With the passage of SB 5044 in the 2021 legislative session, school directors are required by law to receive training on the topics of equity, inclusion, and cultural proficiency as they relate to education. WSSDA is required by that same law to develop and provide such training.
Our educational equity trainings will give directors the background knowledge necessary to support the delivery of programs and services that benefit every corner of their school districts.
Washington state’s 1,477 school directors oversee the education of more than 1.1 million K-12 students. That comes with a tremendous responsibility to ensure that our public education system serves all students and their families.
To help directors shoulder that responsibility, WSSDA offers courses that give school directors an even deeper appreciation of many aspects of their role, including but not limited to:
- their positions within the American electoral and legal systems
- the strengths and challenges faced by students and families of different backgrounds
- their responsibilities as leaders of their community and in the public education system
- how our own beliefs and actions can impact the students we serve
With new or deepened perspectives, school directors will gain the background knowledge necessary to support the delivery of programs and services that benefit every corner of their school districts. The courses also satisfy requirements outlined in Washington Senate Bill 5044, which became law in July 2021.
What are the Training Requirements?
To meet legislated requirements, directors need to take two courses early in their service, then one course per subsequent term of office. We refer to that as “initial” professional development and “continuing” professional development. Read more below and here is a one-page PDF overview of the program.
Initial Requirement
- 5 hours of training
Within two years of taking office, each elected or appointed school director must take any two of WSSDA’s educational equity trainings, each lasting 2.5 hours.
Continuing Requirement
- 2.5 hours of training
After completing the initial requirement, directors will need to take one elective training per subsequent term.
Not Just “Training”
OnBoard trainings are called “learning experiences” because of their format. Participants usually talk more than the instructor/facilitator. During a training, participants will:
- stand to perform activities
- walk around the room to see displays of various materials
- converse with multiple people, even when it’s offered virtually
More than a mere training, they are interactive experiences where learning occurs naturally.
What’s Available
Below are all the learning experiences developed so far, through a process in which school directors also play a role. We continuously evaluate the needs of school directors and are gradually increasing the variety of topics available. Here’s our growing catalog: