Legislation

Political Action Committee

Political Action Committee

School leaders in Washington state can take an active role in the political process by joining AWSP’s political action committee or PAC, the Washington School Principals Legislative Effectiveness Association.

AWSP-WSPLEA supports AWSP’s governmental relations efforts at both the state and national levels. It also raises and spends money to support candidates and issues that are important to the principalship and to K–12 education. Make a difference — join the PAC today!



AWSP-WSPLEA provides:

  • A strong and respected voice for students and principals in Olympia and Washington, D.C.
  • A positive working relationship with legislators
  • Ongoing analysis and recommendations on budgets and proposed bills
  • “Legislative Update” sent weekly during session
  • A legislative summary of budgets and bills and their impact on students and principals
  • Realistic stories and testimony for lawmakers from practicing principals
  • An effective working relationship with OSPI, the Governor’s Office and other education-related organizations that represent principal leadership as a critical element toward the goal of student achievement.
  • Contributions spent wisely – 100% of the 46 candidates who received AWSP-WSPLEA PAC contributions were elected or re-elected in the last election cycle. The PAC Board and Legislation Advisory Committee base candidate support on the candidates dedication to education and education issues.


Your Contributions Are Voluntary – and Needed

AWSP-WSPLEA is entirely funded by member donations. No AWSP dues are used to support AWSP-WSPLEA activities. AWSP has 3,543 Active members, yet only 159 are PAC members. We need your help to stay on top of education issues at the state and federal levels. We all share in the benefits, so let’s all contribute to the organization that works for you. Help us advocate. Join today!



PAC Accomplishments

With your help, AWSP successfully supported the passage of the following actions during the 2021 Washington State Legislative session:

  • Graduation Waivers | HB 1121 permits schools to grant individual student emergency waivers from credit and subject area graduation requirements, graduation pathway requirements, or both, due to a disruption from a local, state, or national emergency. Proposed final waiver rules are being discussed at the State Board of Education meetings and should be adopted in July, 2021.
  • School Safety | HB 1214 requires enhanced training and accountability for school resource officers and classified safety and security staff in schools.
  • Mental Health | HB 1363 requires OSPI to provide resources, self-assessments, and best practices to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress for adults in the K-12 workforce. It requires that districts establish a district-wide workforce mental health committee.
  • Behavioral Health Resources | HB 1373 requires 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.
  • Learning Assistance Program | HB 1208 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) beginning with the end of the COVID-19 emergency or Sept. 1, 2025, whichever is later, using the framework of the Washington Integrated Student Supports Protocol. It makes changes to requirements and restrictions on the use of LAP funds and directs the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning to review and report on programs and practices used in the LAP. It also expands the Extended Learning Opportunity Program to ninth and 10th grades.
  • Continuing Education Requirements | HB 1426 directs PESB to adopt rules for renewal of administrator and teacher certification. Beginning July 1, 2023, administrators who are submitting certificate renewals need to complete 10 clock hours on equity based school practices, 10 clock hours on educational leadership standards, and 5 clock hours on government-to-government relations with tribal nations. AWSP is working closely with PESB on these rules and will have some fantastic professional learning opportunities available in each of these areas. Teachers must complete 15 clock hours focused on equity based school practices beginning July 1, 2023.
  • Equity Related Professional Learning | SB 5044 PESB must develop or update cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion (CCDEI) standards of practice for preparation, continuing education, and other training of school district staff and post it on its website. WSSDA must develop CCDEI standards for school director governance and post it on its website. WSSDA and PESB must collaborate to compare and align CCDEI standards. EOGOAC must, and the Office of Equity may, review the CCDEI standards. In the 2021-22 school year, school districts must use one of the professional learning days to train school district staff in one or more of the following topics: cultural competency, diversity, equity, or inclusion. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, and every other school year thereafter, school districts must use one of the professional learning days to provide a CCDEI training program to school district staff. School district staff includes classified staff, certificated instructional staff, certificated administrative staff, and superintendents.
 


Governance

AWSP-WSPLEA is governed by an four-member board of directors comprised of AWSP members from around the state. The board reviews and provides input on the association’s yearly legislative platform based on this core set of beliefs:

  • A strong commitment to public education
  • The importance of school leaders
  • A continuation of education reform focused on student learning
  • Adequate and stable funding to implement education goals

How Do I Join the PAC?

Contribute using the following methods:

  • Monthly automatic payroll deduction through your school district | ($10 per month minimum)
  • Monthly automatic withdrawal from your bank account | ($10 per month minimum)
  • Annual payment via check or credit card | ($75 per year minimum, Jan. 1-Dec. 31)

If choosing payroll deduction, members will need to renew their contributions when they change districts.

If choosing automatic withdrawal, please also fill out the automatic withdrawal agreement form, included with the membership form.

Join the PAC!

Join Online Today!

Or, download the Membership Form:

  1. Save the form to your hard drive
  2. Complete the form and save again
  3. Email it as an attachment including payment information (if you chose payroll deduction, WSPLEA will mail the form to your payroll office).

PDF Membership Form

Send forms to:
Angela Spriggs
(360) 357-7951



2021-22 PAC Board Members


Roz Thompson
Secretary
AWSP
Miles Erdly
Treasurer
Kent School District
Derek Forbes
Chair
Meridian School District



Roz_FMI

For More Information 

Roz Thompson | Government Relations & Advocacy Director | (800) 562-6100


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