Dear Families and Educators,

Spring is here! That means charter school enrollment and renewal season is upon us! Spread the word about your child’s school and others around the state.

Invite families to enroll their students by sharing these links with your communities:

• For charter schools in Eastern & Western Washington: https://charterschool.wa.gov/our-charter-public-schools/

• For charter schools in the Spokane Public School District: https://www.spokaneschools.org/page/charter-school-authorization

Eric’s IEP & SPED Tips

Empower your child by learning about inclusive language and advocating for neurodiversity-affirming goals in their IEP. Instead of focusing solely on ‘fixing’ challenges, work with the team to build strengths-based goals that respect your child’s unique way of thinking and learning.

For example, instead of a goal that says, 'The student will make eye contact when speaking,' a neurodiversity-affirming version could be, 'The student will use a preferred communication method (e.g., verbal speech, written responses, or gestures) to engage in conversations.' 

Words matter—using affirming language helps create a supportive environment where your child can thrive as they are.

Each month, we will feature a new tip from our IEP & SPED Advocate, Eric Willard. If you need support or advocacy, please reach out to him: [email protected]

Family Advocacy In Action

Do you know who to contact if your child is having a problem at school? Maybe you have talked to your child’s teacher and you still feel unsettled about the problem. Do you know who to contact next or what your next step should be?

Foundational to advocating for your child is building important relationships with teachers, school leaders, and administrators at your child’s school. In the Family Meeting Toolkit, we talk about strategies for building relationships at school to best advocate for the needs of your child. 

Reach out to us if you would like to learn more about this and many other important topics by bringing the Family Meeting Toolkit to your school via [email protected] or our Connect with Us form.

Upcoming Community Events

Des Moines Youth Summit

Future Forward: Hustle & Heart

Join us for an empowering, fun, and educational afternoon designed especially for youth in middle school and high school. Best of all, it’s completely free to attend!

When: Saturday, May 3rd, 11:00 am-4:00 pm

Where: Why Not You Academy, 22419 Pacific Highway South, Des Moines, WA 98198

Washington Charter School Association

Charter School Funding Advocacy Day in Olympia

Join parents, students, community leaders, and educators on April 11^th to encourage lawmakers to maintain funding for charter public school students.

When: Friday, April 11, 2025, 10:00 am-2:00 pm
Location: Washington State Capitol, Olympia, WA

Details: They have space for 150 advocates and are prioritizing charter school parents and children to come and show their support for charter public schools.

Each adult in attendance will be provided with a $100 stipend for the day.

Registration:  https://wacharters.org/fund-our-students/ Everyone attending must register (this includes students and siblings).

Agenda: (Detailed agenda provided to registered participants and will include information relating to):

• Onboarding and Training Location

• Rally and Press Conference Talking Points

• Parent and Student Advocate Lunch

• Connecting with State Legislators

Washington State Charter School Commission

April’s Hybrid Bimonthly Meeting

The Charter School Commission meetings are open to the public. Families and community members are invited to attend and provide public comment if they’d like to. Attending meetings is a valuable way to stay connected to what is going on in the charter sector in Washington state.

When: Thursday, April 3rd, 10:00 am-1:45 pm

Where: Olympic Educational Service District, 105 National Ave N, Bremerton, WA 98312

Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3607255511| Dial (646) 558-8656 | Meeting ID 360 725 5511

• Agenda

• Meeting Materials

Want to talk to WAFAB?

Want to talk with a fellow parent about concerns with your student’s education? Let us know! We can chat confidentially with you one-on-one or host a small group online (and sometimes in person) and help you come up with an advocacy action plan. Click here to connect with us.

That’s all for now, we’ll see you next month!

WA FAB