School Board Conference – Washington 2023
PLEASE JOIN US for the
2023 Washington School Board Member Conference
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
9:30 –5:00 PM
Hilton Bellevue
300 112th Avenue SE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Parents across the nation are stepping up to run for school board in their local districts to improve the state of our public education system and fight to put students first. The Pacific Research Institute created its School Board Member Training Program in November of 2022 to educate and empower school board members by providing them with the tools and resources they need to make meaningful change in their local school districts.
Our mission is to bring likeminded board members together from across the state to hear from esteemed panelists and build coalitions to improve the public education experience for Washington students. The first annual PRI Washington School Board Member Conference will explore how to become a more effective school board member, increase student achievement, and know the questions to ask to implement the curriculum that best suits your district.
This event is free and includes breakfast, lunch, and reception.
All attendees will receive one night hotel accommodations on the evening of Tuesday, November 14
courtesy of PRI
This event is for elected school board members only.
Panel Discussions
How To Be An Effective School Board Member
Newly elected school board members, such as successful parent candidates, are not political experts with prior elected office experience, but are passionate and motivated to create change in our public school system. Whether you are a newly-elected board member or a school board veteran, this panel will offer the tools and resources you need to be effective in your position, address pressing issues in your district, build coalitions to achieve your goals, and communicate effectively with students, parents, taxpayers and staff.
Responding to Washington’s Budget / Enrollment Crisis
COVID-19 rescue funds are gone and public-school districts are beginning to see the effects of dramatic drops in enrollment on district budgets. Many school board members are now faced with the need to slash district budgets, cut important programs and clubs and in some cases, even close schools. This panel will take a look at how to effectively approach and balance your district’s budget while discussing ways to improve your district’s public schools to increase enrollment.
The Questions To Ask To Implement Your District’s Unique Curriculum Needs
Curriculum conversations are sweeping the nation. School board members are successful when they know the questions to ask and the practices to adopt to implement effective curriculum that best suits the unique needs of their local district. This panel will discuss how to choose curriculum, how to fight critical race theory and other ideological agendas, and how to engage parents and the community in the process.
Speakers
Jim Walsh
State Representative, District 19
Gabe Galbraith
Kennewick School District
Liv Finne
Washington Policy Center
Michael Cannon
Mead School District
David Olson
Peninsula School District
Kelsi Hamilton
Chehalis School District
Julie Barrett
Conservative Ladies of Washington
Laura Zorc
FreedomWorks
