie into their mouth and eat it with hands behind their backs.

March 9 – “National Meatball Day.” Have you read “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” lately? It would be a great story to read to your students today or get those crock pots out!! Have appetizers of meatballs for an afternoon snack for your staff. (Italian, Swedish, Teriyaki, Barbeque). If you have a Costco or Ikea near by stock up and throw them in the pot.

March 10 – “Mario Day.” Play the Mario theme all day during transitions and announcements. You could also have printed out mushrooms on red paper that you could use to either write compliments on for staff or pass out as “I caught you practicing social distancing” tickets that could be entered in a drawing. Or if you have a Nintendo gaming device set up Mario Cart in the staff room for a staff competition.

March 10 is also “National Pack Your Lunch Day.” Turn your staff room or another place staff eat into a fun “restaurant” like atmosphere by using table clothes, fake candles, music, place settings, real utensils, cloth napkins, and fresh flowers.

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 – It’s a Sunday however, it is “National Pi Day” so treat everyone to pie as they head out the door on the 13th. (Either individual or a full size one depending upon the number of staff you have.)

March 15 – “Ides of March.” Hello Shakespeare. End all of your conversations and announcements today by saying “et tu Brute?”

March 16 – “National Panda Day” and “National Artichoke Day.” Have a variety of drawings today with prizes being jars of Artichokes or a gift card from Panda Express.

March 17 – “St. Patrick’s Day.” Here is a fun idea. Go to the website: Just Candy and order the collection of green only candy. Put the green candy in glass jars to pretty them up (can be purchased at the dollar tree). Other ideas include guess how many pieces of candy are in the jar or how many ounces the corned beef weighs. (Purchase a couple and combine the weight-closest guesses wins the corned beef)

March 18 – “Absolutely Incredible Kid Day.” I LOVE this DAY. This is a fabulous day to ham up with your students and let them know this very special day was created to celebrate them.

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 – (I know it is a Saturday) but make sure you celebrate “International Day of Happiness.” Do something today for yourself to bring happiness into your life. Principal’s 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 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 23 – “National Meteorological Day.” Do you have a snack wagon of some kind? This is a perfect day to bust it out. Have baskets labeled with different climates and a snack to represent the climate or biome. Tundra would have nuts or berry treats, grassland would have chips, rainforest should have gummy worms (sour and plain), artic is an ice cream treat.

March 25 – “National Waffle Day.” Two very different ideas on this one. The first is waffle cones and staff could choose which flavor of ice cream they would like in it. Or my son’s idea is to provide staff with boxes of Eggo Waffles. Add a note about their “Eggcellent dedication to Eggucation” and you have a winner.

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 29 – National Smoke and Mirrors Day." Find a stack of post-its and write positive phrases, quotes, or notes of inspiration on ALL of them. Put a couple post it notes on EVERY mirror in the school prior to students and staff arriving.

March 31 – “National Crayon Day” and also more importantly my momma’s birthday!! On this very special day purchase a few adult stress relieving coloring books. (There are some great ones on line) Place the books and crayons in the staff room for staff to color and have a coloring competition. Students can vote on their favorite for a winner.

A Little March Madness Anyone?

Even if you never played basketball you can find a way to have some fun with your staff in celebration of this collegiate sporting event. (Go Zags!) Ask staff to choose a team to cheer for and after each win they earn a special treat or prize. These treats can be a coffee, candy bar, or a fruit snack. Those who pick the winning team can earn class coverage from the principal. (I pick Gonzaga)

OR have you thought about having a basketball shooting competition? EVERY school has a basketball hoop so this one will work for you! Set up a 1 point mark (closest to the basket), a 2 point shot area, a 3 point shot area, (Don’t use the actual 3 point area be a bit closer to encourage risk taking) and a 4 point shot area (this one should be the 3 point line). Each participant gets 5 basketballs to shoot from any of the range areas. For each basket the make they earn the points associated with the range area (maximum of 20 points). Set up prizes either based on most points or point range such as 15+ earns prize Z, 10+ points earn prize Y, etc.

There are a lot of other ideas you could use to encourage some fun throughout March Madness.

As we know, the Legislature considers it a matter of public safety for its schools and staff to have current safe school plans and procedures in place to maximize safety for all students and staff. Districts and schools are required to develop comprehensive all-hazard emergency operations plans (EOPs) to address prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery strategies.

Drills are an essential component of safety planning. As a part of its comprehensive safety, emergency operations plan, each school is required to conduct at least one safety-related drill per month, including summer months when school is in session with students. Drills practice and teach the basic functional responses (lockdown, shelter-in-place, evacuation), and in Washington, drop-cover-hold on) to all kinds if potential threats and hazards. The response to some threats or hazards may require the use of more than one basic functional response.

