Home

Legislation and Advocacy

Issaquah School District

2009-2010 Leg Directory

Issaquah Ed. Funding PPT

Community Values

Other Links

Issaquah PTSA Council
Legislation and Advocacy

For more information, please contact our Issaquah PTSA Council Legislative Chairs:

Alison Meryweather
(425) 837-0968
legislation@issaquahptsa.org
Leslie Warrick
(425) 427-1709
legislation@issaquahptsa.org

At a glance...

Proposed Legislative Issues


The Issaquah PTSA Council has submitted the following 3 issues to the Washington State PTA Board:

Issue 1: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that… Reform the teacher retention policy to ensure that seniority is not the primary factor. When districts are faced with Reductions in Force (RIF’s) support reforms that change the current policy from using seniority as the sole criteria to including other factors such as teacher effectiveness and cohesiveness of school teams.

Issue Submittal Form

Appendix

Community Values City Flyer

Issue 2: The Washington State PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that… Fund education first. In order to implement Article IX of our state constitution which says “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders”, education funding would be considered first in any budget process undertaken by the state legislature.

Issue Submittal Form

Issue 3: The washington state PTA shall initiate and/or support legislation or policies that… lead to a new research-based state teacher compensation model, that emphasizes rewarding teacher effectiveness in improving student learning.

Issue Submittal Form

Race to the Top Update

President Obama's education reform efforts have been gaining steam and he is making changes, big changes:  His Race to the Top program incentivizes states to truly improve education.  The policy shifts emphasis away from inputs like class size to outcomes like student success.   Race to the Top money rewards states that:

  • Intervene in chronically failing schools (WA state is one of 4-5 states where it's against the law for the state to intervene)  One of his suggestions is Charter schools (WA state has voted for this three times…always failed)
  • Hire, retain the best Principals and Teachers.  Implement comprehensive Principal and Teacher evaluations and link them to student growth.  Reward the best, remove the worst.

40 states have signed on to apply for the Race to the Top in the first round of money.  Washington State could not apply because we would not qualify.  WE ARE SO BEHIND.  We still have a chance for the second round of money, if we pass some bills this session around state intervention in failing schools and having comprehensive Teacher/Principal evaluations.

The Issaquah PTSA Council voted to endorse the Excellent Schools Now Coalition's proposal regarding the legislative action required this session in order to for Washington to be competitive for Race to the Top funding.

(click here for a side-by-side comparison of the Race to the Top requirements and the current legislation, produced by the Excellent Schools Now Coalition)

Recruiting a PTA Legislation Chair

The position of Legislation Chair is an important one to fill, but often left for last to fill as we recruit board members.  I know the right person for the job is in your community, just waiting to be asked.

- Quote from Lisa Bond, WSPTA President 2003

What skills do they need? (In order of importance)

  1. Interested in educating the community on children’s issues
  2. Ability to engage the listener in a discussion
  3. Ability to write effective emails (short and concise)

(Note that knowledge of legislation is NOT listed…they can easily learn about legislation, the first three priorities are tougher to learn)

Who are they?

  • A “retired” past PTA president
  • A vocal parent at the school who needs to direct their passion in a positive direction
  • A working parent who can’t be at school during the day but wants to be involved
  • Someone who is active in politics in other areas of their life
  • Someone who doesn’t know much about legislation but is willing to learn
  • Someone who is new to the school who was a Legislative Chair at their last PTA

What is the job? 

  • Sign people up for action alert emails

  • Speak at each of your PTA meetings (we will provide info to speak on)

  • Place newsletter articles in newsletter (we will provide)

  • Attend Legislative Assembly in early October

  • Attend Focus Day and bring members of your PTA to Focus Day (February)

  • Attend Roundtable; an evening mtg with local legislators in November

What support will they have?

  • Legislation Handbook
  • Several opportunities for training
  • Regular updated information via email
  • Action alert emails all ready to go to send to your email distribution lists. Email alerts will come from both the state and the District Leg Chair
  • The PTSA Council Leg Chairs are available to help and answer questions

(back to the top)