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[00:00:05]

OKAY. WHOA.

[1. SPECIAL BOARD WORKSHOP CALL TO ORDER - 5:30 PM]

I GOT THIS A LITTLE CLOSE.

I'M JUST GOING TO OFFICIALLY OPEN OUR 5:30 MEETING HERE.

IT'LL TRIGGER EVERYTHING TO GET GOING.

SO JUST A REMINDER THAT YOU ALL HAVE MICROPHONES.

CAN THEY HAVE THEM ON ALL THE TIME? YES. SO IF YOU TURN IT SO IT'S GREEN, THEN AT LEAST IT WILL START PICKING UP VOICES.

AND CONNIE SHOULD BE JOINING US SHORTLY AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOHN.

ALL RIGHT. OH, I GUESS IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK, JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IT CLOSE ENOUGH.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANKS AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

WE HAVE A COUPLE NEW MEMBERS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DIVING INTO THIS WORK WITH US AS WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND OUR LEVY LOTS GOING ON.

WE'RE EXCITED TO DIG IN AND HAVE SOME GREAT CONVERSATION TONIGHT.

WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST WHO WILL INTRODUCE IN A MOMENT, BUT WE ARE MAKING THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE FORMAL BECAUSE ONE, WE'LL HAVE MORE THAN TWO BOARD MEMBERS HERE.

SO IT BECOMES A QUORUM.

AND ALSO IT'S GOOD FOR OUR PUBLIC VIEWERS TO SEE AND HEAR THE CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENING.

SO JUST A QUICK TIMELINE ON WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

THE LAST MEETING WE HAD WAS OUR FIRST LEGISLATIVE MEETING.

SO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW, WE REALLY JUST KIND OF DUG INTO SOME OF THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE LEGISLATIVE SITUATION IN OUR STATE, IN OUR CITY, IN CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY.

AND TONIGHT, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO AFTER MARISSA SPEAKS AND WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER DIRECTION, HOPEFULLY FROM HER, I REALLY WANT TO DIG INTO SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THAT WERE WERE GATHERING FROM ORGANIZATIONS AROUND CAMAS AND AROUND THE STATE, MOST MOSTLY SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON, BECAUSE THEY ARE MOST ALIGNED TO CAMAS.

AND THEN WHAT WE'LL DO LATER ON IS BREAK UP INTO JUST A COUPLE SMALL GROUPS, GIVE EVERYBODY SOME TIME TO DIG INTO THOSE PRIORITIES AND SEE IF WE CAN NARROW DOWN A FEW THAT WE CAN RECOMMEND TO OUR BOARD TO TAKE ON AS OUR CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT PRIORITIES.

MOST WILL PROBABLY BE ALIGNED SOMEHOW TO THE STATE, BUT THERE MAY BE A COUPLE THAT ARE REALLY UNIQUE TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AND THEN WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO NOVEMBER 20TH, WHERE WE'LL HAVE OUR LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION HERE IN THE BOARD ROOM, HOPEFULLY WITH ALL THREE OF OUR LOCAL LEGISLATORS. I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM TWO, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE THIRD.

SO WE'RE GUARANTEED TO GET SOME FACE TIME WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, WHICH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

AND THEN I'M EXCITED BECAUSE OUR BOARD AND I WERE GOING UP TO A CONFERENCE WHERE WE'RE LIKELY TO HEAR MORE ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES AND MAYBE EVEN RUN INTO SOME OF OUR LEGISLATORS UP THERE. WE'LL SEE.

SO WITH THAT SAID, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE HEADING.

BUT I DO WANT TO THANK MARISSA FOR COMING, AND I'LL LET YOU KIND OF INTRODUCE WHAT YOUR ROLE IS.

AND WE HAVE YOU FOR QUESTIONS HOPEFULLY, AND SOME FEEDBACK.

ABSOLUTELY. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU MARISSA.

THANK YOU. THANKS, JOHN, FOR INVITING ME.

HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH GAIL WHO GAVE ME THE OFFICIAL INVITE.

AND SO APPRECIATE JUST THE CORRESPONDENCE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.

AND TRACEY WE GET TO EMAIL SO MANY TIMES, BUT IT'S SO MUCH BETTER TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL IN PERSON.

MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO BE SITTING WITH ALL OF YOU, SO THAT WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A COFFEE CONVERSATION, AS OPPOSED TO A FORMAL PRESENTATION.

BUT WITH THAT, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO RAISE YOUR HAND WHILE I'M PRESENTING INFORMATION.

THERE'S MORE CONTENT I COULD PROBABLY SHARE WITH YOU THAN THERE IS TIME FOR US TONIGHT.

SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO GIVE YOU ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT GAIL SENT TO ME.

AND THEN A LITTLE BIT MORE, MAYBE A LOT MORE.

BUT ALWAYS JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM FOLLOWING THIS MEETING.

SO I GUESS I SHOULD INTRODUCE MYSELF BEFORE I CONTINUE.

MY NAME IS MARISSA RATHBONE.

MY TITLE IS DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC ADVOCACY WITH THE WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION.

SO THE WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, I'LL REFER TO IT AS WSSDA FROM NOW ON.

MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE ORGANIZATION, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT, IT IS THE STATE AGENCY THAT SUPPORTS AND SERVES THE 1,477 LOCALLY ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

DO YOU THINK I'VE SAID THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES? YES. IT'S USUALLY HOW I OPEN MY TESTIMONY BECAUSE IT IS REMARKABLE.

THE SCHOOL BOARDS ARE COMPRISED OF IT'S THE LARGEST BODY OF ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.

SO WITH THAT COMES A HUGE AMOUNT OF INFLUENCE, INSIGHT AND OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT LEGISLATIVE DECISION MAKING.

SO MY PRIMARY ROLE AMONGST A TEAM OF JUST 14 OF US IS TO HELP ELEVATE THE COLLECTIVE PRIORITIES OF OUR MEMBERSHIP.

THERE IS A PROCESS THAT WSSDA MEMBERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN, TO BRING FORWARD IDEAS, TO VOTE ON THOSE IDEAS AND MAKE THOSE IDEAS OUR LEGISLATIVE

[00:05:08]

PRIORITIES. I'LL SORT OF EMBED THAT PROCESS IN AN ANNUAL CALENDAR THAT I'LL GO THROUGH.

BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAY, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY IN ALL OF THIS.

YOU WON'T LEARN IT ALL TONIGHT IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT ALREADY.

AND I ACTUALLY MAY TELL YOU THINGS YOU ALREADY KNOW.

SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT IN ADVANCE.

SO HOPEFULLY IT'LL FILL GAPS AND MOVE THE NEEDLE FOR ALL OF YOU A LITTLE BIT.

SO. A COUPLE THINGS THAT I'M PLANNING TO GO OVER TONIGHT IS SORT OF AN ANNUAL CALENDAR FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHICH CERTAINLY IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, BUT YOU'RE A COMMUNITY MEMBER WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE IMPACTFUL, SHARE SOME RESOURCES THAT I THINK WILL BE HELPFUL TO YOU, AS WELL AS A LOOK AHEAD AT THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND BEYOND.

SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE THREE KEY AREAS THAT I'M PLANNING ON COVERING TONIGHT.

AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, PLEASE, IS THERE A PROTOCOL? GAIL, JOHN, THAT YOU WANT THEM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR THEY JUST POP THEIR HANDS UP AND WE GO FROM THERE? YEAH, I THINK WE CAN MAKE IT PRETTY INFORMAL.

WORKSHOPS ARE TYPICALLY VERY DIALOG FRIENDLY, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.

IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

AND LET'S SAY WHAT EVERY EDUCATOR I HOPE HAS TOLD YOU, THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS BECAUSE LIKELY IF YOU ASK THE QUESTION, SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM HAD IT.

SO THE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CYCLE.

I'VE EXPANDED THIS.

REALLY IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CYCLE, I THINK ABOUT IT IN TWO PHASES.

ONE IS THE INTERIM, WHICH YOU ARE IN NOW, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

SO WHAT I CONSISTENTLY TELL MEMBERSHIP, WHICH I HOPE RESONATES, IS THAT THERE IS NO MORE IMPORTANT TIME TO BE AN ADVOCATE THAN RIGHT NOW, IN THE INTERIM, THIS IS WHEN YOU ARE AFFORDED THE TIME AND ENERGY AS WELL AS YOUR LEGISLATORS.

EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAVE MORE TIME AND CAPACITY TO MEET WITH YOU, HEAR WHAT YOUR PERSPECTIVES ARE, AND DESIGN THEIR PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION OR THE SESSION THEREAFTER.

SO THIS INTERIM IS BASICALLY FROM THE TIME THE LAST SESSION ENDED TO WHEN THE NEXT SESSION BEGINS.

IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME FOR ADVOCACY, AND IT'S REALLY WHEN STRONG RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE BUILT, BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO IT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEGISLATIVE SESSION. IF YOU HAVEN'T FORGED A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS ALREADY.

THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS ON THE SECOND MONDAY OF EVERY CALENDAR YEAR IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.

SOME STATES MEET EVERY OTHER YEAR.

SOME STATES HAVE A YEAR ROUND LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SO OURS IS ON A CALENDAR.

THEY PACK IT IN THE FIRST OF THE YEAR EVERY YEAR.

IN THIS COMING YEAR, 2024, IT'S A 60 DAY SESSION, WHICH WE REFER TO AS A SUPPLEMENTAL YEAR OR A SHORT SESSION.

AND THEN IN ODD YEARS, IT'S 105 DAYS, WHICH WE REFER TO AS A LONG SESSION.

THE ODD YEARS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, THOUGH.

THAT'S WHEN THE BIENNIAL BUDGET IS ADOPTED.

SO WHAT LEGISLATORS ARE TRYING TO DO IS ADDRESS REALLY BIG POLICY ISSUES IN THOSE ODD NUMBERED YEARS AND REALLY BIG BUDGET ITEMS IN THOSE ODD NUMBERED YEARS, WITH THE HOPE THAT THAT WILL LAST FOR TWO YEARS AND THAT THEY COME BACK IN A SHORT SESSION JUST TO MAKE MINOR TWEAKS TO THINGS THAT EITHER THEY DIDN'T THINK OF OR THEY NEED TO MAKE BETTER IN THEIR INITIAL THOUGHTS.

SO THE GOAL IN THIS NEXT YEAR, IN 2024 IS THAT WE'RE APPROACHING, IS THAT THERE WON'T BE MAJOR CHANGES.

THEY SAY THAT, BUT OFTENTIMES THEY'LL TRY TO TACKLE SOME BIG STUFF AND THEY'LL TRY TO THROW IN SOME MORE EDUCATION POLICIES, MAYBE A FEW UNFUNDED MANDATES, WHICH WE FIGHT HARD AGAINST. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT IS TRULY JUST A SPRINT AND MOSTLY JUST TWEAKING OF EXISTING POLICIES AND PRACTICES IF ANYTHING, IF YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS, WHICH I HOPE YOU DO DURING A SESSION CONSISTENTLY, IT SHOULD BE REALLY CONCISE AND TARGETED.

IT'S THEY ARE GRAPPLING WITH ONE THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT FOR EVERY ONE LEGISLATOR YOU HAVE, THEY'RE SITTING ON AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.

AND THOSE COMMITTEES MIGHT NOT BE RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER AT ALL.

YOU GOT TRANSPORTATION, WORKFORCE, EDUCATION, TRIBAL, SOVEREIGNTY, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT.

SO THEY'RE SITTING ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT MAYBE THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THAT MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH EVEN COMING INTO THAT ROLE.

JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.

THIS GRAPHIC IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOW A LOT, BASICALLY TO COMMUNICATE THE FACT THAT ADVOCACY SHOULD HAPPEN YEAR ROUND, NOT DURING JUST THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THAT'S THE TIME WHEN EVERYBODY GETS SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.

