Dear friends and neighbors,
On Monday, January 9th, I was privileged to be sworn in to represent the constituents of the 1st legislative district. With divisive and difficult times ahead of us in the other Washington, I am honored to know that voters in our district placed their faith in me, and I confident that we will be able to accomplish much here in our capitol. I fully understand that there are many challenges facing the Legislature this session, and I look forward to the opportunities these challenges present to make positive changes for friends and neighbors in our district and around the state.
As session goes on, if you have questions, concerns or have an issue you’d like addressed in this newsletter, please feel free to contact my office. You can email me at Shelley.Kloba@leg.wa.gov or call my office at (360) 786-7900.
Sincerely,
Getting to Know You
Earlier this week, I met with education advocates here in Olympia. They came from all over the state to speak out in support of fully funding our children’s education. As a former PTA mom who worked my way up to eventually becoming the Legislative Director of the Washington State PTA, education advocacy was really the beginning of my journey to the Legislature.
But it’s what I learned about the needs of kids and families that truly inspired me to enter public service. And now that I’m here, I’m rolling up my sleeves and working on solutions to fully funding education. For decades, our state has failed to meet its constitutional duty to do this, and that’s just not acceptable. No more delays. The time to do this is NOW.
It will take everyone working together in a bipartisan fashion. That’s why I’m committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, because the 1.1 million kids in our public schools can’t wait any longer.
I’m also concerned with other issues that affect a child’s ability to succeed in school. For example, our schools need the resources to address social and emotional barriers to learning. And every child should be able to access these resources, not just some.
We also can’t neglect early learning. I’m pleased the Legislature has increased the number of state-funded early learning slots in the past couple of years, particularly in areas with the greatest need. I hope we can increase the number even more, because every child deserves a strong start and it’s one of the best ways to help close the opportunity gap.
Your voice is needed more than ever this year, because YOU are the expert when it comes to how state education policies affect YOUR child, YOUR school, and YOUR community. I want you to know I’m listening, and I hope all my colleagues in both chambers are listening too.
Apply for the House Page Program
With the Legislature in session, it’s page season once again, which means a great opportunity for 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds from across the state to have a hands-on experience in government.
If you know a young person who is interested in this opportunity, click here to learn more and to download an application. Don’t delay – spots fill up quickly!