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…
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…
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…
School directors, board-superintendent teams, student leaders, educators, and subject-matter experts are all invited to submit breakout session proposals to share their experiences and voices with conference attendees. Not every presenter has to be an “expert” or have all the solutions, as long as what…
The theme of WSSDA’s 2024 annual conference, “Perspective,” invites us to embark on a profound exploration of the many lenses through which we perceive the world. In the realm of education, where our communities (and our boards) encompass a wide array of voices, navigating…
The Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) has begun looking for a successor to Tim Garchow, who will resign from the executive director position on June 30, 2024. Garchow has accepted a role with the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) as their new assistant executive…
Written by David S. Knight, an associate professor of education finance and policy at the University of Washington. This article appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of WSSDA Direct. Visit wssda.org/direct to see all the latest issues of WSSDA’s newsmagazine. Our state’s K-12 school system provides excellent…
During the summer, most schools across the country stand silent at night while their students are on break. But in Tacoma Public Schools, when the sun went down, its schools became the favorite hangout spot of kids across the city. Last summer, every weeknight…
The feature stories of this issue focus on the public education finance system of Washington state and a remarkable paradigm shift in the community of Tacoma for safeguarding their youth with summer programming. Read all about it in our latest issue of WSSDA’s Direct…
Four school directors began 2024 as the newest members of the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) Board of Directors. A fifth person was appointed later and a new president and president-elect were sworn in at the WSSDA Annual Conference. The elected board members…