THERE'S ALL THIS ENERGY AROUND IT.

BUT REALLY, IF YOU'RE NOT ADVOCATING DURING THE INTERIM, YOU'RE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY INFLUENCE AND AFFECT CHANGE.

SO THIS NEXT PART I'M GOING TO BREAK THIS OFF.

[00:10:01]

THERE ARE MULTIPLE SLIDES AHEAD.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO BREAK IT OFF INTO LITTLE CHUNKS STARTING WITH JANUARY.

KIND OF THE SCHEDULE OF ADVOCACY AND SOME OF THE KEY THINGS THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND THEIR PARTNERS ARE DOING IN ORDER TO INFLUENCE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I'M STARTING WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES SENSE.

ALTHOUGH IF WE'RE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN INTERIM, AND WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE.

SO YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF OR THE BEGINNING OF A LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

I'M REPEATING MYSELF, SENDING REALLY CONCISE MESSAGES TO YOUR LEGISLATORS DURING THAT TIME.

EMAILS ARE GOOD, BUT THERE'S A CHANCE THEY WON'T GET THEM BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF THEM IN THEIR INBOX.

HOPEFULLY, THEY'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT WHO'S FILTERING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE AND BRINGING IT TO THEM.

BUT THE REASON WHY RELATIONSHIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO TEXT YOUR LEGISLATOR AND SAY, HEY, I JUST SENT YOU AN EMAIL WITH SOME DATA ON AN ISSUE THAT I HOPE YOU TAKE A LOOK AT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT BILL NUMBER, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, YOU'RE PROBABLY MORE LIKELY TO GET THEM TO READ THAT EMAIL.

IT'S NOT THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO READ IT, THERE'S JUST CAPACITY.

AND THAT'S AGAIN WHY RELATIONSHIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT.

IF YOU CAN TEXT THEM OR CALL THEM, OR IF THEY'RE WILLING TO HOP ON A ZOOM WITH YOU FOR TWO MINUTES, FIVE MINUTES JUST TO REVIEW SOMETHING, YOU'RE GOING TO GET MORE OF YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS.

YOU CAN PROVIDE TESTIMONY ON YOUR DISTRICT'S PRIORITY ISSUES AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

MAYBE THE ONLY ONE, IS THAT YOU CAN GIVE TESTIMONY DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION FROM ANYWHERE IN THE STATE, REALLY ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

THAT MEANS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME TO OLYMPIA TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY.

I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU DO AT LEAST ONCE, BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A COOL VIBE AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT REPLACES IN-PERSON COMMUNICATION, BUT IT IS BENEFICIAL IF YOU ONLY CAN STEP AWAY FOR A COUPLE MINUTES TO DELIVER TESTIMONY.

YOU ONLY GET 60 TO 120 SECONDS FOR YOUR TESTIMONY WHEN YOU'RE THERE, SO IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST USE OF YOUR TIME TO DRIVE UP THERE AND BACK IF YOU CAN, JOIN A ZOOM INSTEAD.

AND ONCE WE GET CLOSE TO THAT TIME, IF YOU NEED HELP FIGURING OUT HOW TO LOG IN, HOW TO REGISTER FOR TESTIMONY, ALL THAT THAT IS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE.

TRACEY IS YOUR LEG REP? IS THAT RIGHT? IT'S ERICA, ACTUALLY.

IS ERICA. ERICA. SHE'S NOT HERE.

BUT SHE'S NOT HERE.

NO, BUT WE'LL TELL HER ALL SHE HAS TO DO.

THAT'S GREAT. SO SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT TO IDENTIFY A LEG REP.

SOMETIMES THIS IS A POSITION THAT'S VOLUNTOLD.

I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE A CELEBRATED POSITION THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.

THE SORT OF GOAL FOR THAT POSITION IS THAT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, THERE'S SORT OF THE BRIDGE BETWEEN WSSDA ADVOCACY WORK AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I WOULD RECOMMEND, IF YOU'RE NOT DOING IT ALREADY, THAT THE BOARD CARVES OUT A 15 MINUTES ON EVERY BOARD MEETING AGENDA, EVEN IF IT'S NOT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IF NOT MORE SO THAT THE LEG REP CAN BE PROVIDING UPDATES ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH LEGISLATION.

SO I MEET WITH LEG REPS.

I HAVE A FREE WEBINAR ONE TIME A MONTH, AND I KIND OF GIVE THEM AN UPDATE ON ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS THAT I'M AWARE OF.

AND I TRY TO CREATE TOOLS AND MATERIALS THAT THEY CAN BASICALLY TAKE WITH THEM AND SHARE WITH THEIR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.

IT SHOULD BE PRETTY TURNKEY AND KEEP EVERYBODY ON TRACK.

AND WE DON'T CARVE OUT TIME SPECIFICALLY AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS.

BUT WE DO LIKE WHEN IT WAS WE HAD ALL THE WSSDA PRIORITIES.

WE ALL SPENT TIME GOING THROUGH ALL OF THAT AND NUMBERING OURS SO, SO CAMAS THEN PROVIDED YOU WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT OUR PRIORITIES SHOULD BE BASED ON YOURS.

SO WE DO THAT. NICE.

GREAT. DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

WE HAVE WEEKLY NETWORKING CALLS.

WSSDA, AS AN ORGANIZATION, HOSTS IT AT NOON ON THURSDAYS.

IT'S DESIGNED FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, BUT IT'S REALLY OPEN TO ANYBODY TO LISTEN DURING LEG SESSION IT'S LARGELY A SIT AND GET WHERE WE'RE JUST DELIVERING UPDATES.

WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE SESSION THAT WEEK, WHICH BILLS WERE HEARD, HOW WE WEIGHED IN, ANY MAJOR ISSUES OR THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW, AND THEN WHAT BILLS ARE COMING UP FOR HEARING NEXT WEEK AND WHO WE MIGHT NEED TO SHOW UP TO GIVE TESTIMONY.

SO THAT'S A REALLY GREAT THING TO LISTEN IN ONTO.

AND THEN I WOULD RECOMMEND, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT IT, THE SCHOOL BOARD IN PARTICULAR SHOULD BE REVIEWING THE MEMBER ADOPTED POSITIONS.

THERE ARE 225 OF THEM.

THERE ARE 123 LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS OUT OF THAT, WHICH INFORM HOW WSSDA AS AN ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING ALL 295 SCHOOL BOARDS, IS ABLE TO SHOW UP AND RESPOND TO BILLS THAT ARE PROPOSED.

SO THIS IS THE TIME TO SORT OF BE SORTING THROUGH THOSE AND DETERMINING WHAT'S MISSING.

AND WHAT DO WE WANT TO RECOMMEND CHANGES WHEN THE POSITION WINDOW COMES OPEN.

I'M A FAST TALKER AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, SO I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH IT.

BUT AGAIN, JUST WANT TO PAUSE IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS.

THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS OVER.

IT'LL BE THE MARCH ON A SHORT SESSION AND APRIL ON A LONG SESSION.

I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO TALK ABOUT SPECIAL SESSIONS, BECAUSE LET'S JUST PRETEND THEY DON'T EXIST WHILE WE'RE IN OUR HAPPY LITTLE BUBBLE FOR A MOMENT.

[00:15:05]

THEY WON'T. IT WON'T HAPPEN NEXT YEAR BECAUSE IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR.

AND PEOPLE DON'T REALLY LIKE SPECIAL SESSIONS, SO IT WOULDN'T BE GOOD FOR VOTING ANYWAY.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

MAKE SURE YOU THANK YOUR LEGISLATORS FOR THE EDUCATION WINS.

WE'LL ALWAYS COME OUT OF SESSIONS BEING FRUSTRATED.

WE DIDN'T GET MORE.

IT'LL NEVER BE ENOUGH.

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE TO COME BACK TO ASK FOR MORE.

BUT INEVITABLY THERE WERE MOVES MADE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION AND WE GOT TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT A LITTLE BIT OR THEY WON'T HEAR ANYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE TO SAY.

SO FOCUSING ON THE EDUCATION WINS AND ANY SUPPORT THAT THEY GAVE TO THEM, A BIG EXAMPLE OF THAT LAST YEAR WE GOT A LOT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING.

IT WASN'T THE FULL FLEET OF DOLLARS THAT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDED TO BE RESPONSIVE, BUT IT WAS A HECK OF A LOT MORE THAN IT WAS BEFORE.

SAYING THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE'VE GOT MORE WORK TO DO AS PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE.

THAT'S ALSO WHEN WSSDA HAS OUR POSITION PROPOSAL WINDOW, WHEN SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT EITHER CHANGES TO EXISTING POSITIONS OR BRAND NEW POSITIONS.

FOR INSTANCE, ONE THAT JUST CAME FORWARD THIS YEAR WAS ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY.

AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN EMERGING THING COMING UP.

AND SO A POSITION WAS SUBMITTED.

THERE WERE SOME AMENDMENTS MADE TO IT, AND IT'S ADOPTED AS AN OFFICIAL POSITION OF WSSDA.

NOW, YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT INVITING LEGISLATORS TO YOUR SCHOOLS TO VISIT WITH YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR STAFF.

GET THEM INTO THE SCHOOLS, GET THEM TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

IF YOU NEED TO PASS A BOND AND YOU NEED A NEW BUILDING, SHOW THE REALLY GREAT BUILDINGS AND ALSO THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE FALLING APART IF YOU NEED THEM TO SEE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'VE HELPED TO SUPPORT.

BUT YOU ALSO NEED HELP WITH SOME OTHER PROGRAMS. SHOW THEM THE GOOD PROGRAMS WITH THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN FOR OUR STUDENTS.

HERE'S SOME GAPS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO FILL.

YOUR LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT WILL BE HELPFUL.

IT REALLY HELPS TO GET LEGISLATORS INTO THE SCHOOLS, AND I THINK THEY'LL TELL YOU THE SAME.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY THIS IS ON EVERY EVERY SLIDE.

THE LEG REP ATTENDS THE MONTHLY OR MONTHLY LRN MEETINGS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE GOOD TURNKEY INFORMATION IS COMING FROM.

JUNE IF YOU HAVEN'T THANKED YOUR LEGISLATIVE STAFF, THANK THEM AGAIN.

NEVER HURTS TO SAY IT AGAIN.

IT'S PERFECTLY WONDERFUL TO HAVE LEGISLATORS ATTEND GRADUATION CEREMONIES IF IT'S RELEVANT AND YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT, EVEN HAVING THEM PARTICIPATE IN IT.

EVERYBODY LOVES AN ATTA BOY, ATTA GIRL.

GET THEM INTO IT, CELEBRATING ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPEN.

HAVE THEM SEE WHAT THAT MEANS TO THEIR STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES THAT VOTE FOR THEM.

AND THEN ALSO, I'VE HEARD OF SOME FOLKS DOING SUMMER PROGRAMS. SO SUMMER IS NICE BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT SLOWER FOR EVERYBODY, AND IT MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SEE SOME GOOD WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND INNOVATIONS.

LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS ARE YOUR FRIENDS.

IF YOU DON'T INCLUDE LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS IN YOUR COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS, YOU MIGHT NOT GET A RESPONSE.

AGAIN, THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THE LEGISLATORS DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, IT'S JUST THAT THEY HAVE VOLUMES AND VOLUMES OF EMAILS TO GET THROUGH.

THAT LA'S PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SIFT THROUGH THOSE COMMUNICATIONS AND TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS ON BEHALF OF THEIR LEGISLATORS.

SO IN ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT I CAN PROVIDE FOR YOU, IT'LL ALWAYS LIST THE LEGISLATOR AND THEIR LA IS WHAT WE CALL THEM.

AND THE LA WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU.

