AWSP Blog

In this this special edition of AWSP News, we discuss our role in the Inclusionary Practices Project, common language on what inclusion looks, feels, and acts like within a school context, the difference between inclusion, exclusion, integration, and segregation, what we learned along the way, and some incredible content, tool boxes, webinars, podcasts and more for school leaders and school teams to learn from and implement in their buildings.

The legislative session has concluded, the Governor has acted, and now as the show goes on, districts have to adjust. Clearly, the COVID virus, and Federal and state efforts to lessen the financial impacts on states, businesses, and individuals, came into play during this session.

Building Changes is an organization whose mission is to “advance equitable responses to homelessness in Washington State, with a focus on children, youth, and families and the systems that serve them.” They recently shared an important planning document for school districts to use as they develop their Academic and Student Well-Being Recovery Plans.  In addition to significant amounts of federal funding coming to school districts to help with learning recovery and supports for students, there are federal funds coming to districts that are specifically designed to “identify, provide wraparound services to, and assist students experiencing homelessness in attending schools and participating fully in school activities.”

The Learn to Return COVID-19 testing program is a FREE and voluntary service to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in schools. Over 100 school districts are currently taking part and testing their staff, students and community members. To better understand the reasons the remaining schools have not yet enrolled and to help overcome barriers to enrollment, we are asking school administrators and staff to answer a few questions. If you or someone you know would be willing to share your thoughts, please take the short, 5-minute survey. Your responses are completely anonymous. Thank you in advance for your time and attention!

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

As we get ready to close the doors on the 2020-2021 school year, the big questions and musings are starting to rumble beneath the surface. "I can't wait until we can ______________ again." "Remember when we use to _________________? I cannot wait until we can do that again." Now is an extraordinary time to assess these ponderings and begin to examine what "needs" to come back in our post-COVID era and what is best for students as we continue to move through these times of "what's next?" This week I got to work with middle school students, and I asked the question, "What have been some positives of the past year?" Their answers were riveting, powerful, profound, and revealing!

This year’s legislative session ended on time after 105 days. It’s been described as unique, historic, surprising, and consequential. Despite economic concerns about our state revenue last summer and fall, and uncertainty about how the Legislature would run its process to hear and pass bills in a mostly virtual manner, some significant bills passed and the final budgets boosted spending on many different programs.

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

Over the last year during the COVID-19 Pandemic, we’ve all heard this sentiment over and over: “I can’t wait to get back to normal!” As leaders, likely we’ve uttered that very statement many times in moments of exhaustion. Yet as we think about equity and inclusive practices that move us towards meeting the needs of all children, do we really want to go “back to normal?" If we are honest with ourselves, going back to normal is the last thing we should be trying to do.

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