CHA Monthly Round-Up Newsletter

OMWBE, CAAA, CAPAA, CHA sent this bulletin at 10/04/2022 12:12 PM PDT

Art by Hispanic and Latinx Artists

ArtsWA feature artists of Hispanic and Latinx heritage who are part of Washington's State Art Collection. These artists and artworks are a part of the fabric of our state’s vibrant communities and cultural identity. 13% of Washingtonians claim Hispanic or Latinx heritage and in many areas of Central and Southeastern Washington, that rate is more than 30%. Many of our local art selection committees want art that reflects their communities. These artworks reflect our diverse heritage and perspectives—past, present, and future.

Learn More.

Individuals can access the application at the following link: Home - English - Immigrant Relief Fund (immigrantreliefwa.org)

Updates From our Partners at DOH

Blood donations urgently needed

As summer ends and the school year begins, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Northwest Blood Coalition urge eligible blood donors to schedule donations.

According to the Northwest Blood Coalition, high school and college students make up almost 25 percent of blood donations. “High schoolers and college-age youth are critically important members of our donor base,” shared Vitalant Regional Director Jennifer Hawkins.

The Northwest Blood Coalition is formed by four blood donation centers currently serving Washington state: Vitalant, Cascade Regional Blood Centers, BloodworksNW, and the American Red Cross Northwest Region. As Red Cross Regional Services Executive Angel Montes describes, “The Northwest Blood Coalition’s primary focus is to ensure a safe, reliable blood supply for our community.” DOH collaborates with the coalition to support this vital work.

More Information.

DOH launches interactive monkeypox virus (MPV) data dashboard

To further expand access to important public health information, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has launched a new, interactive monkeypox (MPV) data dashboard.

The MPV dashboard features data including:

Case counts at the state and county levels
Total weekly case counts
Case information by sex at birth
Age groups of people who have MPV

DOH is working to expand the dashboard to include race and ethnicity data of the communities most effected by MPV, along with vaccination distribution information. It will be updated every Tuesday and Thursday.

More Information.

Public discussion begins on plans to improve air quality in overburdened communities

Initiative is key environmental justice provision in Washington’s Climate Commitment Act

The Washington Department of Ecology opens public comment today on a new initiative to improve air quality in overburdened communities that are highly impacted by air pollution.

The initiative is part of Washington’s landmark Climate Commitment Act, which the state Legislature passed in 2021. It will eventually lead to new strategies for improving air quality in overburdened communities.

“Everyone deserves to breathe clean air, but we know that some communities in Washington are exposed to higher levels of air pollution than others,” said Ecology Director Laura Watson. “We’re excited about the opportunity this initiative presents to listen to people most impacted by air pollution and to develop new approaches to addressing this problem.”

Solar panels coming to more schools, public buildings statewide with latest round of Commerce grants

$1.4 million awarded to fund 14 projects that will produce sustainable energy and energy savings in communities across Washington state

The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced $1.4 million in grants to state and local government agencies to install solar panels at public buildings in communities throughout the state. The 14 projects awarded funding in this round will support community efforts to move toward sustainable energy sources and result in long-term energy cost savings that can be reallocated to other needs.

This program provides competitive funding to install solar at public buildings and facilities, helping to cut energy costs, reduce pollution and showcase solar in communities across the state. The built environment is the second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, behind transportation. These grants will fund distributed clean energy for schools, affordable housing and critical public facilities in Washington communities.

Proposed Debt Forgiveness Would Make Large Dent in Student Loan and Total Unsecured Debts

The plan would forgive up to $10,000 in federal student debt for individuals making less than $125,000 a year and married couples making less than $250,000 a year. Additionally, the student loans of income-eligible individuals who received Pell grants would be reduced by up to $20,000.

The Census Bureau’s recently released 2021 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) provides information about student debt balances as of December 31, 2020. Although loan balances would normally change over two years, pandemic policies allowed borrowers to temporarily pause payments without interest.

Learn More.

Dana Miles named 2023 State Teacher of the Year; Veronica Gonzalez named 2022 State Classified School Employee of the Year

Washington School for the Deaf Work Experience and English Language Arts Teacher Dana Miles has been named 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year, and Mount Vernon High School Multilingual Student/Family Liaison Veronica Gonzalez has been named 2022 Washington State Classified School Employee of the Year.

Both Miles and Gonzalez will move forward to the national competition for their awards. Dana Miles will compete for the National Teacher of the Year award, to be announced in Spring 2023. Gonzalez will compete for the national Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) award, administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

State Test Scores a Promising Signal of Pandemic Recovery

Today, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) will release data from the spring 2022 state assessments, the first "typical" statewide test since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The data show 70% of Washington's students were proficient or made progress from the fall 2021 assessments, providing a promising first look at pandemic recovery and acceleration.

The state tests, which are one of many indicators of student learning, are intended to gauge a student's performance relative to grade-level learning goals in math, English language arts, and science. On a broad scale, test scores can influence investments and policy priorities to support student learning. At an individual level, scores from the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) are designed to indicate whether a student is on track for college-level learning without needing remedial classes.

Junior and senior level students of any major are welcome to apply to serve as legislative interns. They must be in good academic standing, able to receive academic credit for their time as an intern and attending a four-year college or university in Washington State or a Washington State resident attending an out-of-state college or university. Interns will receive a monthly stipend of $2,400.

All applicants are welcome to apply for the Rosa Franklin Legislative Internship Program Scholarship (SB 5431), which was established in 2021 to remove barriers and support interns who demonstrate financial need. The scholarship helps interns with costs associated with relocation, housing, food, childcare, professional attire, and more. Donations ensure the Rosa Franklin Scholarship continues to achieve its goal and directly help your intern participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you or someone you know wishes to make a donation, they can do so through our online donation portal.

More Information.

Applications now open: WSAC grants will support community partnerships that improve college and career training access and success

The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) is now accepting letters of interest from applicants for regional challenge grants. The grants seek to expand the number of community and regional partnerships—and support existing partnerships—that are focused on increasing postsecondary enrollment and credential completion for students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, English language learners, students with disabilities and foster and homeless youth by increasing direct enrollment of high school students, increasing enrollment of adults returning to education or increasing the completion rate of students’ postsecondary credentials.

More Information on the WASAC website.

Apply Now for 2023-24 Financial Aid

A family of four making up to $107,000 may be eligible for aid.

Students who plan to start college next fall can now apply for financial aid for the 2023-24 school year. Education beyond high school is more important than ever. Applying for financial aid gives you more options for the future.

In Washington, there are two ways to apply for financial aid:

Most people should complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA is used by U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens to apply for both state and federal financial aid.
The WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid) is an application for state financial aid only. The WASFA is for people who are undocumented or who do not qualify for federal aid because of their immigration status, and can be used in limited circumstances by others who cannot or choose not to file a FAFSA.

Learn more, get support, and apply for financial aid at wsac.wa.gov/apply.