YEAH. REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS ISN'T AVAILABLE IN THE MONTH OF JULY FAMILY IS GOING OUT OF TOWN.

BUT WE'LL BE BACK SCHEDULING MEETINGS IN AUGUST.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS REGULARLY.

JULY, AUGUST, I ACTUALLY HAVE REALIZED THIS WILL BE MY, THIS IS MY FIFTH YEAR IN THIS ROLE WITH WSSDA.

LEGISLATORS ARE SUPPOSEDLY PART TIME LEGISLATORS, ALTHOUGH A LOT OF THEM WORK.

MOST OF THEM WORK YEAR ROUND IN SOME CAPACITY, BUT A LOT OF THEM HAVE OTHER JOBS.

AND SO IF THEY GET A CHANCE TO STEP AWAY FROM THEIR LEGISLATIVE WORK, IT'S GOING TO BE IN THIS WINDOW OF TIME.

AND SOMETIMES IT'S NICE FOR THEM TO HAVE A LITTLE BREAK FROM US, TOO, AND US FROM THEM.

SO JUST EVERYBODY TAKES A LITTLE BREATHER AND THEN COMES BACK.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ASK THE LA IF THAT'S TRUE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR LEGISLATORS.

THIS IS THE TIME TO START DISCUSSING NEXT YEAR'S PRIORITIES.

IF YOU CAN'T MEET WITH THEM IN PERSON, MEET WITH THEM VIA ZOOM.

FACES ARE IMPORTANT AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS WHEN WSSDA RELEASES OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY HANDBOOK 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT, SO USUALLY THAT COMES OUT IN AUGUST.

HOPEFULLY YOU CARVE OUT TIME DURING YOUR BOARD MEETING TO SIFT THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HANDBOOK, THE POSITION PROPOSALS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD, AND MAKE A DECISION HOW THE GROUP WANTS TO VOTE AND IDENTIFY A VOTING DELEGATE TO REPRESENT YOU DOING THAT.

SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER THINGS ARE REALLY RAMPING UP NOW.

I WAS IN A MEETING WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE EDUCATION ADVOCATES OR LOBBYISTS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR OTHER EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS.

IT WAS LIKE OUR FIRST TIME SEEING EACH OTHER ON A ZOOM.

AND I SAID, IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE YOU ALL.

BUT ALSO THIS KIND OF LIKE MAKES ME REALIZE WE'RE IN IT NOW.

[00:20:03]

IT'S HAPPENING. THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS REALLY COMING, SO WE'RE RAMPING UP.

THIS IS ANOTHER GOOD TIME TO INVITE THEM TO YOUR SCHOOLS NEW FRESH SCHOOL YEAR.

GET THEM IN HERE.

HOPEFULLY YOU PARTICIPATE IN WSSDA GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND START TO SHARE YOUR OWN LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS ALONG WITH WSSDA'S.

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER A LITTLE BIT HARDER TIME TO GET IN WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MEETING ON THE BOOKS WITH THEM A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE THIS TIME FRAME, MANY OF THEM WILL HAVE ALREADY BOOKED UP, AND THEN HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A CHUNK OF TIME IN DECEMBER.

HOPEFULLY YOU DO TOO, BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS TO GET READY FOR IT.

WHAT WILL BE WHAT WE REFER TO AS A SPRINT IN THE EVEN NUMBERED YEARS? WE'VE GOT ANNUAL CONFERENCE COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

AND FOR SCHOOL DIRECTORS AND SUPERINTENDENTS AND REALLY ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE WELCOME TO COME.

IT IS A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO GET TOGETHER, CELEBRATE OUR WINS AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

AND IF YOU AREN'T ABLE TO GET A MEETING WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS, ANY OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM IS THE RIGHT WAY.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS GAIL SENT FORWARD ON BEHALF OF THIS GROUP IS, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS? I WOULD SAY ANY WAY THAT WORKS FOR YOU AND THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IN ANY WAY THAT WORKS FOR THEM AND THEY'LL BE RESPONSIVE TO.

SO YOU MIGHT FIND THAT SOME LEGISLATORS REALLY JUST LIKE TEXT MESSAGES.

AND THEN A PHONE CALL, YOU MIGHT FIND THAT SOME LEGISLATORS WILL ONLY MEET YOU FOR COFFEE AND THEY DON'T WANT TO ZOOM.

YOU MAY FIND THAT SOME LEGISLATORS DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO LEAVE THEIR DAY AND GO TO A COFFEE SHOP AND SET UP FOR THE WHOLE DAY, AND THEY WILL DO A 15 MINUTE ZOOM WITH YOU AND THAT'S ALL. SO I WOULD SAY BE FLEXIBLE AND FIND OUT WHAT THEIR PREFERENCE IS.

AND HOPEFULLY THAT WORKS FOR YOU TOO, AND MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE.

THERE'S NO WRONG WAY TO ADVOCATE.

IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.

AND THEN YOU GOT TO DO THAT ALL OVER AGAIN, AND THEN YOU DO IT AGAIN, AND THEN YOU DO IT AGAIN.

AND THEN MAYBE WE GET FULL FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.

MAYBE WE GET SIMPLE MAJORITY FOR SCHOOL BONDS, YOU KNOW, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

BUT THE THINGS THAT WE NEED THE MOST DO NOT HAPPEN IN A VACUUM OR IN A SINGLE SESSION.

IT REALLY TAKES LONGEVITY, ENDURANCE.

IT'S A LONG, PERSISTENT GAME.

AND THE PREMISE OF ANY OF OUR SUCCESS IS BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS.

IT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT ANY OF THESE THINGS WILL GET DONE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY YOU ACCESS THEM AND THEY ACCESS YOU, AND TRUST IS BUILT AND MOVES ARE MADE.

YES. LONGEVITY OF RELATIONSHIPS IT TAKES A FEW YEARS.

I'M SORRY. I'M GETTING A BIT LOUD.

BRING IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

OKAY. HI.

HI. MY NAME IS JENNIFER.

HI, JENNIFER. I'M A PARENT.

HI, JENNIFER.

OKAY, SO QUESTION ABOUT ADVOCACY FROM A PARENT PERSPECTIVE.

SO LOUD.

OKAY. PARENTS ARE ONLY HERE FOR A SHORT TIME.

AND BEING ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT HOW TO ADVOCATE AND THEN START ADVOCATING AND, YOU KNOW, START THE RELATIONSHIP ANYWAY. WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE FOR PARENTS WHO ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF THE LOOP UNLESS THEY'RE TEACHERS OR BOARD MEMBERS? HOW DO WE JUMP IN ON THIS GAME? GREAT QUESTION. I THINK THERE ARE LOTS.

LET ME THINK OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

THERE'S A WASHINGTON STATE PTA THAT HAS ORGANIZED PRIORITIES AND MEMBERSHIP THAT THEY DELIVER.

THAT'S ONE WAY.

OKAY. THERE AND I WOULD SAY THAT, I MEAN, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS NOT COMPLEX, RIGHT? IT'S JUST YOU'VE JUST GOT TO START.

AND SO I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM IF YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO YOUR LEGISLATORS AND THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING TO YOUR CALLS, THAT'S ONE THING.

BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD TOO MUCH OF THAT HAPPENING BECAUSE ULTIMATELY YOU ARE VOTING FOR THEM OR NOT.

AND SO THEY ARE REQUIRED TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

SO I MEAN, IN TERMS OF ACCESS, I THINK TRYING ALL THESE THINGS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM, YOU IF YOU ARE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU'RE THERE FOR A WHILE.

I MEAN, AND MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT 1 TO 2 YEARS OF CONSISTENT CONVERSATIONS, COMMUNICATION.

FOLLOW UP WHEN I SAY I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP BUILDS TRUST OVER TIME.

A LOT OF TIMES LEGISLATORS ASK ME FOR, WELL, WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT OR HOW MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE UNDERFUNDED IN SUBSTITUTES.

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE WHO KNOW PEOPLE, AND I GET THE INFORMATION BACK TO THEM AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.

THOSE THINGS BUILD TRUST PRETTY QUICKLY OVER TIME AND MAKE YOU A RESOURCE THAT THEY NEED AS THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS GOING FORWARD.

YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSION DOESN'T SAY YOU'RE SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWER, BUT.

[00:25:03]

[LAUGHTER] I MEAN, HOW DO WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS? WE'RE PERSISTENT. OVER TIME, WE BECOME A TRUSTED RESOURCE.

WE FOLLOW THROUGH.

AND IF YOU'RE IN THE SYSTEM FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, I THINK THAT'S AMPLE TIME TO GET THERE.

THE ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW, I CAN BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH PEOPLE I MEET WITH ONCE A MONTH, ONCE A WEEK, BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS JAM PACKED AND WHO ARE IN OLYMPIA, AND WHEN THEY'RE HERE, THEY'RE JAM PACKED AND THEY'RE JUGGLING.

I AM ONE VOTE.

SO. YEAH, IT'S HARD TO FOR ME TO FATHOM HOW TO ENTICE THEM TO SPEND TIME WITH ME SO I CAN POLITELY, AS POSSIBLE, COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S MISSING FROM THE SYSTEM.

HAVE YOU HAVE YOU TRIED REACHING OUT TO THEM AND BEEN DENIED OR.

NOT IN THIS STATE.

NOT IN THIS STATE.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TRY AND SEE WHAT THEIR RESPONSE IS.

YOU WON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU TRY.

I KNOW A COUPLE OF YOUR LEGISLATORS.

WELL, REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS IN PARTICULAR, WHO IS EXTRAORDINARILY GRACIOUS, WORKS ACROSS THE AISLE, UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS MIGHT DO.

SO I THINK HE'D BE RECEPTIVE TO HEARING THINGS.

AND IF NOT, I THINK YOU'VE GOT FIVE LOCALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE WELL, NOT IN THE ROOM WITH YOU, BUT YOU CAN WORK THROUGH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

I DON'T HAVE AN ANALYSIS WHETHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS GET MEETINGS WITH LEGISLATORS MORE OFTEN THAN PARENTS MIGHT BECAUSE THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T HAVE ANY STATISTICS ON THAT.

IT MAY BE TRUE. IT MAY NOT BE TRUE.

SO IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO GET TIME WITH THEM, THEN ONE OF YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT, AND YOU COULD GO AS PARTNERS WITH THAT.

INSTEAD OF GOING ALONE, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A COUPLE OF YOU IN THERE AT THE SAME TIME.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER STRATEGY I MIGHT TRY.

I THINK PAUL HARRIS IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT RSVP'D TO OUR BECAUSE HE IS GRACIOUS WITH HIS TIME, AND SO HE IS ONE OF THE ONES COMING TO THAT NOVEMBER 20TH.

SO SOMETIMES IT'S JUST BEING IN FRONT OF THEM.

RIGHT? LIKE I THINK I TOLD THIS GROUP LAST TIME WHEN THEY'RE MAKING THEIR ROUNDS DOING BREAKFAST SPEECHES AND STUFF, I ALWAYS GO TO THOSE, WHETHER I'M ONE OF 200 IN A ROOM.

I STILL USUALLY GO BECAUSE I JUST LIKE TO KIND OF BE SEEN BECAUSE YOU DON'T ALWAYS EVEN GET A LOT OF TIME, BUT IT'S LIKE, OH, I THINK I SAW TRACEY AT THAT, OR I THINK I, YOU KNOW . YEAH. SO IT'S ALL HELPFUL.

YEAH, I TAKE TIME.

I'VE GOT SOME SLIDES LATER ON ABOUT HOW TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS.

AND TO TRACY'S POINT ONE, ALL LEGISLATORS HAVE TOWN HALLS.

I WOULDN'T SAY THAT'S THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY FOR YOU TO GET YOUR POINT ACROSS, BECAUSE THEY'RE CROWDED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE PULLING ON THEIR SHIRT TO GET ATTENTION.

