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Leadership Development
WSSDA offers training programs, events and tools developed to maximize leadership and governance abilities for improved student learning. These services provide practical strategies and resources to help your board and superintendent function as a high-performing team. Because WSSDA is the only organization representing the…
Policy & Legal
WSSDA can help your district stay on track with the most current policies and legal developments. We offer a variety of services and publications to support effective school district governance. Free Member Services Staff members are available via telephone and email to provide timely…
Strategic Advocacy
Led by education policy professionals, WSSDA’s strategic advocacy branch exists to: WSSDA’s advocacy platform is comprised of legislative and permanent positions adopted at General Assembly that reflect the beliefs, values, and interests of Washington’s 1,477 school board members.To support all Washington school boards, WSSDA’s…
Elevating Student Voice: Adding Student Representation to School Boards
Student Perspective What is the one thing that only a student can provide to a school board? Perspective. The forces that shape a generation, such as radio, television, the internet, cell phones, social media, change over time. Only a K-12 student can tell you…
A FREE and Effective Resource to Strengthen Board-Superintendent Teams
Early in the year is a great time for school boards to assess their performance with WSSDA’s free online Board Self-Assessment Survey. The benefits of the survey include: Post-survey, WSSDA also has an excellent process to help board-superintendent teams unpack the results and make sense of…
WSSDA Signs on to Joint Statement about Funding for Special Education, Meals, Transportation, and School Staff
Yesterday, WSSDA Executive Director Tim Garchow signed on to a joint statement published by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The statement calls for the Legislature to invest in special education, meals, transportation, and school staffing. The leaders who signed the…
School Board Legislative Representatives Lead the Way
School boards select a president or vice president, but did you know they also select a legislative representative or “leg rep”? School board leg reps monitor legislation that could impact public schools and inform their board of emerging issues and advocacy opportunities. They also…
January is School Board Recognition Month
Serving students requires the expertise and compassion of many people with many forms of expertise, but in this month, let’s take the opportunity to express gratitude to our school board members. They are a vital link between the local community and the school district. …
Get the Winter 2022 Issue of WSSDA Direct
Whether you peruse the magazine, or read the PDF, we hope you enjoy the Winter 2022 issue of Direct. And if you like it, feel free to share it with a friend. Inside, you’ll find a spotlight on Nikki Otero Lockwood, a feature article…
A Unifying Voice: School Board Directors Plan Advocacy for Washington’s 2023 Legislative Session
You need to be an optimist to advocate. And in about 60 days, a lot of optimists will converge on Olympia when Washington state’s 2023 legislative session begins. When it does, Washington’s 1,477 school board members will have a one-page document to complement their…