Reunification and Student Release:

There is a story, I have been told, of a school planning for a reunification drill. As the story goes, the school’s long standing off-campus reunification point was a church not too very far from the school itself. Large space. Plenty of parking. Room to shelter and reunite families and students after an emergency. Everything was going along fine until the principal realized that the church had been closed, and the space turned into a nightclub. Needless to say, the reunification site had to be changed.

Although not one of the basic functional drills, reunification planning how students is a critical component of emergency planning. Schools are required to have reunifications plans in place. Reunification is part of the Incident Command System (ICS).

There is a wide range of emergency situations which might require student/family reunification. Reunification may be needed if the school is evacuated or closed as a result of a hazardous materials transportation accident, fire, natural gas leak, flooding, earthquake, tsunami, school violence, bomb threat, terrorist attack or other local hazard. As you develop your reunification plans, consider:

• The location of the reunification site.
• Advance information to families about the reunification process.
• Verification that an adult is authorized to take custody of a student.
• Steps in the actual process of reunifying students and families.
• Communication processes among the parent check-in, the student assembly, and reunion areas.
• Assurances that students do not leave on their own.
• Privacy protection of students and parents from the media.
• Reduction of confusion during the reunification process.
• Frequent updates for families.
• Recognition of technology barriers faced by students, staff, parents, and guardians – especially during an emergency.
• Effective resources to address language access barriers faced by students, staff, parents, and guardians.

To help ensure staff preparedness, discuss and practice reunification procedures regularly.

Thank you for all you do to keep your students and staff safe!

The alternates will receive $250 from AWSP to help with their higher education costs. To learn more about the winners and the program, read the full press release. To learn how to apply in the future, read AWSL's USSYP page.

Contact Information: For questions about Washington's delegates, alternates, or selection process, email Roz Thompson or reach her by phone at (360) 357-7951. For general information about the United States Senate Youth Program, email Program Director Ms. Rayne Guilford or reach her by phone at (800) 425-3632.

Winners   

Khanh Doan Khanh Doan is a senior at Mariner High School in Mukilteo, Washington. Khanh is a leader in her school, holding offices in ASB, National Honor Society, and in the Junior State Association. She volunteers her time to teach Vietnamese and to work on political campaigns. After graduating, Khanh will attend Columbia University in New York with plans to double major in Political Science and Ethnicity and Race Studies. She is interested in attending law school to study civil rights or education law and intends to hold a political office in the future.

 

Ailani Baldwin Ailani Baldwin is a senior at Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School in Vancouver, Washington. Ailani is the Vice President of the ASB and the Legislative Affairs Director for the Washington State Legislative Youth Advisory Council. She helped to establish the Students of Color Union at her school and works to address systemic racism in the educational system. Ailani will attend Wellesley College to study Political Science and Communications and intends to work long term on advocating for more accessible and equitable higher education opportunities for low income students of color.

---

Alternates

Zaina Ibrahim

Zaina Ibrahim is a senior at Hanford High School in Richland, Washington. She is the ASB President at Hanford and a member of the Association of Washington Student Leaders Student Voice and Advisory Council. Zaina is working to amend her school’s policy on hate crime and hate speech and works to help Syrian refugees in her community get established. She will study Political Science and International Relations at a four year university and plans to join the Peace Corps after college. Her long term plans are to continue working on behalf of vulnerable populations around the world.

Long Doan

Long Doan is a senior at Southridge High School in Kennewick, Washington. He is an ASB officer and student representative on the Kennewick School Board. Long is very involved in other school clubs and has spent hundreds of hours as a volunteer in his community for many events, including providing academic assistance to other students. He will attend Stanford University and plans to major in Biology and Political Science. Long intends to find the intersectionality between medicine and government and will work to improve the healthcare sector.

The focus was definitely on fiscal committees this week as legislators work to meet the next significant cut-off date of this legislative session on Monday, February 22. By the end of that day, bills need to be passed out of the House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees in each house of origin. Some of these committees will meet on Saturday to continue this work.

Advocacy Continues

Our partners at WASA, WASBO, and WSSDA will be working on Sunday this weekend when they meet in the afternoon for their annual legislative conference. District administrators, superintendents and school directors will have their virtual “week on the hill” March 15–19. Advocacy always continues and our stories about what students and staff need to operate schools safely are critical to keep sharing with policymakers so that funding meets these needs.

We will turn our attention to some national advocacy efforts next week when NAESP holds their National Leaders Conference on February 22–24. NASSP holds their advocacy conference on April 20–21, registration is free for either of these events. We will also meet virtually with some of our members of Congress and/or their staff over these next few weeks to share what we have been doing in our state and to ask for their continued support for schools.

Graduation Waiver

We were thrilled that the graduation waiver bill passed the Senate this week and is headed to Governor Inslee for his signature. The next step in this process is to quickly get feedback to the State Board of Education (SBE) to help them with their rule-making process. Provide input on key decision points (outlined in this video brief) by completing this short survey before February 25. The SBE hopes to adopt these new rules at their March 10–11 meeting.

Budget

Work to get federal funds via HB 1368 out to school districts is ongoing and districts are required to review and update their reopening plans for the 2020–21 school year by March 1st. Visit OSPI’s website for more information. We’ve heard that the funds could be in districts’ hands as early as March 13. In concert with these funds, we are working to ensure that state funding for enrollment and transportation is held steady for districts for next year using 2019–20 numbers. SB 5128 (transportation) and HB 1476 (enrollment/categorical programs) are the vehicles for the state dollars, in addition to the supplemental and operating budgets. We also continue to follow SB 5386 which would lower the voter approval threshold from 60 percent to 55 percent of voters for school districts to issue general obligation bonds as well as the Capital Budget.

COVID–19 Information

Here is additional information that the Department of Health released about efforts to expand the school testing initiative to encourage more in-person learning. And here is the link for the new “Learn to Return Playbook” with guidance on best practices and protocols for implementing a COVID–19 testing strategy. About 10 districts contributed to this document and they are sharing their experiences to help all of those who are working to reopen schools. We meet weekly with the Governor’s office, Department of Health, and Labor and Industries about COVID–19 related issues and communication and if you have any questions, let me know.

Important Bills Still Moving:

House

HB 1028 | Repealing the EdTPA
HB 1113 | Concerning school attendance
HB 1121 | Emergency graduation waivers
HB 1139 | Addressing lead in drinking water
HB 1153 | Increasing language access in schools
HB 1162 | Adding a performance exhibition pathway and changing to 20 credits for graduation
HB 1176 | Concerning student fines and fees
HB 1208 | Concerning the LAP program
HB 1213 | Expanding child care and early learning programs
HB 1214 | Concerning training for and data collection of school safety staff
HB 1225 | School based health centers
HB 1266 | Concerning basic education and salary review and rebase
HB 1273 | Concerning menstrual products in schools
HB 1295 | Concerning institutional education
HB 1302 | College in the high school programs
HB 1325 | Youth behavioral health
HB 1342 | Reduced price lunch copays
HB 1356 | Prohibiting the inappropriate use of Native American names, symbols or images HB 1363 | Secondary trauma resources for K–12 staff HB 1373 Promoting student access to information about behavioral health resources
HB 1404 | Highly capable programs
HB 1415 | Skill center class size
HB 1419 | Adjusting experience factors for certificated instructional staff
HB 1426 | Continuing education requirements for administrators and teachers
HB 1450 | Procuring and supporting the use of appropriate computers and devices for schools
HB 1451 | ECEAP entitlement date and definition
HB 1466 | Promoting access to outdoor education
HB 1477 | National 988 system for suicide prevention
HB 1484 | Concerning the first responder building mapping information system

Senate

SB 5030 | School counseling programs
SB 5043 | School employee housing
SB 5044 | Concerning equity training and dismantling institutional racism in public schools
SB 5147 | Exploring alternative school calendars
BH 5161 | Teaching tribal history
SB 5184 | Establishing a foster care point of contact in each building
SB 5242 | Media literacy and digital citizenship
SB 5249 | Mastery-based learning
SB 5264 | Chinese American history
SB 5265 | Creating a bridge year pilot program
SB 5299 | Allowing the use of computer science credits for the purpose of a third year math or science credit
SB 5321 | Expanding access to the college bound scholarship
SB 5322 | Prohibiting SEBB and PEBB dual enrollment
SB 5327 | Creating a confidential youth safety and well-being tip line
SB 5389 | Creating teaching endorsements in computer science

More Links

• TWIO
• How to Sign-in for Remote Testimony (register a position, written, or live testimony)
• Fred Yancey’s Retirement & Health Benefits Update
• Dan Steele’s (WASA) Report from 1/15/21
• TVW
• Legislative Website
• AWSP Advocacy and Action Center

Special Education and 504 Tips & Resources

Happy Friday! These emails are sent out weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504. Each email contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up to date. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice, as that is out of my realm.

This week’s email includes links to information on:

• Section 504: The Civil Rights of Students With Hidden Disabilities
• Case Law: COVID-19 and Case Law
• Dyslexia: 5 Ways to Remotely Support Students With Dyslexia
• Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA): Determining a Child’s Eligibility for Early Intervention Services Remotely
• OSPI: Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee (learning loss and inclusion for students with disabilities), Special Education February Update, Family Q & A webinar 

“A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it’s better than no inspiration at all.” ~ Rita Mae Brown

The deadline for policy bills has come and gone, and the deadline for fiscal bills is imminent. Both Houses will now focus on ‘floor’ action, or in this case ‘zoom’ action.

Simply stated, at this point, bills will have either been moved out of the policy and fiscal by end of day, Feb. 22nd, moved out of the respective Rules Committee, placed on the floor calendar awaiting action, passed by the bodies, and sent to the opposite house by the March 9th or they are ‘dead’. The cycle then repeats in the opposite chamber.