BUT LIKE TRACEY'S SAYING, IF YOU'RE IN THE ROOMS AND THEY SEE YOUR FACE, YOU CAN ALWAYS FOLLOW UP WITH AN EMAIL AND SAY, I WAS IN YOUR TOWN HALL THIS WEEK, YOU SAID A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE REALLY COMPELLING.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

COUPLE OF THINGS I'D REALLY LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

OR I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH A GROUP OF OTHER PARENTS, AND WE'VE GOT SOME THINGS WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU.

CAN THE GROUP OF US MEET WITH YOU? IT MAY BE EASIER OR BETTER FOR THEM TO MEET WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO AN INDIVIDUAL.

SO I'D JUST SAY GIVE IT A TRY.

AND IF YOU'RE UNSUCCESSFUL, CONSIDER YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ANOTHER RESOURCE AND THEY CAN REACH OUT TO ME TOO.

AND I CAN TRY TO MAKE AN APPEAL AS WELL.

I'M NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT MAYBE SOME OF THEM KNOW MY NAME AND BE LIKE, PLEASE, PLEASE MEET WITH JENNIFER.

GOOD QUESTIONS.

OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME.

OH, WELL, LOOK AT THAT.

IT WAS RIGHT THERE.

SO ENGAGING WITH LEGISLATORS.

YOU SET ME UP FOR ALL THIS, JENNIFER.

YOU CAN'T WAIT FOR THEM TO COME TO YOU.

YOU'VE GOT TO SEEK THEM OUT AND REACH OUT TO THEM.

THEY MIGHT NOT SAY YES ON THE FIRST ONE, BUT KEEP IT GOING.

IF YOU SAY THANK YOU FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN FIND THAT YOU APPRECIATE, THAT'S YOU KNOW, YOU GET MORE WITH HONEY, RIGHT? SO ALWAYS START THERE.

THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING THIS WORK.

SO EVEN IF YOU CAN'T THANK THEM FOR A POLICY ISSUE, YOU CAN THANK THEM FOR THE SERVICE TO THEIR STATE AND TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE.

I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES, BUT INVITE THEM TO YOUR SCHOOLS.

THEY REALLY SHOULD SEE YOUR SCHOOLS ATTEND THEIR TOWN HALLS JUST AS A SEGUE FOR FUTURE CONVERSATIONS AND TO HAVE AN EXCUSE TO FOLLOW UP AND SAY, HEY, I ATTENDED YOUR TOWN HALL.

REALLY APPRECIATE THESE THINGS.

AND I BOLDED THIS BECAUSE MY BEST CONVERSATIONS WITH LEGISLATORS ARE OVER TEA OR COFFEE.

JUST LAST WEEK, I MET WITH A FAIRLY FRESHMAN LEGISLATOR WHO JUST THIS WILL BE HER SECOND YEAR GOING IN AS A LEGISLATOR, AND SHE SAT DOWN AND SHE SAID, ARE THERE SOME SPECIFIC THINGS YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, OR IS THIS MORE INFORMAL? AND I SAID, OH, THIS IS MORE INFORMAL.

[00:30:02]

I FIGURED WE SHOULD GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER FIRST BEFORE I START ASKING YOU FOR THINGS.

AND SHE GOES, OH, THAT'S SUCH A RELIEF.

SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE FOR THAT FIRST MEETING.

IN PART, I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T ASK FOR THINGS, BUT YOU SHOULD REALLY KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU AS A PERSON AND YOU ABOUT THEM AS A PERSON AND WHY THEY RAN FOR OFFICE AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.

AND WHAT ARE THE MAIN POLICY ISSUES THEY'RE TRYING TO PASS? AGAIN, IT'S A RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS TO BE BASED ON SOME FRIENDLINESS, NOT JUST THEM DOING SOMETHING FOR US THAT WE WANT.

THEY KNOW THAT WE WANT SOMETHING.

I PROMISE THEY DO.

TIPS FOR SETTING UP A MEETING.

SO LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I WOULD ALWAYS EMAIL THEM FIRST AND COPY THEIR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT FOLLOW UP WITH A PHONE CALL.

IDENTIFY THE SUBJECT.

SO WHEN YOU SEND AN EMAIL, JUST SAY SOMETHING NICE, LIKE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SEEKING TIME WITH MY LEGISLATOR OR WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION OR HOPING TO SEE YOU BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS.

JUST TO BE BE PRETTY SPECIFIC.

MAYBE YOU'VE MET. YOU'VE NEVER MET BEFORE.

LIKE WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU IN PERSON.

BE FLEXIBLE AND PATIENT.

I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT IF Y'ALL ARE IN THIS COMMITTEE, IT'D BE, I BET YOUR LEGISLATORS WOULD APPRECIATE THAT THEY GET MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN A ROOM INSTEAD OF ONE OFF MEETINGS. AND IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNICATED MESSAGE THAT YOU'VE COLLABORATED ON BEFORE GOING IN THAT WILL HAVE THAT MUCH MORE STRENGTH.

THEY'LL BE LIKE, OH, CAMAS HAS IT TOGETHER AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.

AND THAT'S POWERFUL FOR ME IN MY ROLE AS A LEGISLATOR, REPRESENTING THEM AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

MOST LIKELY, YOUR NEEDS ARE RELATED TO SOME NEEDS OF OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND YOU.

YOU'RE NOT IN A BUBBLE BY YOURSELF.

THE LEGISLATOR PROBABLY SHOULD KNOW AHEAD OF TIME, THOUGH, THAT IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.

THERE ARE GOING TO BE SEVERAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE PART OF THIS LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY TEAM.

THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT IF YOU WANT A LITTLE A LITTLE PEP TALK OR SOME COACHING OR YOU WANT ANY INTEL THAT I MIGHT HAVE AHEAD OF TIME, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME. I MAY KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT A LEGISLATOR'S PAST POLICY PROPOSALS THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.

AS YOU GO IN, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU FIND SOME OF THE BILLS THAT THEY'VE INTRODUCED IN THE PAST THAT YOU MIGHT ALIGN WITH.

SO AGAIN, RELY ON ME AS A RESOURCE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ALL THAT HOMEWORK ON YOUR OWN.

I'M HAPPY TO MAKE SOME CONNECTIONS FOR YOU.

IT'LL MAKE THAT FIRST BRIDGE THAT MUCH EASIER.

LITTLE STEM SENTENCE ACTION HERE.

THE SUCCESSFUL MEETING HAPPENS.

LIKE I SAID, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CALL ME.

YOU CAN HAVE A SUCCESSFUL MEETING WITHOUT ME, BUT IT SURE MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

AND IT'S JOB SECURITY WHEN YOU ASK ME IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO OFFER.

AND I USUALLY DO HOLD A PRE MEETING.

THIS IS WHAT THIS GROUP I THINK IS FOR, RIGHT? WHICH IS REALLY COOL. AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS DONE IN ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO I CAN'T WAIT TO BE TALKING ABOUT YOU WITH OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS SAYING THIS IS A REALLY GREAT MODEL FOR THE WORK.

IT JUST LENDS WAY MORE POTENTIAL, POWER AND INFLUENCE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND TRYING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON YOUR PRIORITIES.

AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE CONCISE AND FOCUSED.

SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SPEAK SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SPEAK, AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SAY AS YOU'RE GOING IN, IT'S OKAY TO HAVE A SCRIPT AND TALKING POINTS THAT YOU EVEN REFER TO WHILE YOU'RE THERE.

YOUR LEGISLATORS WILL APPRECIATE IT IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GET TO THE POINT.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO A QUESTION THAT THEY ASK, PLEASE DO NOT FAKE IT.

IT GIVES YOU YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM BY FOLLOWING UP WITH THE ACTUAL INFORMATION.

BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING LIKE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING THE STARS FORMULA TO BE UPDATED, YOU SHOULD GO IN THERE WITH DATA ON HOW YOUR DISTRICT IS UNDERFUNDED AND HOW DOLLARS THAT YOU WOULD OTHERWISE USE FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARE BEING EXPENDED ELSEWHERE, WHEN THEY COULD BE HELPING YOU SUPPORT AND SERVE YOUR STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP, JENNIFER? SO I'M A RESEARCHER.

HOW MUCH EVIDENCE DO YOU BRING? I USUALLY HAVE MEETINGS AND I TRY AND LIMIT TO 2 TO 3 ARTICLES, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TIME FOR A MEETING.

WHO'S GOING TO READ ALL THIS? IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

HOW DO YOU BRING EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR POSITION AND IN WHAT FORMAT WILL IT ACTUALLY GET SEEN? YEAH, IT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.

AGAIN, GETTING TO KNOW YOUR LEGISLATORS AND HOW MUCH DETAIL THEY ACTUALLY WANT WILL BE HELPFUL.

SOME OF THEM WANT BULLETED POINTS.

SOME OF THEM WANT CHARTS AND GRAPHS.

SOME OF THEM WANT THE WHOLE EXCEL SPREADSHEET.

AGAIN, IT REALLY DEPENDS.

I'D COME SINCE YOU HAVE TO START WITH AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET ANYWAY.

YOU MIGHT AS WELL COME EQUIPPED WITH THAT.

WHITTLE IT DOWN, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY, EVEN IN THIS ROOM I IMAGINE WOULD UNDERSTAND ALL THE I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL OF IT TOO.

I HAVE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THAT STUFF, AND THAT'S PERFECTLY OKAY.

SO I WOULD COME EQUIPPED WITH DIFFERENT LAYERS OF DETAIL, SHARE IT WITH THEM AND YOU'LL GET A SENSE FOR WHAT'S MOST USEFUL TO THEM.

[00:35:10]

IT ALSO DOESN'T HURT TO SEND THAT INFORMATION ELECTRONICALLY AFTERWARDS IF THEY DON'T NEED IT, OR THEY'RE NOT EXCITED ABOUT READING THROUGH EXCEL SPREADSHEETS, MAYBE THEIR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT IS, OR THEIR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT WILL REMEMBER THAT YOU SENT IT.

AND WHEN THE ISSUE COMES UP DURING A COMMITTEE HEARING, WHEN THEY'RE HEARING THE BILL, THEY'LL BE LIKE, OH, CAMAS SENT US THAT EMAIL WITH THAT SPREADSHEET.

LET ME SEARCH FOR THAT IN MY BACKGROUND.

SO. AGAIN, SINCE YOU'VE GOT TO START OUT WITH A SPREADSHEET ANYWAY, OR WHATEVER DETAILED LEVELS OR ARTICLES, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT AS BACKUP, BUT I WOULD START WITH HIGH LEVEL POINTS TO BE HONEST.

I THINK THAT COVERS IT.

WE DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS.

IT'S JUST A SAMPLE EMAIL.

I SHARED THIS WITH OTHER GROUPS, PRIMARILY THE LEG REPS.

IT'S REALLY JUST IMPORTANT.

THE BEST ADVOCATE IS YOU FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT.

DON'T TRY TO BE ANYBODY BUT YOURSELF UNLESS YOU'RE NOT NICE.

TRY BEING NICE FIRST TOO FAKE IT AT LEAST, AND THEN GET TO MORE OF WHO YOU ARE, BUT BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF.

ALL OF YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT CHILDREN AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND ALL OF YOU ARE ABLE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.

OTHERWISE YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SIT IN THIS ROOM.

SO THOSE ARE TWO THINGS I WOULD TAP INTO.

BUT TO WHATEVER DEGREE THINGS LIKE THIS ARE HELPFUL TO YOU, YOU CAN ALWAYS RELY ON ME FOR SOME TEMPLATE EMAILS AND YOU CAN JUDGE THEM AS THEY MAKE SENSE TO YOU AS WELL.

THIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, GAIL HAS A COPY OF IT, AND I'M SURE SHE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT OUT TO EVERYBODY AFTERWARDS.

SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO ASSIGN YOU TO SOMETHING, BUT.

SHE'S USED TO IT.

[LAUGHTER] AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO USE ANY OF THESE SLIDES HOWEVER YOU WANT.

IF THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE YOU WANT TO SHARE IT WITH, FEEL FREE.

SO I'M GOING TO RECAP SOME STUFF A LITTLE BIT AD NAUSEAM.

PRIORITIZE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING OVER ANYTHING ELSE.

OFFER TO GO TO THEM, BUT DO INVITE THEM TO YOU IN THE SCHOOLS SPECIFICALLY.

BE AUTHENTICALLY APPRECIATIVE OF WHATEVER YOU CAN FIND TO BE APPRECIATIVE OF.

I REALIZE THAT EMOTIONS ARE HIGH, PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED, PUBLIC EDUCATION IS UNDER A LOT OF SCRUTINY, AND A LOT OF PLACES HERE IS NO EXCEPTION TO ANYWHERE ELSE.

BUT LIKE I SAID, IF THE APPRECIATION COMES FROM A BILL THEY SUPPORTED IN THE PAST, LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MILLIONS MORE DOLLARS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION IS THE RESULT OF THE VOTE OF PRETTY MUCH EVERY LEGISLATOR IN WASHINGTON STATE.

I SHOULD PROBABLY DO A VOTE COUNT ON THAT, BUT MAYBE SOME VOTED AGAINST IT, BUT NOT MANY.

IT WAS A BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL ISSUE THAT EVERYBODY WRAPPED THEMSELVES AROUND.

SO YOU CAN YOU CAN START WITH THAT AT A MINIMUM.

ASK THEM ABOUT THEM PRIORITIES AND INTERESTS, PERSONAL LIFE OR JUST FOCUSED ON WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN WITH THE LEGISLATURE.

WHATEVER YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH AND WHATEVER THEY WANT TO SHARE.

KNOW WHICH COMMITTEES THEY SIT ON AND WHAT BILLS THEY'VE SPONSORED, AND I'LL BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU HOW TO ACCESS THAT INFORMATION.

THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S A CONDUIT FOR A CONVERSATION.

I SEE YOU'RE ON WAYS AND MEANS, AND YOU SUPPORTED 1664 SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHICH ADDED MORE SCHOOL COUNSELORS TO OUR PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL FUNDING MODEL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

WE STILL HAVE A GAP.

THERE ARE FOUR SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT ONLY HAVE A HALF TIME COUNSELOR, BUT THE NEEDS EXCEED WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO YOU'RE STARTING WITH A THANK YOU, BUT AND IT'S LENDING ITSELF TO WHAT YOU'RE ASK IS BE PREPARED WITH DATA AND STORIES.

YOU CAN HAVE TOO MANY.

SO START WITH THE MOST DISTINCT AND MEMORABLE AND THEN HAVE BACKUP AS THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE.

AND LIKE I SAID, FOLLOW UP WITH INFORMATION.

DO NOT.

IT'S KIND OF THE OPPOSITE OF THINGS I'VE SAID BEFORE.

POINT OUT DEFICITS OR BE CRANKY ANGRY FRUSTRATED AS A PREDOMINANT ENTRY POINT.

IT WILL NOT YIELD WHAT YOU WANT, I PROMISE.

IT DOESN'T WITH ANYBODY BUT SO LEGISLATORS ARE NO EXCEPTION THERE.

AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF GAPS AND A LOT OF NEEDS.

BUT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE AND YOU CAN FOCUS ON THE AREAS THAT HAVE.

DON'T ASSUME THAT THEY KNOW THE POLICY ISSUES FOR WHICH YOU ARE REFERENCING.

LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE ON A LOT OF COMMITTEES.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD EDUCATION BACKGROUND EXCEPT FOR GOING TO SCHOOL BEFORE.

AND SO DON'T ASSUME THEY EVEN KNOW WHAT THE STARS FORMULA IS.

MAYBE SOME OF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STARS FORMULA IS.

IT'S THE FORMULA THAT FUNDS TRANSPORTATION.

IT STANDS FOR SOMETHING, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIG INTO THE BACK OF MY BRAIN RIGHT NOW TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS.

[00:40:03]

BUT ANYWAY. SO DON'T ASSUME THAT THEY KNOW POLICY ISSUES, THAT THEY KNOW BUDGET ISSUES, THAT THEY KNOW ACRONYMS, YOU KNOW, BE CONCISE, BE SLOW, AND START FROM BY ASKING QUESTIONS WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT.

DON'T TALK IN POLICY JARGON.

HOPE I HAVEN'T DONE TOO MUCH OF THAT MYSELF TONIGHT.

DON'T ASSUME THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU ASK OF THEM EVERY TIME YOU ASK IT OF THEM.

THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF COMPETING PRIORITIES.

DON'T DO ANYTHING BUT ANSWER A QUESTION WITH FACTS.

DON'T GUESS. PLEASE.

IT'LL MAKE YOU AN UNCREDITABLE SOURCE, AND THEREFORE THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO RELY ON YOU IN THE FUTURE.

AND DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW UP IF YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO.

REALLY IMPORTANT. DUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH AN EMAIL IN THE PARKING LOT RIGHT AWAY IF YOU HAVE TO BEFORE YOU EVEN GO WRITE IT, MAKE A NOTE ON YOUR HAND.

THAT'S WHAT I DO. SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE DO'S, SOME DO'S AND DON'TS AND TIPS AND STRATEGIES.

AGAIN I'VE BEEN TALKING.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THOSE.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

SO SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO EXERCISE INFLUENCE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.

CAN YOU PAINT THE PICTURE FOR WHAT ARE THE COMPETING PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SORT OF INFLUENCE OUR POSITION ON? YOU GOT IT. AND THEN HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR US AS A GROUP TO BE AWARE OF THOSE OTHER PRIORITIES THAT WE KNOW KIND OF WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST? THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS.

DO YOU MIND IF I GET THROUGH A COUPLE OF THESE SLIDES TO THE END, WHEN I WAS PLANNING ON TALKING ABOUT THAT.

OKAY, GOOD. I'VE GOT A COUPLE SLIDES SPECIFICALLY ON THAT TOPIC.

GREAT. SO MAYBE WITH THAT I'LL SKIM THROUGH THESE.

THESE SLIDES WILL BE A RESOURCE TO YOU.

IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF YOU ALREADY KNOW ALL THIS ANYWAY, BUT THE WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE, THE LEGISLATURE ONLINE WEBSITE IS VERY ROBUST.

THERE'S WAY MORE INFORMATION ON THERE THAN I THINK ANYBODY CAN POSSIBLY KNOW ABOUT OR FIND.

THERE ARE SOME REALLY COMMON TOOLS ON THERE THAT I USE IN MY WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.

FINDING A BILL, FINDING CONTACT INFORMATION FOR A LEGISLATOR, FINDING LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANCE, FINDING OUT WHAT COMMITTEES MEMBERS SIT ON, FINDING OUT WHAT BILLS THEY SPONSORED IN THE PAST.

ALL OF THAT IS ON THIS, THIS WEBSITE, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY INVITED SOME OF YOUR LEGISLATORS TO FUTURE MEETINGS.

YOU'LL KNOW ALL THESE THINGS ALREADY.

WHAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK THEM UP ON FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR, IT WILL ACTUALLY HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION.

THIS IS A SCREENSHOT FROM SENATOR WILSON'S LIKE JUST A LIST OF WHO ALL THE THE SENATORS ARE WITH HER NAME.

I PUT AN ARROW TO THE COMMITTEES THAT I THINK ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE EDUCATION SPACE FOR YOU TO BE AWARE OF.

ALL THREE OF YOUR LEGISLATORS SIT ON AT LEAST ONE REALLY IMPORTANT COMMITTEE AS IT RELATES TO EDUCATION.

EVEN IT'S NOT EDUCATION DIRECTLY.

SO WAYS AND MEANS WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY FUNDING WITHOUT WAYS & MEANS.

AND SHE'S THE RANKING MEMBER FOR THE OPERATING BUDGET ON THAT COMMITTEE.

THAT'S EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT.

THAT MEANS SHE HAS A LOT OF INFLUENCE AND PROBABLY HAS SOME UNDERSTANDING OF EDUCATION BUDGET ALREADY.

SENATE COMMITTEE. SO I'M JUST FOCUSED ON THE SENATE SIDE RIGHT NOW.

YOU'VE GOT EARLY LEARNING AND K-12.

WAYS & MEANS AND RULES.

I WOULD JUST SAY OF THE COMMITTEES, THERE ARE SO MANY MORE THAN THAT.

AND AT THIS DAY AND AGE, MANY OF THEM IMPACT K-12 HEALTH CARE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

SO THERE ARE SOME OUTSIDE OF THIS LIST.

BUT I WOULD SAY THESE ARE THE THREE KEY COMMITTEES ON THE SENATE SIDE THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT K-12 EDUCATION.

SO YOU'VE GOT A LEGISLATOR THERE ON WAYS & MEANS SPECIFICALLY, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT SOME OTHER COMMITTEES WHERE I DO THINK THAT REACHING OUT TO THEM AND LETTING THEM KNOW WHO YOU ARE IS IMPORTANT.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I RECEIVE VIA GAIL WAS, DOES IT MAKE ANY SENSE FOR YOU TO TRY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH LEGISLATORS THAT AREN'T YOURS, GIVEN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A LEGISLATOR THAT SITS ON THE EARLY LEARNING AND K-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE? I DO THINK IT MAKES SENSE NOT AS YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

I THINK YOU START WITH YOUR OWN LEGISLATORS.

YOU NEVER WANT TO ASK SOMETHING OF A LEGISLATOR OUTSIDE OF YOUR LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT THAT YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY BRIEFED YOUR OWN LEGISLATORS ON.

THEY DON'T LIKE THAT VERY MUCH.

BUT I THINK ESPECIALLY THE CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS AND RANKING MEMBERS OF THE EARLY LEARNING AND RULES COMMITTEE WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR YOU TO REACH OUT JUST TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF. SOME OF THEM WON'T BE RESPONSIVE BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT MOST LEGISLATORS THAT I AM AWARE OF WILL FOCUS ON THEIR OWN CONSTITUENTS.

BUT I HAVE HEARD SENATOR WELLMAN, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF EDUCATION, AND REPRESENTATIVE SANTOS, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF HOUSE EDUCATION, BOTH SAY THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THEY MAKE

[00:45:06]

DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE STATE.

SO I'VE HEARD A LOT OF LEGISLATORS SAY THAT BECAUSE ON THESE BIG COMMITTEES, THEY ARE MAKING ON EVERY COMMITTEE, THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE STATE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE REPRESENTING THEIR CONSTITUENTS SPECIFICALLY.

SO YOU'VE GOT A LIST THERE.

AND THEN I CAN ALWAYS HELP YOU FIND CONTACT INFORMATION IF YOU NEED.

YOUR REPRESENTATIVE WATERS, FAIRLY FRESHMAN, HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH HIM LAST SESSION ABOUT CAPITAL BUDGET.

HE SUPPORTS A SIMPLER MAJORITY.

I DON'T THINK WE CAN GET HIM DOWN TO 50%, BUT I THINK HE SUPPORTS 55 ANYWAY.

HE'S THE ASSISTANT RANKING MINORITY MEMBER, SO OH, THAT WAS ON ANOTHER COMMITTEE.

SORRY, BUT THE FACT THAT HE'S STILL FAIRLY FRESHMAN AND ALREADY GETTING MINORITY RANKING MINORITY MEMBER STATUS IS A GOOD SIGN.

REALLY WELL LIKED AMONG BOTH CAUCUSES AND HAD SOME REALLY NICE INTERACTIONS WITH HIM.

