The AWSP Legislative Platform

Principal leadership matters.

AWSP exists to ensure that every student in our schools has highly effective, visionary, gap-closing, and sustainable building leadership.

Sustainable organizational change takes time.

Education reform policies enacted over the past 15 years have resulted in a complex environment for principals with no redefinition of their role.

There is great efficiency in creating and supporting strong leaders.

We must support the sustainability and effectiveness of school leaders by increasing the staffing allocation for principals and ensuring proper compensation in order to reduce turnover, specifically in the schools where leadership is needed most.

We urge the 2021 Legislature to address the following short-term needs while keeping in mind the long-term needs that should be addressed as the economy recovers from this pandemic.

• Maintain stable support for enrollment, pupil transportation, and programs supported with high poverty funds in order to sustain critical programs and staffing for students.

• Immediately pass legislation to provide the State Board of Education with the authority to establish an emergency waiver program to allow school districts to waive certain graduation requirements on an individual student basis.

• Fund administrative internship and mentorship programs as an efficient and critical means of supporting school leadership.

• Support initiatives that increase and integrate mental, behavioral, and physical health support for students.

• Create terms for a more collaborative relationship between school districts and colleges and universities in Washington so that there are more fair and equitable dual credit options for both school districts and the high school students they serve.

• Provide capital and operational support for outdoor learning centers in order to prevent permanent loss of capacity.