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Summer Conference Keynote Highlight: Carlos Ojeda Jr.
Carlos Ojeda Jr., Motivational Speaker and Youth Development Expert, CoolSpeak Carlos Ojeda Jr. is a youth development expert with over 26 years of experience inspiring countless students, parents, and education professionals across the country. Carlos was a university administrator, professor, and the director of the small business development center at Kutztown University where he honed…
Learn MoreFinal Legislative Update for March 20, 2026
“You can change the world just by sharing your story.” ― Barack Obama The Legislature adjourned last week, officially bringing the 2026 legislative session to a close. As always, the end of session brings a mix of emotions for me. I feel proud when our work helps shape the specific language of a bill, relieved when…
Learn More2026 Legislative Session: Final Summary from Fred Yancey, The Nexus Group
The 2026 Legislature was confusing, sending mixed messages to educators. Legislators passed fewer unfunded education mandates while also cutting and/or paring back education programs and services. “We value education…but…” There was some success in terms of seeing some bills with fiscal impact to districts not advance. One example is SB 5883:  Concerning eligibility for membership in…
Learn MoreRetirement, Health Benefits, and Beyond for March 20, 2026
School employees, including administrators, have a number of benefits of which they may not be aware. Below is a brief description of some of the benefits and the bills that passed related to these benefits. These relate to PERS, SERS, SEBB, and/or PEBB members. The Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) program is an option to not…
Learn MoreLegislative 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…
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