Mayor Harrell visits
May 12, 2023
The PTA brought Mayor Harrell, Superintendent Jones, and City of Seattle Director of Education Chappell to
Washington State PTA policy priorities
Focus areas this year include:
Addressing the Student Mental Health Crisis
Washington State PTA shall support legislation or policies that ensure all students have access to the behavioral and mental health resources they need to thrive, including funding for: • Reduced ratios of students to mental health professionals. • Programs and incentives to recruit, train, and retain mental health professionals. • Resources to assist families. • Training and support for educators and administrators.
Addressing Critical Gaps in Education Funding
Washington State PTA shall advocate for legislation or policies that help resolve critical education funding gaps and inequities with predictable, progressive, and sustainable revenue sources including, but not limited to: • Resources for students needing additional academic/physical/emotional supports. • Services for students with disabilities. • Categorical funding to support highly mobile students. • Student transportation. • Unfunded mandates to school districts. • School construction.
Preventing and Reducing Gun Violence
Washington State PTA shall support legislation or policies that prevent and reduce gun violence and suicide including: • Addressing the disproportionate impact on BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. • Funding community-based prevention and intervention programs. • Promoting safe storage of medication and firearms. • Prohibiting the sale or transfer of military-style assault weapons.
Addressing Supports in Special Education
Washington State PTA shall advocate for legislation or policies that support students with disabilities and their families by: • Fully funding special education services with no caps on funding enrollment. • Developing solutions to address a statewide special education staffing shortage. • Promoting full inclusion in general education classrooms. • And more.
Building and Maintaining Safer School Facilities
Washington State PTA shall advocate for legislation or policies that: • Fund school safety changes, including emergency signs, improving indoor air quality and other environmental hazards, seismic upgrades, and an earthquake early warning system in all schools. • Require safety plans to include persons with disabilities and all people in school buildings, and to conduct annual emergency reunification training. • Increase the transparency of the condition of school facilities to allow public review.
National PTA priorities
As the nation's oldest and largest child advocacy association, National PTA is committed to ensuring that our nation enacts legislation that supports each and every child. National PTA advocates on Capitol Hill for every child with one voice. National PTA’s Public Policy Priorities for the 118th Congress are: • Family Engagement in Education • Federal Investments in Education • Gun Safety and Violence Prevention • Child Nutrition • Safe, Supportive and Inclusive Schools • Investing in School Infrastructure
