Legislative Advocacy Series: Engaging Effectively During the Legislative Session-WASBO Engaging Effectively During the Legislative Session

WASBO Engaging Effectively During the Legislative Session - 10.21.26

Pdf Summary

The WASBO presentation offers practical guidance for school business officials engaging with legislators during Washington’s 2027 legislative session, which begins January 11. Effective advocacy should happen before a hearing, vote, or budget decision and combine one verified local fact, its impact on students or district operations, and a specific request.<br /><br />Officials can participate by recording a position in PRO, CON, or OTHER; testifying in person or remotely; submitting written testimony; or contacting legislators directly. For a 60-second testimony, introduce yourself and state your position, share one district data point, explain the impact, and make a clear request.<br /><br />Districts should keep current, sourced information ready on enrollment, revenues, staffing, benefit costs, special education, transportation, and other financial pressures. A one-page impact brief can summarize the bill or proposal, the district’s local data, why it matters, and the requested action.<br /><br />When responding to advocacy alerts, officials should clarify the requested action and deadline, verify the bill and committee details, gather one or two relevant facts, take action, and report back. Communications should be concise, locally grounded, and actionable. The presentation also encourages sharing permission-cleared stories about positive student experiences alongside district data.<br /><br />Suggested preparation before January 11 includes identifying legislators, preparing district data, creating an impact brief, and selecting a positive story to share. Resources include leg.wa.gov, the legislative district finder, and OurFutureOurSchools.org.

Keywords

WASBO

Washington legislative session

school business officials

legislative advocacy

district data

student impact

testimony

impact brief

education funding

local fact