AWSP Blog

Policy bills are being heard in their opposite houses and budget negotiations are going on behind closed doors. Bills that have been modified by the opposite house are sent back for action/reaction from the house of origin. After 5 PM on Sunday, the discussion is limited to specific topics: budget and revenue-related matters, matters of differences on bills between the two houses, and matters related to ongoing discussions. The goal is to close the session after adopting the state budget.

It’s a great time to honor the enormous contributions assistant principals make to student success. This year, our celebration takes on even greater significance as we recognize all that assistant principals have conquered amid the pandemic and consider what their ever-expanding and evolving role might look like moving forward. Through it all, our assistant principals have demonstrated unwavering leadership.

This week marked a significant shift to budget discussions. Both houses released and started amending their supplemental budgets for 2021, operating budgets for 2021-23, capital budgets, and transportation budgets. Today is the deadline for fiscal committees to pass bills and read them into the record on the floor from both House and Senate fiscal committees. Ensuring that policy bills with fiscal notes kept moving, in addition to combing through and providing initial feedback on all of these budgets, has made for a very busy week for everyone.

In this edition of AWSP News, we discuss National Assistant Principals Week, NAESP recognizing AWSP for the highest membership count and percentage in the country, the Washington State Legislature considering a budget request for Outdoor School, Roz's legislative update, AWSL's Summer Leadership Series, a chance to help a rock star AP Capstone student and a Phd Student, and the 2021 WASA/AWSP Summer Conference.

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

The good news is that K–12 got all the dollars they needed and more. The bad news is that April Fool’s Day ran long. Most of the policy and fiscal bills are moving to their respective Rules Committees where they may then move to floor action. Lurking in the background are the two proposed budgets with the fiscal leaders of both houses beginning to discuss compromise and agreement. Floor action, opposite house reaction, and debates are occurring to move bills out of the opposite house by their April 11th deadline. Budget negotiations are going on behind closed doors as adjournment will occur on April 25th.

On March 18, 2021, the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Cispus Learning Center came together in the mountains of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest to partner and build for the future. We believe knowledge is power and when you build emotion into a hands-on experience, it will stay with you forever. We hope to pass down the message that we are more than people, but also caretakers of the land.

I love the later sunsets, the blooming flowers (even though it brings out my husband's allergies), the birds in the morning, smell of fresh bark, and evenings on my deck. All of those signs of the changing season make me smile. However, April brings with it a new level of exhaustion for educators. Sprinkle in the constant changes due to the pandemic this year and well its a constant game of real life "FLOOR IS LAVA". I know you are fatigued and I want to recognize the FACT you are awesome.

Not too long ago, this School Safety blog for April was well underway. It was going to focus on two bills currently moving thru the legislature: ESHB 1214, which revises requirements around SROs and other school safety personnel, and SHB 1484 concerning the school mapping requirements. However, other issues arose and, although quite different, seemed to roll together. The issues which I am referring to are the reopening of schools, youth behavioral and mental health issues, and the reappearance of mass shootings. The links here will take you to excellent resources and various pages of the OSPI website.

It was a busy, busy week in the Legislature with committees having to pass policy bills out by today, Friday, March 26. Several bills were changed significantly by the opposite house, particularly SB 5044 – related to professional learning on topics of equity and cultural competency – and SB 5265, which creates a bridge year program for an additional year of high school. In addition to work on policy bills, both the Senate and the House released their operating, supplemental, capital, and transportation budgets. Next week will be busy as fiscal committees have to meet the deadline of Friday, April 2 to pass bills out of these committees.