FYI: Being on a floor calendar only means the bill can be bought up for a vote by the whole body. However, there is no guarantee that a bill will so move off the calendar. Many bills die at this point as well.

Here is a summary of what is still in obvious play. And even though some bills have dropped off the radar, any of them can come back either because they are ‘Necessary to Implement the Budget” or just because leadership is persuaded to revive them.

Retirement Related Proposals

HB 1032 Concerning early retirement options for members of the teachers’ retirement system and school employees’ retirement system plans 2 and 3. This bill has apparently died. WSSRA (WA State School Retirees’ Assn.) was the lead on this bill and although WEA-Retired and RPEC (Retired Public Employees’ Council) supported the bill, their organizations did not prioritize it for public support.

Bill status: “Dead”.

SB 5021 Concerning the effect of expenditure reduction efforts on retirement benefits for public employees, including those participating in the shared work program. This bill provides that specified public pension and retirement calculations will not be reduced as a result of state mandated furloughs.

Bill status: Senate floor calendar.

SB 5352 Allowing new government employees the option of opting out of retirement system membership if the employee is age sixty or older when first hired or when the employee’s employer opts into retirement plan participation.

Bill status: Senate floor calendar.

SB 5367 Directing the department of retirement systems to create rules regarding automatic refunds of retirement contributions in the retirement systems listed in RCW 41.50.030.

Bill status: Senate floor calendar.

SB 5453 Concerning plans 1 and 2 of the state retirement systems. This bill by Senator Schoesler was introduced on Feb. 12th and assigned to Ways and Means. Although no hearing to date has been set, this bill is NTIB.

It is a 137-page proposal whose most significant feature is a proposed plan merger and transfer of excess cash assets from the LEOFF 1 (Law Enforcement/Fire Fighters) retirement plan into the TRS 1 plan. This would allow the unfunded liability of TRS 1 to shrink, lowering employer costs. (Employers currently pay a surcharge to help decrease the TRS and PERS liability. This surcharge would be lowered as the unfunded liability decreases.) As an FYI, LEOFF 1 is the older plan and was replaced by LEOFF 2. Presently, LEOFF 1 has a decreasing number of recipients while maintaining a cash balance in excess of $1.5 billion dollars. Thus, there is money to be had, as Sen. Schoesler and others would claim. The House Republicans placed this merger is their recently released budget.

School Employee Benefit Board (SEEB) SB 5322 Prohibiting dual enrollment between school employees’ benefits board and public employees’ benefits board programs.

Bill status: Senate floor calendar.

SB 5326 Concerning health and pension benefits for school bus drivers employed by private nongovernmental entities.

This bill was scheduled for Executive Session on 2/15 before the Senate Ways and Means Committee and there was no action taken then. However, it is rescheduled for Executive Session on 2/22 before the WM Committee. This is viewed as a ‘pro-Union’ bill and both houses with Democratic majorities favor union issues. There is a proposed amendment that would make the bill null and void if funding is not provided.

Bill status: Executive Session WM Committee.

Other bills

There remain a diminishing number of bills proposed primarily dealing with expanding various employee benefits and qualifications. They address such areas as unemployment compensation, family and medical leave, and workmen’s compensation. These proposals may or may not apply to school districts and represent potential added costs to a district’s operations. Two bills (SHB 1073 and SSB 5097 ) in the 2021 virtual legislative session are proposing changes.

SHB 1073 expands coverage of the paid family and medical leave program. It modifies the definition of “family member” for Paid Family and Medical Leave and provides temporary alternate eligibility for claims through June 30, 2022.

Bill status: House Appropriations Executive Session 2/18.

SSB 5097 expands coverage of the paid family and medical leave program. It a) changes the definition of family member, b) modifies the requirements for certain employment protections upon return from leave, and c) modifies which employees are eligible for continuation of health benefits during leave.

Bill status: Senate Floor Calendar.

SHB 1363 Addressing secondary trauma in the K–12 workforce. It is in Rules Committee awaiting scheduling for floor action.

Bill status: House Floor Calendar.

HB 1486 Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. This bill: * adds unemployment insurance good cause quit provisions relating to inaccessibility of certain care and for relocation near a minor child, * allows individuals with caregiving responsibilities to restrict their availability and have certain responsibilities considered in the determination of suitable work, * makes benefits paid for inaccessibility of certain care due to shift alteration only chargeable to the separating employer, and * makes benefits paid related to relocation near a minor child noncharged.

Bill status: House Floor Calendar.

SHB 1492 Concerning extended benefits in the unemployment insurance system.

Bill status: House floor calendar.

SSB 5064 Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work.

Bill status: Senate floor calendar.

