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Legislative Update for March 13, 2026
“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” ― Frank Herbert The Legislature adjourned sine die last night, officially bringing the 2026 legislative session to a close. While that ceremony marks the end of the 2026 session, it also signals the beginning of the next phase of advocacy as we…
Learn MoreLegislative Update for March 6, 2026
"If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten." - Rudyard Kipling As we enter the last week of this year’s legislative session, the final days of budget negotiations, floor debates, endless details, and long days will eventually become the stories that define this moment. Amid the frantic pace to…
Learn MoreRetirement, Health Benefits, and Beyond for March 5, 2026
It has been said that laws are like sausage. It is better not to see them being made. Yet, here we are, rushing to meet the March 6th deadline for legislators to consider opposite house bills. The remainder of the time until Sine Die on March 12th will be spent on working out the differences…
Learn MoreCelebrating Women’s History Month, and The Women Who Make History
March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the women who shaped our past and those who continue to make history today. Across Washington schools, women leaders are driving change, strengthening communities, and inspiring the next generation of educators and students. At AWSP, women make up just over 59 percent of our membership, and we’re…
Learn MorePrincipals Matter, Let’s Invest in Them
We couldn’t agree more with the message Derek Sarley, Walla Walla School Board Member and current candidate for the state Legislature, laid out in his Principals Matter, Let’s Invest in Them blog post. Effective principal leadership is one of the most important levers for improving school outcomes — for students, teachers, and entire communities. The research and evidence…
Learn MoreLegislative Update for Feb. 27, 2026
“Storytelling is the essential human activity. The harder the situation, the more essential it is.” – Tim O’Brien This has been a long and fast-paced week. The House and Senate released their budget proposals Sunday evening, followed by budget hearings on Monday, and the opposite house policy committee cut-off on Wednesday. I’ve been working with…
Learn MoreA Letter to Legislators: Staffing Reductions and the Importance of Assistant Principals
We want to share with members a letter that will be sent today from AWSP to legislators outlining the very real staffing reductions already underway, particularly cuts to assistant principal positions due to district budget shortfalls. Below is the letter. Dear Members of the Washington State Legislature, On behalf of the Association of Washington School…
Learn MoreLegislative Update for Feb. 20, 2026
“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” – Steve Jobs Today, we greeted almost 100 high school students who traveled to Olympia for the inaugural AWSL Education Advocacy Summit! This was the vision of two amazing students,…
Learn MoreRetirement, Health Benefits, and Beyond for Feb. 19, 2026
Legislative committees are currently holding hearings for possible executive action on bills they have received from the opposite house. Meanwhile, all parties—legislators and the public—are awaiting the release of the budgets. The House budget (SHB 2289) will be released to the public on Feb. 22 at 4:00 PM with a hearing on Feb. 25 at…
Learn MoreSafe Firearm Storage Saves Lives
Renee Hopkins, CEO of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility Seattle, lost her brother Arnie in the 1996 Moses Lake Junior High School shooting. She lost her brother because someone had access to a firearm who shouldn't have. She reflects on this in a recent Spokesman Review article framing the ongoing effects of gun violence in how it "shapes who…
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