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Advocacy & Legislation

AWSP provides a strong and respected voice on state and nationwide issues affecting K–12 schools and principals. We vigilantly monitor and research trends impacting our members’ profession, reputation, and practice. We value our members who travel to Olympia and Washington, D.C. to provide the principal’s perspective. 

We offer several ways to help you keep pace with the legislative arena, including Legislative Update (our a weekly e-newsletter during session), how to find your state legislator, how to track the status of bills and find out how your lawmaker voted, and practical tips for talking with legislators.

We focus our governmental relations efforts and legislative platform through a statewide, grassroots Legislation Committee. This collaboration identifies and prioritizes issues critical to our members, so we can work smarter on your behalf in Olympia and around the state.

Every voice matters, and it’s important for all of us to stay informed and connected.

2025 Legislative Platform



“It is difficult to envision a higher return on investment in K-12 education than the cultivation of high-quality school leadership.” ~ Wallace Foundation, 2021

The 2025 AWSP Legislative Platform focuses on leadership development, fully funding basic education, and increasing student support to ensure all students succeed, with priorities for principals and school staff.

photo of Erika Burden
Connecting with our legislators at both the local and national level is critical to ensure our legislators recognize the importance of supporting educators in their efforts to keep students safe and reach every student in their classrooms and buildings.
- Erika Burden, 2020 NASSP Advocacy Champion of the Year

Get Involved


Legislative News

The Gospel of Ed Reform and the Power of the Principal

Feb 14, 2019, 09:38 AM by David Morrill
Ed reform. Those two words are a lightning rod for people in education and policy. They can strike fear and uncertainty for some and hope and visions of equity for others. One thing is for certain, many of the reforms borne out of the Race to the Top grant era have drastically changed the reality of what it’s like to be a school principal.

 

Rahm Emanuel photo

Ed reform. Those two words are a lightning rod for people in education and policy. They can strike fear and uncertainty for some and hope and visions of equity for others. One thing is for certain, many of the reforms borne out of the Race to the Top grant era have drastically changed the reality of what it’s like to be a school principal.

At AWSP, we know the work you do, the care you give, and how much of yourself you give up to do the job. You know who else understands the pivotal role principals play? Rahm Emanuel, 44th mayor of Chicago, former chief of staff to President Obama, and former chairman of the Democratic Campaign Committee and the House Democratic Caucus. He wrote a great piece for The Atlantic titled, "I Used to Preach the Gospel of Education Reform. Then I Became the Mayor.

In the article, he talks about putting education reform at the top of his priorities during his 2011 mayoral campaign, and the lessons he learned along the way. After discussing how negotiations went with the union president, he talked about one of the last things left to settle.

One key issue remained: the autonomy of principals. The question was whether individual principals would have the ability to hire faculty of their own choosing, or whether, as Lewis preferred, principals would have to select from a limited pool maintained downtown with the union’s strong input. Honestly, because I’d gotten everything I really wanted, I was tempted to fold. The reform gospel doesn’t pay much mind to principals. Moreover, the new accountability standards promised to rid the schools of bad teachers.

But while I was preparing to brief reporters assembled at Tarkington Elementary on Chicago’s South Side, Mahalia Ann Hines, a former school principal (who happens to be the artist Common’s mother) pulled me aside. Hines, who holds a doctorate from the University of Illinois, had spent 15 years as a principal, at grade levels from elementary through high school. If we were going to make lasting improvements to Chicago’s schools, she argued, principals needed that flexibility. Without it, they would not be able to establish the right culture or create a team atmosphere. And, at least as important, principals would not have the leverage to coach teachers struggling to help their pupils succeed.

Emanuel talks more about abandoning the gospel of teacher-focused reform and instead focusing on empowering principals, something he described as a “momentous decision.” After that, he drops one more gem.

Parents are rarely surprised when I note that even the best teachers can be rendered ineffective in a dysfunctional school, or that a great principal can turn a good teacher into an extraordinary educator. But even today, reformers rarely take the impact of principals into account.

The rest of the article talks about what they’ve done in Chicago to attract, retain, and train quality principals. Emanuel talks about the implications and the gains they've made. The whole article is worth a read. Emanuel goes on to say something we’ve been preaching for a while, especially if you’ve seen our Power of the Principal video….

Principals, not just teachers, drive educational gains.

It’s great to see more and more people, inside education and out, understanding the pivotal role principals play.

Photo of Roz Thompson, smiling with shoulder-length hair, next to text that reads: ‘Roz Thompson, Government Relations & Advocacy Director’ in blue and orange on a light green background.

Legislative Update E-Newsletter

Want updates on what's going on? Trying to understand the process and learn how to make an impact?  Follow us on social media, check out our blog or this page for the latest legislative news page, and read our Legislative Update email newsletter every Friday during session.

Questions? Reach out to Roz.

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Join Our PAC

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!

School Funding Coalition

The School Funding Coalition represents the voices of nearly 8,000 school district leaders from our state’s 295 school districts. We bring a front-line understanding of school district financing and the education funding issues the Legislature continues to grapple with—especially as state budget decisions are contemplated in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coalition includes AEA, AESD, AWSP, WASA, WASBO, WSPA, and WSSDA. We believe that each and every student needs stable support, safety, access to learning, and well-equipped staff. Learn more in our Immediate Student Needs document below.

2024 Legislative Priorities