SO CAPITAL BUDGET THAT'S WHAT MAKES ALL THE DECISIONS FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS ON THE HOUSE SIDE OF THINGS.

AND THEN REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.

HE'S BACK ON EDUCATION.

HE WAS THERE BEFORE.

HE LEFT, HE CAME BACK AND HE'S ALSO ON APPROPRIATIONS.

SO HE'S ON TWO VERY IMPORTANT COMMITTEES AS IT RELATES TO EDUCATION.

AND SO I PUT HERE THE LINKS.

THESE ARE LINKS ACTUALLY THEY HAVE A THEY DON'T ORGANIZE THEIR PAGES THE SAME WAY THE SENATE DOES.

SO I JUST PROVIDED HYPERLINKS TO THEIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHICH IS A LONG LIST.

AND THESE ARE HYPERLINKS TO GO TO THOSE.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO TOO MUCH INTO RULES BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THOSE SECRET LITTLE MYSTERY COMMITTEES THAT'S HARD TO REALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO, BUT THEY ARE THEY ARE BASICALLY THE STOPGAP FOR EVERY BILL BEFORE IT GOES ON TO THE FLOOR.

SO RULES EXIST ON THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE SIDE.

THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF ATTENTION, AND PEOPLE DON'T ATTEND A LOT OF THEIR HEARINGS.

IT'S NOT WHERE A LOT OF THE ADVOCATES SHOW UP.

BUT IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY A BILL HASN'T BEEN VOTED ON BY THE FLOOR, BUT IT MADE IT OUT OF ITS POLICY COMMITTEE AND ITS BUDGET COMMITTEE, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S STUCK HERE IN RULES.

AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.

MAYBE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ENERGY PUSHING IT OUT.

MAYBE THERE'S NOT A LEGISLATOR CHAMPIONING IT TO PULL IT TO THE FLOOR FOR THE FULL BODY VOTE.

BUT OFTEN, WE SAY OFTEN RULES IS WHERE SOME BILLS GO TO DIE, SOMETIMES GOOD BILLS, SOMETIMES BAD BILLS.

BUT THAT'S WHEN THEY GO TO DIE.

THAT'S OFTEN WHERE THEY DIE.

ZEN RULES.

ADVOCACY RESOURCES.

I'M ALSO GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICK BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL HYPERLINKS, SO THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO CLICK ON AND EXPLORE.

AND IF YOU EVER WANTED TO FOLLOW UP FOR ME TO NAVIGATE, I COULD JOIN YOU VIA ZOOM AND AND NAVIGATE THROUGH ALL OF THESE.

WE'VE GOT A LEG REP PAGE.

WE'VE GOT A STUDENT REP PAGE.

DOES CAMAS HAVE A STUDENT REP ON THEIR BOARD? WE HAVE A STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

AND SO THEY PROVIDE REPORTS MONTHLY.

AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING IN SOME WORKSHOPS THIS YEAR.

BUT OUR BOARD HAS GONE THAT ROUTE.

YEP. GREAT. THAT'S GREAT.

SOME OF THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO YOU THERE.

WSSDA HAS A DAILY NEWS CLIPPINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY.

YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO THAT.

I'VE GOT AN INSTAGRAM PAGE THAT I FEED, PARTICULARLY DURING LEG SESSION, THAT GIVES YOU SOME ACTION ALERTS ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY BE COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS IF YOU WANT TO SEE CERTAIN THINGS MOVE FORWARD.

THESE ARE LINKS TO ALL OF THE ADVOCACY RESOURCES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

INSESSION IS A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER THAT WE SEND OUT EVERY FRIDAY.

I MENTIONED THE NETWORKING HOUR THAT'S AT NOON EVERY THURSDAY.

WE KEEP AN UPDATED BILL WATCH.

SO ALL THE BILLS THAT ARE IN PROGRESS ARE ON THIS BILL WATCH IT ORGANIZES THEM BY A LINK TO THE BILL, SPONSORS SHORT TITLE AND KIND OF WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.

A WEEKLY CALENDAR SO YOU CAN SEE WHICH HEARINGS ARE UP NEXT WEEK.

AND THEN YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO ME TOO.

SO LET'S SAY YOU DON'T WANT TO GO LOOK FOR ANY OF THIS STUFF.

YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT ME AND I CAN SHOOT YOU AN EMAIL DIRECTLY.

HAPPY TO DO THAT.

IT'S JOB SECURITY FOR ME.

A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL POSSIBLY, IS IF YOU WANTED TO DO A LOOK BACK ON THINGS THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED OR CAME OUT OF THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

I'M NOT GOING TO SHOW THAT TO YOU NOW, BUT IT'S THERE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED AND WANT TO GEEK OUT ON IT.

I DID A COUPLE COPY AND PASTE OF THE SCREENS OF THE WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE ONLINE, BUT DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.

THAT'S A FULL TRAINING IN AND OF ITSELF.

BUT IF YOU GO TO THIS MAIN WEBSITE, YOU WILL SEE THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING VIDEOS ALREADY ON IT.

SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO HOW TO FIND A BILL, THEY'VE GOT A ONE PAGER ON IT, THEY'VE GOT A VIDEO ON IT.

AND IF YOU NEED HELP FINDING THAT STUFF, I'M HAPPY TO DIRECT YOU TO IT.

[00:50:03]

ANOTHER RESOURCE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL IS HOW LEG REPS CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN THEIR ROLE AS A LEG REPS.

SO WE'VE GOT A ONE PAGER AND A BUNCH OF RESOURCES AROUND THAT.

LOOKING AHEAD. ALL RIGHT, NOW I'M GETTING TO YOUR QUESTIONS.

I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

ANYBODY FROM CAMAS.

I'LL BE THERE. YOU'LL ALL BE THERE. GREAT.

LOOK FORWARD TO IT. WE'LL SEE YOU THERE.

I'M DOING A PRE-CONFERENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON ADVOCACY SKILL BUILDING.

IT'S ABOUT FIVE HOURS IN DEPTH.

HAVEN'T DONE THAT BEFORE, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

MIGHT BE WEARING, LIKE A COOL OUTFIT FOR THAT.

PREPARING FOR THE.

SO WE'LL HAVE A SESSION ON PREPARING FOR 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THAT WILL BE AN HOUR AND A HALF, AND THEN A LEG REP NETWORKING HOUR SO FOLKS CAN COME TOGETHER AND LEARN.

ALL RIGHT. 2024 SESSION STARTS ON JANUARY 8TH, 60 DAYS LONG.

IT'LL BE SHORT.

IT'LL FEEL LONG, THOUGH ON SOME OF THOSE DAYS.

[LAUGHTER] THERE WILL BE MANY RETURNING BILLS.

IN FACT, ANY BILL THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH LAST SESSION BUT WAS INTRODUCED IS STILL ALIVE.

NOW IT'S STILL ALIVE, BUT IT'S GOT TO HAVE A CHAMPION TO BRING IT OUT OF SORT OF PURGATORY RIGHT NOW.

SO EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT STILL BE ALIVE, IT'S GOT TO HAVE ITS SPONSOR OR SOMEBODY ELSE WHO'S REALLY INTERESTED.

MAYBE IT'S A GROUP OF ADVOCATES PUSHING TO GET IT BACK ON HEARING CALENDARS.

IT'LL START WHERE IT ENDED.

SO IF IT MADE IT A LONG WAY THROUGH, IT'LL START FROM THE MOST RECENT PLACE IT ENDED.

SO BILLS THAT WENT A LONG WAY HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING ALL THE WAY THROUGH, EVEN IN A SHORT SESSION.

OUR HOUSE AND SENATE ARE DEMOCRAT MAJORITY.

THAT REMAINED THE SAME SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ELECTIONS FOR HOUSE AND SENATE.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME LEADERSHIP CHANGES.

YOU KNOW, SENATOR ROLFES WAS THE LONG TIME CHAIR OF WAYS & MEANS AND HAD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INSIGHT ON EDUCATION.

SHE LEFT TO GO TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

SO WE ANTICIPATE JUNE ROBINSON WILL BE ASSIGNED VOTED IN IN THAT ROLE.

NEXT YEAR IS AN ELECTION YEAR, WHICH MEANS THAT THINGS WILL BE REALLY INTERESTING FOR ALL OF US.

ALL OF THE SENATORS AND HALF OF THE REPRESENTATIVES WILL HAVE AN ELECTION NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT'S 75% OF THE LEGISLATIVE BODY IS LOOKING AHEAD TO THEIR ELECTION SEASON COMING UP.

AND THAT WILL MOST CERTAINLY INFLUENCE WHAT THEY DO AND DON'T VOTE FOR OR AGAINST.

AND THAT'S WHY HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM WILL BE HELPFUL, BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT WILL MOVE THEM.

MOST LIKELY, IF THEY VOTED FOR A BILL LAST SESSION, THOUGH, I CAN'T IMAGINE THEM TOO DISTINCTLY CHANGING THEIR POSITION.

BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS TO SUCH RULES.

SO GOOD TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT AND KNOW WHAT THEIR HISTORY IS ON VOTING ON BILLS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT.

THINGS THAT YOU'RE COMPETING WITH.

SO A LOT OF LEGISLATORS, INCLUDING THE CHAIRS OF THE ESPECIALLY THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, REPRESENTATIVE SANTOS WILL SAY IS A SHORT SESSION WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANY NEW POLICIES THIS YEAR.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'VE HEARD THAT EVERY SINGLE SESSION FROM A LOT OF LEGISLATORS, AND IT'S MORE TRUE THAN A LONG SESSION, BUT IT'S NOT TOTALLY TRUE.

SO WE CAN'T LET OUR GUARD DOWN.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT EDUCATION, WHILE IT IS THE PARAMOUNT DUTY OF OUR LEGISLATURE, THEY SOME OF THEM WILL TELL YOU WE'VE FULLY FUNDED FROM MCCLEARY.

WE GAVE YOU HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LAST YEAR ON SPECIAL EDUCATION.

WE EXPANDED SCHOOL MEAL OFFERING.

WE DID A LOT OF REALLY GREAT WORK FOR K-12.

IF YOU SIGN UP FOR THEIR NEWSLETTERS, YOU WILL HAVE SEEN SOME OF THAT ARTICULATED IN THERE.

THIS IS ALL THE STUFF THAT WE DID FOR K-12 IN 2023.

SO SOME OF THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A HINT OF WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO ATTEND TO.

THEIR CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS WILL CONTINUE, CLIMATE CHANGE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK ON THEIR WEBSITES OR GO TO THEIR TOWN HALLS OR LOOK AT THEIR NEWSLETTERS, THESE ARE THE ISSUES THEY'RE MOST FOCUSED ON.

IF THEY MENTION EDUCATION, IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE BOTTOM OFTENTIMES OF UNLESS THEY ARE LIKE THE EDUCATION CHAIR, THAT'S THEIR SHTICK.

SO YOU'RE COMPETING WITH REALLY BIG SOCIAL ISSUES IN AN ELECTION YEAR.

AND THEY ARE MORE LIKELY THAN NOT GOING TO VOTE WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO GET REELECTED.

I MEAN, JUST QUITE HONESTLY.

SO IT'S WHAT WE WILL ALL BE MANAGING.

AND THAT'S NOT A BAD THING FOR EDUCATION.

SOMETIMES NO POLICY IS THE BEST POLICY.

IF THEY JUST LEAVE US, LEAVE US ALONE FOR A YEAR AND STOP ENACTING ANY SORT OF UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT CAN BE A REAL THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE A GIFT.

AND WE DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME PUTTING BILLS DOWN.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T ADVERTISE OR MARKET, BUT SOMETIMES THE BEST ADVOCACY WORK IS ACTUALLY STOPPING A BILL FROM BECOMING A LAW.

[00:55:06]

PREJUDGMENT INTEREST WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT FROM LAST YEAR.