SSB 5137 Suspending workers’ compensation cost-of-living adjustments for fiscal year 2022, changing the basis of certain future adjustments to the consumer price index, and capping the rate of increase for future adjustments.

Bill status: Senate floor calendar.

SSB 5254 Concerning the use of protective devices and equipment during a public health emergency. This bill requires an employer that does not require a specific type of personal protective equipment (PPE) to accommodate an employee’s or contractor’s voluntary use of that PPE during a public health emergency, subject to certain conditions.

Bill status: Senate floor calendar.

SSB 5425 Concerning extended benefits in the unemployment insurance system. This bill a) allows claimants to be eligible for unemployment insurance extended benefits regardless of whether their 52-week benefit year has expired, b) allows the state’s extended benefit program to “trigger on” without having to wait the 13 weeks between extended benefit periods, and c) amends a job search provision, for the purposes of federal conformity, regarding denying extended benefits for failing to accept an offer of, or apply for, suitable work.

Bill status: Senate floor calendar.

Fred Yancey
The Nexus Groups

In this edition of AWSP News, we discuss:

• how much we love and appreciate you,
• some incredible professional learning opportunities,
• connecting with your own principal network,
• our Turn Up the Volume on Student Voice virtual series,
• a two-year term on the AWSL Student Voice & Advisory Council,
• AWSL’s dynamic bilingual (English-Spanish) program, La Chispa,
• the 2021–22 Intern Grant Application, and
• a thank you to all of you who’ve donated to our Cispus Forever campaign.

Prefer to read the news? Check out the script.

Many working families with school-age children experienced an increased need for childcare during remote learning. This is especially true for essential workers. Our state depends on childcare and youth development programs so that its workforce can meet the needs of Washingtonians during these challenging times and help keep our economy afloat.

The difficult decisions districts had to make about return-to-school schedules have a direct effect on local childcare and youth development programs. During COVID 19, childcare and youth development programs across the state adapted to accommodate children who would typically be in school in person. They changed schedules, purchased special equipment for remote learning, and took on new health and safety practices to support students and families amid a pandemic.

As schools bring students back in person, childcare and youth development programs will continue to be an important part of the support system families rely on so they can work. The more they know about and are involved in decisions schools are making regarding their schedules, the better they can make the necessary changes to their programming and business models so they can keep providing essential services to children and families. This is especially important when school districts develop schedules that are different than returning to their typical school day schedule.

Schools can take steps to support students and families by engaging with local childcare and youth development programs, especially for those who might be furthest from opportunity. The pandemic is not over, and the need for flexibility will continue. Below are some easy ways to help families and communities manage school changes as successfully as possible:

• Identify someone in the district as a point person between childcare and youth development programs.
• Involve childcare and youth development program leadership in schedule planning, including remote learning times and summer learning and engagement.
• Communicate changes in the school’s schedule/practices directly to childcare and youth development program to allow time to make adjustments to support families as needed.
• Include childcare and youth development programs in family-facing communications where appropriate. For instance, if the district sends regular updates to families via email, send to providers as well. If you need a list of childcare providers please send a request to kathryn@childcareawarewa.org.
• Direct families needing childcare to the Childcare Aware of Washington Family Center website or to call 1–800–446–1114.
• Direct families needing assistance with paying for childcare to Working Connections childcare website.
• Be open to creative ways to continuing or begin sharing dedicated space during changes in schedules and over the summer, including the use of classrooms, the gym, multipurpose room, cafeteria/kitchen, outdoor/grounds, entry ways, and school-based health center/nurses offices.
• Within established district agreements and protocols, consider creative ways that district staff (interpreters, information technology, paraeducators, case managers, counselors, social workers, nurses) might assist students who need specialized or specific services while in childcare and youth development program during remote learning.
• Provide access to technology supports to facilitate student learning in care, such as Wi-Fi, hot spots, and district devices for students, with training and technical assistance to childcare and youth development programs who use district virtual learning management system(s).

Additional opportunities and considerations can be found under “childcare” on the OSPI COVID–19 Guidance and Resources page.

For more information about:

• How to access Working Connections childcare Subsidy
• How to connect to the childcare programs in your community, visit Childcare Aware of Washington.
• How to connect to the youth development programs in your community, visit School’s Out Washington.
• Becoming licensed, visit or contact the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

For questions about childcare and youth development partnerships, contact Karma Hugo, Director of Early Learning, OSPI.

We’ve had a great advocacy week thanks to so many of our AWSP members reaching out to meet with their legislators. I have enjoyed the Zoom meetings and email exchanges as principals have been getting prepped for these important conversations and I’ve been able to Zoom into several regional meetings to share a legislative update. Our voice is always needed across the state to help those creating policy ensure that the right decisions are being made for students. If you have specific questions or want to get involved with advocacy, let me know.

