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Director Kelly summarizes legislative session takeaways: transitional kindergarten, family language and training concerns
Summary
Director Kelly reported on a recent model‑policy/legislative meeting (referred to in the transcript as WASDA) and highlighted debate over transitional kindergarten limits, wording on 'parents' vs. 'families', and concerns about unfunded governance training mandates.
Director Kelly, the district’s board representative at the state model‑policy meeting, summarized the meeting’s deliberations and several resolutions the delegation considered.
Kelly said the meeting was shorter and more focused than in past years and that the committee pared a long list of proposed resolutions down to about 27. She described disagreements on particular items and noted how local perspectives shaped debate: "There was an amended proposal for transition to kindergarten, and this would have limited transitional kindergarten. Districts would not be able to expand or add it." Kelly said delegates discussed a related amendment from districts with differing local needs.
Kelly also described a debate over language changing "parents" to "families" in a resolution. "There's a fair amount to that," she said, explaining some delegates preferred "families" to better include guardians, grandparents and other caregiving arrangements.
On governance training, Kelly said she supports training but reported concerns from some directors that a legislative requirement could become an unfunded mandate for districts. "If the state wants us to be trained, do it during our WASDA sessions..." she said, summarizing objections about cost and implementation.
Kelly said she will circulate the committee’s prioritized resolutions to the local board and student representatives when the packet is available so the district can choose its top priorities for advocacy in Olympia.
No board action was taken on the legislative priorities at the meeting.
