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.
“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.
The Advocacy Advisory Council serves as both liaison and resource to the AWSP Board on legislative matters. Members communicate with principals and assistant principals around the state on issues of concern, monitor legislative action, and assist with testimony as appropriate. Advisory Council members also identify and prioritize the association’s yearly Legislative Platform(PDF) for approval by the AWSP Board.
Learn MoreOur Advocacy & Action Center provides all the updates, tracking, resources, and action plans you need to stay informed and make your voice heard. Use it to stay informed and take action on the issues you care about. Legislators need to hear from you. Not sure where to begin? Already got a meeting scheduled? Our tip sheet will show you some of the best ways to communicate with lawmakers and their staffs.
Take ActionAfter this Tuesday’s bill cutoff, the surviving bills switched houses and the committee hearing process started up again. This week and next week’s schedule of bill hearings are listed below.
Work on the supplemental, operating, and capital budgets continues. The state’s budget outlook seems to look better each month and a third round of federal funding is on its way. But our work for stable education funding is far from over. The next major revenue forecast will be released at the March 17th meeting of the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council and the Senate and the House will release their budgets shortly thereafter. Our job is to keep telling our stories about what financial support we need from the state to educate each and every student safely.
Action in the “other” Washington this week will have a major impact on how our legislators, budget writers, and Governor address these budgets. The American Rescue Plan provides $1.9 trillion in relief to schools, businesses, governments and people. Our state will receive $1.9 billion for K–12 schools.
Superintendent Chris Reykdal said, “about 88% of the $1.9 billion for K–12 education will go directly to local school districts and they should treat this as ‘one time money’ for costs such as upgrades to ventilation systems, personal protective equipment and additional counseling and interventions for children facing severe learning loss or other issues.” Reykdal, like many others, is hopeful that these funds help return more students to in-person learning and cause people to think creatively about how our education system might change in positive ways in response to this crisis. For example, Reykdal has suggested he would like his office to be able to provide grants for districts to think about changing school calendars.
At its March 11 meeting, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted emergency rules that allow school districts to waive certain graduation requirements for individual students due to the impacts of the COVID–19 pandemic. These emergency rules apply immediately to the graduating Class of 2021.
The SBE released this additional information:
“Districts must work with students individually, give guidance on options to the student, consult with the family if possible, and then decide jointly with the student whether a waiver is right for that student. Use of the waiver must be documented in the student’s records, including how the student demonstrated preparation for plans after high school. The emergency rules require school districts to collect and review data on the use of waivers and take appropriate steps to address any inequities. This data will be reported to OSPI and the SBE. School districts may apply online to the SBE for the Emergency Waiver Program beginning in late March. The State Board expects to propose permanent rules for the Classes of 2022 and 2023 at its May 12–13 meeting and, after receiving feedback from the public, adopt permanent rules at its July 14–15 meeting.”
Outdoor School for All is gaining some great momentum! This is a statewide effort to get all 5th or 6th grade students to outdoor camp for a week. Senator Sam Hunt sponsored a $10 million budget request that would help start on this goal by getting 20,000 students to outdoor camp. The Washington Outdoor School Consortium (WOSC) is sponsored by our Washington School Principals Education Foundation (WSPEF) and our staff is working with a fantastic group of outdoor education advocates all across the state to make this happen. Learn more at the Outdoor School for All website.
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.
Email RozSchool 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!
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.