The big budget news this week is that HB 1368 passed the Senate and is now on its way to Governor Inslee for his signature. Superintendent Chris Reykdal sent this memo highlighting what this critical legislation means for districts. Check out the link to see how much your district can expect to receive from this second round of federal funds as well as what the planning and reporting requirements are for districts.

The two other important bills related to funding are HB 1476 and SB 5128. HB 1476 had a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee this week and this bill would provide enrollment stabilization funding in the 2020–21 and 2021–22 school years to school districts, where the loss of state funding due to enrollment declines from the 2019–20 school year exceeds certain federal amounts available for school COVID response. It would also require use of 2019–20 enrollments to calculate enrichment levy authority and allocations for the Learning Assistance Program and Local Effort Assistance if enrollment is greater than 2020–21 and 2021–22 enrollments for each district.

SB 5128 is the transportation bill which would hold transportation funds stable. This bill provides an alternative student transportation allocation formula and allows expanded transportation services when a school district is providing remote instruction during certain local, state, and national emergencies. It allows school districts to apply for additional funding if they exceed their allocation amount due to providing expanded services and allows OSPI to use student transportation data from prior reporting periods to calculate transportation allocations immediately following an emergency.

Together, all three of these bills work to hold school funding stable moving forward and we will keep tracking their progress and advocating for them to pass quickly.

As this week winds down, most committees are having executive sessions only to pass out their policy bills prior to the deadline of Monday, February 15. Next Tuesday morning, our bill tracking lists will be smaller because many bills won’t survive this first cut-off.

Next week the action turns to the fiscal committees because they need to meet their first deadline of February 22 which is the last day to pass “House of Origin” bills out of House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means.

There is a work session on Monday in the Senate Early Learning and K–12 Education Committee related to the inclusionary practices project which we hope encourages legislators to continue funding this important work.

We have also made great strides in our message about funding outdoor education for all students. Senator Sam Hunt is supporting a request in the Senate budget for this and our Washington School Principals Education Foundation, which sponsors the Washington Outdoor School Consortium (WSOC), would serve as the fiscal agent. Read more information about this statewide group.

Important bills still moving include:

House

• HB 1028 | Repealing the EdTPA.
• HB 1113 | Concerning school attendance.
• HB 1121 | Emergency graduation waivers.
• HB 1139 Addressing lead in drinking water.
• HB 1153 | Increasing language access in schools.
• HB 1162 | Adding a performance exhibition pathway and changing to 20 credits for graduation.
• HB 1176 | Concerning student fines and fees.
• HB 1182 | Enhancing and expanding behavioral health and suicide prevention crisis response services.
• HB 1208 | Concerning the LAP program.
• HB 1213/SSB 5237 | Expanding child care and early learning programs.
• HB 1214 | Concerning training for and data collection of school safety staff.
• HB 1225 | School based health centers.
• HB 1273/SB 5070 | Concerning menstrual products in schools.
• HB 1295 | Concerning institutional education.
• HB 1302 | College in the high school programs.
• HB 1325 | Youth behavioral health.
• HB 1342 | Reduced price lunch copays.
• HB 1356 | Prohibiting the inappropriate use of Native American names, symbols or images.
• HB 1363 | Secondary trauma resources for K–12 staff.
• HB 1373 | Promoting student access to information about behavioral health resources.
• HB 1426 | Continuing education requirements for administrators and teachers.
• HB 1444 | Providing trauma-informed counseling and support to students.
• HB 1450 Procuring and supporting the use of appropriate computers and devices for schools.
• HB 1466 | Promoting access to outdoor education.
• HB 1484 | Concerning the first responder building mapping information system.

Senate

• SB 5030 | School counseling programs.
• SB 5044 | Concerning equity training and dismantling institutional racism in public schools.
• SB 5147 | Exploring alternative school calendars.
• BH 5161 | Teaching tribal history.
• SB 5184 | Establishing a foster care point of contact in each building.
• SB 5249 | Mastery-based learning.
• SB 5265 | Creating a bridge year pilot program.
• SB 5299 | Allowing the use of computer science credits for the purpose of a third year math or science credit.
• SB 5321 | Expanding access to the college bound scholarship.
• SB 5327 | Creating a confidential youth safety and well-being tip line. 

More Links

• TWIO
• How to Sign-in for Remote Testimony (register a position, written, or live testimony)
• Fred Yancey’s Retirement & Health Benefits Update
• Dan Steele’s (WASA) Report from 1/15/21
• TVW
• Legislative Website
• AWSP Advocacy and Action Center

Special Education and 504 Tips & Resources

Happy Friday! These emails are sent out weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504. Each email contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up to date. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice, as that is out of my realm.

This week’s email includes links to information on:

• Section 504: Dietary Needs Accommodations
• Monitoring Progress: Virtual Progress Monitoring
• CEEDAR Center: Evidence-Based Practices for Students With Sensory Impairments
• OSPI: Special Education February Update, Upcoming webinars, Bills the OSPI Special Education Division is Tracking

Supporting students with autism and other behavioral challenges: The ESD now has a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who is available to train and supervise paraeducators who are interested in becoming Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT). More information on the ESD 113 website.

