Category: Newsletter

October has kept our team quite busy. We’re pushing hard to fight back against extremists who aim to take over school boards to bank books and harm queer students. However, it’s been reassuring to have supporters reach out and volunteer their time to help and keep our schools safe! Working together has given us the strength and energy to keep striving for positive change. We hope you’ll continue to stay connected and lend us your voice as we shift to legislative advocacy later this fall! 

OCTOBER highlights

Save The Date: Stand WA Community Town Hall on Nov. 29th!

In preparation for the 2024 legislative session, we’re holding a virtual Community Town Hall to premiere our legislative agenda. We want to hear from you about the education issues you’re seeing in your community. Early registration is available. More information is coming soon!

State Funding Update: 9th Grade Success Initiative

State Funding Update: 9th Grade Success Initiative

9th grade is a make-or-break year and how well a 9th grader performs this first year can impact whether they graduate or not. So we’re thrilled to share with you that The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) included a request for $2.9 million for the 9th Grade Success Initiative in their 2024 supplemental budget priorities! This means OSPI believes this initiative is a priority.

Governor Inslee is reviewing all agency budget requests and will release a proposed budget in December. Tell Gov. Inslee 9th grade matters! Lawmakers will consider the Governor’s budget during the 2024 legislative session in January.

• What We’ve Been Reading: WA Board of Education sets its priorities for next legislative session (Columbian)

Do you know any 9th graders? We want to hear from you! 

Many of your neighbors have already voted, have you?

With school boards as targets for extremist takeovers, we’re expecting record turnout in school board races this year, so turn in your ballot soon! It takes less than 10 minutes to vote and our kids need you to protect their futures. Share our endorsed candidate list with friends and family in Ferndale, North Kitsap, Central Kitsap, South Kitsap, Mead, Richland and Wenatchee school districts!

• What We’ve Been Reading: National culture wars on race, LGBTQ+ rights come to WA schools (Crosscut)

September marks a new school year, and the start of a new fiscal year at Stand, so we’re extending a momentous thank you to all of our supporters. Whether you’re a volunteer, community member, donor or partner organization, your commitment to education equity inspires us everyday and we couldn’t do our work without you. For a recap of our work from the past year, view our FY 23 report!

september highlights

Are you a superintendent, school administrator, school board member, or educator who is interested in supporting equity in advanced coursework? Join us to kickoff our newest cohort on driving equitable enrollment. Registration is free and open now! Register by October 13th to enter to win a $100 gift card!

School Board Elections Update

ICYMI: Through our Stand for Children Washington PAC, our endorsements are live! You can view and share the announcements on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

We are hosting volunteer phone banks on October 4 and 11 and need your help! Join us to call voters and get the word out about pro-equity, student-centered candidates who are pushing back against an extremist agenda. Learn more and sign up for your spot to make a positive impact.

Updates From Partners

1. October 8th – League of Education Voters: Youth Advocacy Summit & Fall Fest at Highline College. Register Online. 
2. Our partners at TeamChild have back to school legal support available. If you or a student you know needs additional education support or advocacy, you can access the Youth Education Law Collaborative (YELC) hotline.

What We’re Reading

• A new report from the Washington Roundtable: Projected Decline in Credential Attainment Demands Bold Action and media coverage from The Seattle Times
• A new blog series from ACLU WA “Home Safe” and their first piece: Moving away from being tough on crime: How do we build resilient, safe communities?
• ICYMI: Our high school Communications Intern published Perspectives: The state of Washington dual credit courses today

With this month’s heatwave and families preparing for back to school– I can imagine you’ve been busy staying cool, foraging for school supplies, designing college dorm rooms, or all of the above! In this month’s edition of Stargazing with Stand, we’re sharing volunteer opportunities and a new blog article.

AUGUST highlights

Staff Spotlight: Carolina

What We’ve Been Up To

• Our high school Communications Intern published Perspectives: The state of Washington dual credit courses today – a great read for students and parents!
• Legal financial obligation changes went into effect July 1, 2023. Check out our 1-pager to learn how the law impacts fines and fees. 

Volunteering: School Board Elections

Last week, we launched our candidate endorsement process through our Stand for Children Washington PAC. We look forward to sharing the endorsements with you next month, but right now we still need your help! It is our responsibility as parents, community members, and school board members to come together to safeguard our children’s freedom to learn and thrive.

Ways to Get Involved:

1. Are you registered to vote?
2. Volunteer with us! Opportunities include: participating in endorsement interviews, making phone calls or sending texts to voters in support of endorsed candidates!

Cheers,

Ciarra Crowe
Marketing and Communications Manager
Stand for Children Washington