SO YEAH, YOU'RE COMPETING WITH BIG.

YOU'RE COMPETING WITH BIG ISSUE AREAS IN AN ELECTION YEAR WITH ONLY 60 DAYS AND A PROMISE OR COMMITMENT FROM A LOT OF LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP, THAT NEW POLICY AND NEW POLICY ISSUES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

IT WILL ONLY BE A CONTINUATION OF CONVERSATIONS ALREADY STARTED.

SO I KNOW THAT SOUNDS DISHEARTENING.

IF THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULDN'T TRY.

AND I ACTUALLY THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS STARTING OUR ADVOCACY FOR 2025, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS YOU CARE ABOUT NOW AND YOU WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IN THAT WAY, IT COULD BE TOO LATE.

SO YOU MIGHT NOT GET TRACTION ON IT IN 2024, BUT YOU SHOULD ALREADY BE TALKING ABOUT IT AND PRESENTING INFORMATION.

I'VE LISTED HERE SOME OF THE RETURNING EDUCATION BILLS.

THESE ARE ALL BILLS THAT WERE INTRODUCED LAST SESSION THAT GOT HEARINGS.

SOME PROGRESSED FURTHER THAN OTHERS, BUT I AM AWARE OF ONE OR MORE LEGISLATORS WHO INTEND TO DEFINITELY BRING IT BACK AND MOVE SOME KIND OF POLICY FORWARD ON THESE BILLS. WSSDA WEIGHED IN ON BEHALF OF MEMBERSHIP ON ALL OF THESE BILLS WE EITHER SIGNED IN, WHICH IS A MORE PASSIVE WAY TO SHOW SUPPORT OR CONCERN, OR WE PROVIDED TESTIMONY, WHICH IS A MUCH MORE ACTIVE WAY TO SHOW SUPPORT OR CONCERN.

YOU CAN IMAGINE SOME OF THESE BILLS DIDN'T PASS.

SO THERE WERE WE HAD QUITE A FEW CONCERNS ON SOME OF THEM, PARTICULARLY MANDATING ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR ALL SCHOOLS.

BACK INTEREST PAY ON PREVIOUS CLAIMS THROUGH PREJUDGMENT INTEREST.

WE ADVOCATED FOR SCHOOL MEALS.

THEY MADE MOVES ON THAT. BUT THEY GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

ANYWAY, TO BE CONTINUED.

AND THEN I'VE ALSO HEARD SOME CONVERSATIONS FROM LEGISLATORS BASED ON CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY'VE HAD WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT INCREASING FUNDING FOR PARAEDUCATORS.

WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR THAT TO BE EXPANDED TO ALL CLASSIFIED STAFF, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S NAMED IN THE PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL FUNDING MODEL.

SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOME BASELINE SALARY REQUIREMENTS FOR PARAEDUCATORS, WHICH WE WOULD GENERALLY SUPPORT BAKED INTO THE PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL FUNDING MODEL. SO IT'S A LONG LASTING SOLUTION, NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GUARANTEEING IN THIS ELECTION YEAR SAFETY NET DRAFT BILL FROM SENATOR BRAUN COMING FORWARD THAT WOULD ELIMINATE PENALTIES FOR ANY SORT OF ERRORS THAT ARE SUBMITTED WHEN YOU REQUEST SAFETY NET FUNDING.

RIGHT NOW, SOMETIMES THERE ARE ERRORS AND THEY JUST DENY YOU THE FUNDING.

BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING WITH SOME FEEDBACK YOU COULD HAVE CORRECTED AND RE SENT IN, AND THEREFORE ACCESS THE DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THE STUDENTS THAT NEED IT MOST. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.

I'VE HEARD RUMOR I HEAR IT EVERY YEAR THOUGH, ABOUT A 55% SIMPLE MAJORITY BILL, WHICH ACTUALLY ISN'T A SIMPLE MAJORITY.

IT'S JUST SIMPLER THAN 60 WSSDA HAS AN INTERESTING PLACE ON THAT, BECAUSE OUR POSITIONS VOTED ON BY OUR MEMBERS SPECIFICALLY SAYS WE ADVOCATE FOR A SIMPLE MAJORITY.

55% DOESN'T GET US THERE.

AND IF WE EXPEND ALL OF OUR POLITICAL CAPITAL ON THAT THIS SESSION, WE PROBABLY WON'T SEE A SIMPLE MAJORITY COME BACK FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

SO IT'S A REALLY HARD LINE TO WALK, BUT MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT.

AND THEN WE ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF JUST HOW CRIPPLING INSURANCE RATES INFLATION AROUND INSURANCE RATES HAS BEEN, AND REQUESTING THAT CHANGES TO THE MSOC BE MADE TO ADJUST FOR THE INFLATION IN THAT REGARD AND BAKE IT INTO THE MSOC SO IT'S NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO BE SWEPT UP BY BARGAINING PURPOSES.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAY BE COMPETING WITH, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN.

I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO LATE TO GET YOUR INTEREST AREAS IN.

IF YOU CAN TIE IT TO ONE OF THESE THINGS.

EVERYTHING THAT K12 DOES HELPS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.

WORK THAT WE DO CAN HELP IMPACT THE CLIMATE.

WE DEVELOP THE FUTURE WORKFORCE, AND WE CERTAINLY PROTECT THE SAFETY OF YOUNG PEOPLE FOR A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

SO ANYWAY, IF YOU CAN SHAPE SOME OF YOUR TALKING POINTS TO HOW IT RELATES TO SOME OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE LARGER BODY, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY TO GO. WSSDA'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.

I WAS A LITTLE BIT LATE COMING HERE BECAUSE I WAS OVER IN THE OTHER ROOM WITH THE WSSDA BOARD, WHO HOPEFULLY BY NOW HAS ADOPTED THE WSSDA 2024 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.

THEY ARE BASICALLY THE SAME AS THEY WERE LAST YEAR.

THAT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE INVESTED IN A LONG GAME.

[01:00:04]

WE'RE NOT FICKLE AND JUST RESPONDING TO SOME EMERGING ISSUE LIKE WE'VE GOT THE LONG GAME IN MIND.

AND REALLY ULTIMATELY IT MEANS WE NEED MORE STAFF IN OUR BUILDINGS.

WE NEED STABLE FUNDING.

THEY DIDN'T GO ALL THE WAY WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION.

WE NEED SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION TO BE MORE EQUITABLE STATEWIDE, AND WE NEED TO TRANSPORT AND FEED OUR STUDENTS.

SO. SO I THINK THAT'LL COME OUT AND HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS WEEK IT'LL CIRCULATE.

I'M GOING TO SKIP THROUGH. THERE'S A LINK IN HERE TO SOME OF THE OTHER MEMBER PRIORITIES, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE THEM ON YOUR PACKET.

REALLY NICE TO LOOK AT WHAT SOME OF YOUR OTHER EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS PRIORITIES ARE.

SO YOU CAN ALIGN MAYBE EVEN BORROW SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY USE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD IT'S A GOOD SENSE OF FLATTERY.

THAT'S ALL THAT I HAD PREPARED.

AND I THINK I'VE GONE LONGER THAN I WAS SUPPOSED TO.

SO MY APOLOGIES.

YOU ASKED SOME QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.

I WOULD BE INTERESTED NOW IN ONGOING.

WHAT KIND OF TOOLS AND RESOURCES WOULD BE VALUABLE TO YOU AS YOU START TO FORMULATE YOUR APPROACH TO ADVOCACY WORK? I'M HAPPY TO CREATE THINGS OR POINT YOU TO THINGS.

I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW I'M HERE AS A RESOURCE TO HELP SUPPORT AND SERVE YOU.

SO. QUESTIONS THAT YOU ARE HOPING TO GET ANSWERED THAT YOU DIDN'T THAT I HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ANSWER.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT BESIDES THE LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANCE, ARE THERE OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT KNOW OUR REPRESENTATIVES REALLY WELL SO WE CAN GET KIND OF LIKE THE QUICK AND DIRTY AS TO WHO THEY ARE AS PEOPLE AND KIND OF WHAT MOTIVATES THEM.

THERE'S SO MUCH COMPETING.

YEAH, WELL, I IMAGINE JOHN BELONGS TO WASSA PROBABLY, WHICH IS THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ORGANIZATION.

I MENTIONED, WASHINGTON STATE PTA.

THEY HAVE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS.

WE'VE GOT PRINCIPALS WITHIN YOUR SYSTEM WHO ARE MEMBERS OF AWSP.

SO I MEAN, COLLECTIVELY, THERE ARE A LOT OF US WHO HAVE VARYING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LEGISLATORS AND EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.

OF YOUR THREE, I HAVE THE THE BEST WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH PAUL HARRIS AND HAVE ONLY INTERACTED WITH REPRESENTATIVE WATERS ONCE, BUT IT WAS POSITIVE. SO THEY BOTH SEEM RECEPTIVE TO EDUCATION POLICY CHANGE AND HARRIS IN PARTICULAR.

BUT HE IS IN THE MINORITY PARTY.

RIGHT. BUT OFTEN WORKS ACROSS THE AISLE.

SO I THINK IS RESPECTED BY THE MAJORITY PARTY AS WELL.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IS I KNOW THAT WE PASS OUT LIKE JUST THEIR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER, BUT ALMOST LIKE A CHEAT SHEET OF EACH OF THEM, RIGHT? LIKE A ONE PAGER LIKE THIS IS PAUL HARRIS.

THIS IS THE COMMITTEE HE IS ON.

HE LIKES BLACK COFFEE AND HE, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

TOTALLY A ONE PAGER.

I USED TO WORK WITH BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CALPERS AND NEW YORK PERS.

AND SO YEAH, I HAD ALL THAT INFO AND I WAS THE ONE THAT DEVELOPED THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF THEIR ASSISTANTS.

AND YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THEIR NAME AND THEN THEIR, ASSISTANT.

AND THEN A FEW LITTLE FACTS ABOUT LIKE WHAT COMMITTEES THEY'RE ON AND HOBBIES, WHAT MY.

SURE. HOBBIES ARE, WHERE THEIR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

RIGHT. AND THEN YOU HAVE A ONE PAGER ON THEM.

FOR SURE.

I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, ARE THE COMMITTEES THAT THEY'RE ON AND THE BILLS THAT THEY'VE SPONSORED.

AND THERE'S NO SHORTCUT TO GETTING TO KNOW THEM YOURSELF ON THAT STUFF.

RIGHT? YEAH. JENNIFER HAS SO MUCH TO SAY.

JENNIFER, YOU CALL ME.

THERE'S THINGS YOU WANT TO ASK.

I KNOW. THIS IS LIKE MY FREAK FLAG, SO.

I'M SORRY. [LAUGHTER] THIS IS.

IF I COULD BE PAID TO DO THIS, I WOULD.

YOU CAN. YEAH.

OKAY, SO OUR OUR LITTLE PATCH, IT'S ONLY THREE REPRESENTATIVES OUT OF HOW MANY REPRESENTATIVES? 147.

147. TOTAL.

AND SO HOW MANY REPRESENTATIVES? WE NEED TO GET 55% ON BOARD.

AND IS IT WORTHWHILE TO START REACHING OUT TO THE COMMITTEE NOW? BECAUSE IN 2025, IT'S GOING TO BE A SHOWDOWN, RIGHT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I'M NOT REALLY GOOD AT MATH ON THE FLY, BUT YEAH, YOU NEED 50% PLUS ONE.

WHAT'S INTERESTING IS YOU WOULD THINK THAT DEMOCRATS WOULD SUPPORT A SIMPLE MAJORITY BECAUSE IT CREATES MORE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR K 12.

AND GENERALLY, YOU THINK DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF ADVANCES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.

I ACTUALLY HEAR MORE SUPPORT FROM REPUBLICANS ON SIMPLE MAJORITY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TAX ISSUE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY 55 IS A SWEET SPOT, BUT 50 IS NOT OKAY.

