Last week was quite eventful for the Graduate Tacoma community. Thank you to our incredible partners for making our first inaugural learning conference such a special and uplifting experience.
In addition to the conference, two of our 2021 policy priorities officially passed out of both the House of Representatives and the State Senate – meaning they now head to Governor Inslee’s office to sign into law.
A BIG thank you to Senator T’wina Nobles and the Tacoma College Support Network’s middle school workgroup for spearheading SB-5321 to expand access to the college bound scholarship. This policy shift ensures that all eligible students are automatically opted-in to receive the scholarship – removing the parent signature currently required for enrollment and impacting more than 10k+ students statewide.
Another thank you to Sen. Claire Wilson, Rep. Tana Senn, and our very own Pierce County delegation for their leadership to successfully pass The Fair Start for Kids Act into law. This bill lays the groundwork for a more robust and equitable early learning system in our state.
Finally, Senate Bill 5030 – developing comprehensive school counseling programs – passed both the Senate and House chambers. Our community partners have advocated for this bill since last year to ensure that the use of counselor’s time be utilized primarily on student needs. We are thrilled to see that legislatures agree with this sentiment especially as students return to in-person learning.
Please take a moment to sign our letter thanking Pierce County legislators for their efforts on these bills during this unprecedented season of advocacy.