What campaigns are for is weeding out the people
who, for one way or another
weren’t making it for the long haul.” ~ Calvin Trilling

Substitute the word “bills” for “people” and the current legislative process is summarized. As cut-offs happen, bills ‘die’ (with the caveat that any bill can be resurrected at the legislature’s will). They don’t make it for the long haul.

Lobbying, (campaigning) is the primary vehicle for either ‘killing’ a bill or keeping it alive. That is why contact with legislators throughout the session is so critical.

Here is a summary of what is still in obvious play. Advocacy on these bills is still needed. Legislative proposals need to be brought into the reality by having legislators hear how these bills will look and impact in the real world. Campaigns must be mounted.

Retirement Related Proposals

HB 1032 | Concerning early retirement options for members of the teachers’ retirement system and school employees’ retirement system plans 2 and 3. The bill proposed to reduce early retirement penalties for older school employees in order to help protect vulnerable older teachers and classified employees from health Covid–19 related health risks. It carries a fiscal note ($5-$15 million) that will probably kill the bill. It continues to remain before the House Appropriations Committee with no hearing scheduled.

SB 5021 | Concerning the effect of expenditure reduction efforts on retirement benefits for public employees, including those participating in the shared work program.

This bill provides that specified public pensions will not be reduced as a result of compensation reductions that are part of a public employer’s expenditure reduction efforts during the 2019–2021 and 2021–23 fiscal biennia.

The point being that an employee’s retirement calculations based on time served and salary should not be reduced due to mandatory furloughs.

This bill has passed committee and is before Senate Rules. It is subject to the March 9th deadline, where all bills need to be out of their house of origin.

SB 5352 | Allowing new government employees the option of opting out of retirement system membership if the employee is age sixty or older when first hired or when the employee’s employer opts into retirement plan participation.

This is a simple bill that address a limited number of people that enter the system later in their career when there is no benefit to joining the system. It is also a good example of how bills often come into being. In 2016, the Port of Chehalis opted into PERS and an employee that already had a retirement from earlier in his career was required to join and contribute to the plan even though he would not get any benefit from it. The employee contacted Sen. Braun (the now prime sponsor) and complained. Sen. Braun saw merit in this employee’s plight and this resulting bill seeks to correct it for the future. It is scheduled for Executive Session on 2/15 before the Ways and Means Committee.

SB 5367 | Directing the department of retirement systems to create rules regarding automatic refunds of retirement contributions in the retirement systems listed in RCW 41.50.030.

It is agency request legislation and is scheduled for Executive Session on 2/15 before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

School Employee Benefit Board (SEEB)

SB 5322 | Prohibiting dual enrollment between school employees’ benefits board and public employees’ benefits board programs.

It is scheduled for Executive Session by the Ways and Means’ Committee on 2/11.

SB 5326 | Concerning health and pension benefits for school bus drivers employed by private nongovernmental entities.

This bill is scheduled for Executive Session on 2/15 before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Clearly, the Chair and its sponsors intend to move this bill. Previous TWIO reports have pointed out the substantial costs that districts that use private transportation providers could incur should this bill pass the Senate, the House, and then get the Governor’s approval.

A concerted ‘campaign’ against this bill would be in order if districts are concerned. Tomorrow it may be private transportation providers, then could come the private food service people, school specialists, etc.

Other Bills

There remain a diminishing number of bills proposed primarily dealing with expanding various employee benefits and qualifications. They address such areas as unemployment compensation, family and medical leave, and workmen’s compensation. These proposals may or may not apply to school districts and represent potential added costs to a district’s operations.

ESSB 5061 | Concerning unemployment insurance. This bill would provide relief from spiking unemployment insurance tax rates based upon record filings caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Governor has signed this bill and it became effective 2/08/21.

Highlights of the bill include:

(a) Limiting unemployment insurance rate increases by:

1. capping the social tax;
2. suspending the solvency surcharge tax; and
3. relieving certain benefit charges.

(b) Increasing access to benefits by:

1. expanding eligibility for those in high-risk households; and
2. waiving the waiting period when federally reimbursed.

(c) Modifying the weekly benefit amount thresholds by:

1. increasing the minimum from 15 to 20 percent of the average weekly wage; and
2. limiting benefits to a person’s weekly wage.

The Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) legislation passed in 2017 was an agreement between Washington’s employers and workers.

Two bills (SHB 1073 and SSB 5097 ) in the 2021 virtual legislative session are proposing changes.

SHB 1073 is awaiting scheduling before House Appropriations. SSB 5097 is before the Rules Committee awaiting a move to the Senate floor.

SHB 1363 | Addressing secondary trauma in the K–12 workforce. It is in Rules Committee awaiting scheduling for floor action.