[01:05:02]

IT'S LESS OF A STATE IMPACT.

YEAH. IT'S INTERESTING.

I'LL GET YOU.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET EVERYBODY.

RIGHT. YOU JUST HAVE TO GET SOME KEY PLAYERS WHO INFLUENCE THE LARGER BODY.

YEAH. SOLET'S.

WE CAN KEEP TALKING.

WHAT ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? THEY'RE READY TO DIG INTO IT.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARISSA.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

ARE YOU GOING TO STICK AROUND FOR A FEW OR? I CAN. I CAN DO I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED PRIVACY OR I'M HAPPY TO STICK AROUND.

I THINK WE TRUST YOU NOW. YEAH. OKAY, GOOD.

AS LONG AS YOU WANT.

SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN.

GREAT. ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT STEP IS TO TO MARISSA'S POINT, WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT OVER THIS LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS SINCE WE SAW YOU LAST.

WE HAVE SOME SOME PRETTY GOOD INFORMATION FOR YOU.

AS SHE SAID, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME CARRY OVER FROM ONE ORGANIZATION TO THE NEXT.

AND I'D LIKE TO KIND OF TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO EXPLORE THOSE AND THEN SEE IF WE CAN NARROW IT DOWN TO THE LARGER POINTS THAT MARISSA TALKED ABOUT, BUT ALSO SOME THINGS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO CAMAS.

SO DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET THAT OUT OR JUST GO TO THE PROTOCOL.

OH, OKAY. GREAT.

ALL RIGHT. SO I'LL PASS IT OFF TO YOU.

AND HOWEVER WE WANT TO DO THAT.

THERE WE GO. SO WE WANT TO BREAK INTO THREE GROUPS.

AND ONE GROUP OVER HERE BY THE FRONT ONE OVER HERE.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S SOME PAPER UP ON THE WALL WITH SOME PENS ON ONE OF THE CHAIRS.

IF YOU COULD TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES AND COME UP WITH YOUR WHAT YOU ALL THINK IN YOUR GROUP ARE THE PRIORITIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOVED FORWARD, AND THEN LIST THEM UP ON THE SHEET OF PAPER.

AND THEN WHEN WE COME BACK TOGETHER, THEN WE'LL TRY TO COMBINE THOSE DOWN TO ONE LIST.

ANY QUESTIONS? HOW DO WE WANT TO BREAK IT UP? I WAS JUST HOPING YOU WOULD ALL JUST KIND OF SEPARATE YOURSELVES.

ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE. TWO.

THREE. YEAH. NO.

I DON'T KNOW.

MIC] ONE COPY OF EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THE GOOGLE DRIVE.

YEAH, I READ THROUGH ALL THAT TODAY.

OKAY. WOW. I READ THROUGH ABOUT HALF OF IT.

[01:36:15]

MIC]

[01:50:12]

THE LARGER PRIORITIES FROM OUR REGION.

[01:50:17]

SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR POSTER, THOSE ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME PRIORITIES FROM THE CAMAS 2023.

[01:50:25]

WE JUST THINK THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH THAT.

[01:50:27]

SO JENNIFER OR ANYBODY FROM THE TABLE, DO YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT.

[01:50:32]

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE OUR POSTER OVER THERE.

[01:50:36]

WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF OVERLAP IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SPECIAL ED, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME THINGS THAT ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE AS WELL.

[01:50:44]

I HAD MENTIONED SOCIAL WORKERS AND AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH PEOPLE LIKE DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELORS, WHICH WE'RE HEARING IS A NEED AT OUR SECONDARY LEVELS.

[01:50:54]

AND THEN SPED WOULD BE MORE OF YOUR SCHOOL SITES, PARA SUPPORT AND PEOPLE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS SERVED ON AN IEP. AND THEN THE FUNDING FACTOR, WE KNOW THAT CAMAS IS CONTINUING TO LOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DUE TO THE REGIONALIZATION CHANGE FORMULA CHANGE. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE LANDED.

I HATE TO BE BORING, BUT WE ENDED PRETTY MUCH SIMILAR TO 2023.

JENNIFER, DID YOU WANT TO ADD OR ANYBODY FROM OUR GROUP? PERFECT. I MEAN, WE'RE KIND OF PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.

REGIONALIZATION WAS OUR BIGGEST ONE, TRYING TO MOVE US BACK UP TO IT SOUNDED LIKE TIER TWO, OR AT LEAST INCREASE IT TO SOME REGARD. AND THEN SPECIAL SERVICES.

SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING WAS BASICALLY OUR OTHER SECOND PRIORITY.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.

YEAH. AND I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY GET AROUND THESE.

AND I THINK IT'LL BE GOOD FOR OUR LEGISLATORS ON THE 20TH TO HEAR A SIMILAR MESSAGE THAT THEY'RE HEARING FROM OTHER PLACES.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE STRONGER.

SORRY, CAN I JUST CLARIFY? ONE THING IS THAT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT WAS THAT WE TALKED WITH DEREK ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HELP CAMAS SO WHAT WOULD HELP CAMAS.

AND ONE THING DEREK TALKED ABOUT WAS INCREASING THE PER PUPIL SPECIAL ED FUNDING.

RIGHT. AND SO IF WE CAN BE VERY SPECIFIC WHEN WE'RE SAYING DON'T JUST INCREASE SPECIAL ED FUNDING BECAUSE SOME OF THE FACTORS OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE GOING TO HELP OTHER DISTRICTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO HELP US.

BUT IF WE CAN SAY THINGS LIKE, WE NEED THE INCREASED PUPIL COST FOR SPECIAL ED TO BE INCREASED, THAT IS SOMETHING DIRECTLY THAT WOULD HELP US.

SO. THANK YOU.

CAN I ASK A QUESTION REGARDING THAT? DO YOU KNOW IF HIGH CAP KIDS AT ALL FALL INTO THAT SPECIAL ED FUNDING? I'LL DEFER THAT TO JOHN OR ERIC.

I ASK BECAUSE WE NOTICED AS PARENTS THAT OUR HIGH CAP KIDS HAVE A LOT OF CROSSOVER INTO LIKE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING AND THINGS THAT THEN CAN ALSO RELATE TO MENTAL HEALTH.

YEAH. SO THAT WAS WHY I WAS ASKING.

I DON'T HAVE SPECIFICS, BUT I SO OSPI DID THE LEGISLATURE DID ALLOCATE $33,800,000 IN 2023 FOR HIGH CAP STUDENTS.

I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT'S ALLOCATED.

I KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A POSITION THAT'S FUNDED BY THAT.

I THINK IT'S A GRANT.

I'M ALMOST POSITIVE IT'S AN OSPI GRANT THAT WE APPLY FOR AND GET ANNUALLY TO SUPPORT HIGH CAP STUDENTS.

IT'S NOT THE SAME MECHANISM THAT'S USED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT THAT I'M AWARE OF.

AND AND THAT POSITION IS SUPPORTED AND SERVES UNDER TEACHING AND LEARNING, WHICH IS LISA GRESETH, NOT ALAN IN SPECIAL SERVICES.

SO I CAN RESEARCH THAT MORE FOR YOU.

BUT MY FIRST GUT INSTINCT IS THAT IT'S SEPARATE.

IT'S SEPARATE. BUT I DO THINK IF WE COME UP WITH A TAGLINE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING, AND THIS IS WHAT WOULD HELP IF IT WAS LIKE FUNDING AND HIGH CAP OR WHATEVER, LIKE WHAT WOULD HELP US.

RIGHT? AND SO WHEN WE'RE SAYING WE WANT TO FULLY FUND SPECIAL EDUCATION OR, OR MORE MONEY FOR SEL, LIKE WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS THAT? YES, I AGREE.

AND ALSO OUR MTSS COORDINATOR, CHERIE, WORKS UNDER ALAN AND REBECCA IN SPECIAL SERVICES, AND THOUGH HER POSITION IS NOT FUNDED BY SPECIAL EDUCATION, SHE DOES A LOT OF WORK IN THAT AREA.

[01:55:01]

SO BASICALLY PROVIDING THOSE INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS, WHICH THEN KIND OF DOVETAILS INTO OUR HIGH CAP STUDENTS.

SO I WOULD AGREE, I THINK THERE IS A COMBINATION OR A CORRELATION.

IT'S JUST NOT NECESSARILY KNOWN TO OUR LEGISLATORS.

THAT'S PRETTY IN THE WEEDS.

YEAH. FROM FROM MY RESEARCH LEGALLY THAT YEAH, IT FALLS INTO THE SAME CATEGORY.

BUT YEAH, FINANCIALLY IT DOES NOT.

OKAY. SO, GAIL, ARE WE ARE WE PLANNING TO MEET ONCE MORE BEFORE THE 20TH OF NOVEMBER OR THIS WILL BE IT.

SO WHAT WE MAY HAVE TO DO IS, IS MAYBE HAVE A SMALL SUBGROUP MEET BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO SEE IF WE COULD WORK TOGETHER ON THE LANGUAGE. AND THEN I WOULD SAY DOREEN IF WE CAN MAYBE GET WITH YOU.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF ESD 112 WANTS TO HELP US PUT TOGETHER A DOCUMENT, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD TOO.

SO I'M WONDERING IF THE NEXT STEP COULD BE IF SOMEBODY FROM THIS GROUP WOULDN'T MIND SPEAKING TO THE BOARD ON NOVEMBER 13TH. WE HAVE A ONE OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS DURING OUR WORKSHOP IS LEVY AND ANOTHER IS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.

SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S SOMEONE THAT COULD HELP WITH SOME LANGUAGE BETWEEN NOW AND THE 13TH BRING IT.

HELP ME BRING IT TO THE BOARD.

AND THEN THEY COULD GO OVER AND SEE IF THEY AGREE WITH THESE PRIORITIES, OR WANT TO TWEAK THEM AND THEN HELP US PREPARE FOR THE 20TH.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO ALL JUMP UP NOW.

BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU WANT TO REACH OUT AT SOME POINT, MAYBE THIS WEEK, JUST TO SAY, HEY, I'D LOVE TO HELP YOU WITH THE WORDING, MAYBE HELP DESIGN A FLIER AND THEN GET TO THE WORKSHOP WITH US.

I KNOW I'M GOING TO PROBABLY BE TAPPING A COUPLE OF YOU FOR THE THE LEVY CONVERSATION TOO WHICH ARE CO-MINGLED IN SOME WAY.

SO I THINK THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY BEEN TO BOARD MEETINGS BEFORE AND SOME OF YOU HAVEN'T, BUT THE WORKSHOPS ARE A LITTLE MORE CASUAL, I'LL JUST SAY, BECAUSE WE SIT IN LIKE A TABLE LIKE THIS. SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE STANDING UP THERE.

IT'S MORE CONVERSATIONAL.

SO IF YOU WANT TO COME SIT IN AT A WORKSHOP, IT'S PRETTY EASY.

I'VE ALREADY TAPPED THOMAS TO TALK ON THE LEVY.

SO HATE FOR YOU TO HAVE TO DO DOUBLE WORK.

SO IF THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO DO THAT, YOU'RE THERE.

YEAH. AND JUST LET ME LET ME KNOW.

I'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU THERE.

GET THE CONVERSATION GOING.

AND I JUST WANT TO BE, I THINK, AS PREPARED AS POSSIBLE FOR WHEN THE LEGISLATORS COME ON THE 20TH SO THAT WE LOOK ORGANIZED.

AND I LOVE THAT MARISSA COMPLIMENTED US ON KIND OF BREAKING THE MOLD HERE.

THAT'S PRETTY NEAT. AND SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NICE, SOLID, COLLECTIVE VOICE.

SO SO WITH THAT SAID, THAT'S ALL I HAD TONIGHT.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.