This bill requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to publish on its website links to resources, self-assessments, and best practices for educators and local policymakers to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the workforce.

• Directs the Washington State School Directors’ Association to develop or revise, and periodically update, a model policy and procedure to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the workforce that includes specified elements, for example, establishing a district-wide workforce mental health committee.
• Requires school districts to adopt, by the beginning of the 2021–22 school year, policies and procedures related to secondary traumatic stress that incorporate specified elements.

HB 1492 | Concerning extended benefits in the unemployment insurance system. This bill allows claimants of unemployment insurance to be eligible for extended benefits regardless of whether their 52-week benefit year has expired. • Allows the state’s extended benefit program to “trigger on” without having to wait the 13 weeks between extended benefit periods.

This bill is scheduled for Executive Action before the House Labor Committee on 2/12.

SSB 5064 | Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work. This bill expands a good cause quit for unemployment insurance purposes after January 2, 2022 to include: a separation from work because a child or a vulnerable adult in the claimant’s care is inaccessible; alteration of the claimant’s usual work shifts so as to make care for a child or vulnerable adult in the claimant’s care inaccessible; or separation from work to relocate near a minor child. This bill in Rules awaiting a move for floor action.

Fred Yancey
The Nexus Groups

Advocacy Efforts Continue

Each week of this session has brought a slew of new bills, ideas, and conversations related to education funding and policy. In addition, there is an incredible amount of new information each week related to health and safety practices for reopening schools released by OSPI, the Department of Health, and the Governor’s Office. Hang in there and know that you are not alone with this onslaught of information. Reach out if you have questions or need clarification on anything.

Thankfully, the first major cut-off date of this session is approaching and by February 15th, policy bills need to be passed out of their committees. This means the number of new bills being introduced each day is definitely slowing.

It is critical we make the effort to share our voices and perspectives with policymakers as many decisions in the Legislature still remain. To this end, we have dedicated next week, February 8–12, as our AWSP Advocacy Week. Instead of one “Day on the Hill”, we have a team of almost 50 principals across the state who are making time to meet with their legislators to talk about specific bills and needed policy changes. If you would like to get involved in our advocacy efforts, please reach out to me.

Here are some significant bills discussed this week in the House Education Committee:

• HB 1363 related to support for staff experiencing secondary trauma,
• HB 1450, which would provide computers and devices for students,
• HB 1356 prohibits the inappropriate use of Native American names, symbols, or images as public school mascots, logos, or team names, and
• HB 1302 related to College in the High School program.

A big thank you to Jacqueline Downey, Principal at Evergreen High School in Highline Public Schools, for testifying about both our support for and concern with College in the High School programs.

HB 1426 also received a hearing and this bill states that to renew an administrator certificate on or after July 1, 2022, continuing education must meet the following requirements:

• 10 percent must focus on equity-based school practices; 1
• 0 percent must focus on the professional standards for education leaders, and 5 percent must focus on government-to-government relationships with indigenous communities.

This bill would also require that teachers focus 25 percent of their continuing education on equity-based school practices when they renew their certificates. We, along with the WEA, will ask that the date for this be pushed back to at least 2023. Thank you to Mike Smith, Principal at Rochester High School, for his work on this bill.

HB 1368 will move federal funds out to districts. This bill already passed out of the House and just yesterday passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. We hope the Senate moves to quickly pass this bill on to Governor Inslee for his signature.

Two other critical bills related to stable education funding are SB 5128, which addresses transportation funding, and HB 1476, which addresses enrollment funding (including important categorical programs like LAP, ELL, etc…). If you are engaging in advocacy activities, it is very important to mention these two bills to legislators and ask for their support in moving these bills forward.

Here are the bills being heard next week:

House

Education

• HB 1396 | Increasing the number of US history and government credits required for graduation.
• HB 1404 | Concerning programs for highly capable students–including two hours of annual professional development for principals and counselors and universal screening.
• HB 1444 | Providing trauma-informed counseling and supports to students.
• HB 1484 | Concerning the statewide first responder building mapping information systems.

Children, Youth & Families

• HB 1451 | Concerning the entitlement date and definition of early childhood education and assistance program.

There are several specific concerns with this bill related to the workload and funding issues created by managing both ECEAP programs and transitional kindergarten programs in schools. We have brought these to the attention of legislators and OSPI and will continue working on this bill.

Senate

Early Learning & K–12 Education

• SB 5386 | Concerning school district elections.
• SJR 8204 | Amending the Constitution to allow 55 percent of voters voting to authorize school district bonds.

More Links

• How to Sign-in for Remote Testimony (register a position, written, or live testimony)
• Fred Yancey’s Retirement & Health Benefits Update
• Dan Steele’s (WASA) Report from 1/15/21
• TVW
• Legislative Website
• AWSP Advocacy and Action Center