Happy Friday! Legislators were busy this week holding policy committee meetings in order to hear the last of the bills from the opposite house and exec’ing them out in time for the next session cut-off. For the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee, Thursday was their last committee meeting of the session. Next Wednesday, April 2, is the last day for lawmakers to pass bills out of committee from the opposite house.
Work sessions were another focus this week for both the house and senate education policy committees. The house held a work session focusing on digitizing high school transcripts, while the senate’s work session centered around potential local impacts of changing federal laws.
There’s no question, however, what is on the minds of all lawmakers in Olympia, and that is the budget woes. On Monday, Democrats in Washington, “pitched their competing budget plans.” Senate and House Dems plot a different budget course, but both plans count on huge sums from new taxes over the next four years: $17 billion in the Senate, $15 billion in the House.” As of now, negotiations begin and lawmakers resign themselves to long days, hammering out an agreed upon consensus that once voted upon by their fellow legislators, will become the biennial budget. Votes on the budgets are expected in the Senate on Saturday and in the House next Monday. The last day of the session, or “Sine Die,” is Sunday, April 27, and that is a fixed ending point set by our state constitution. In order to avoid a “special session,” legislators must finish up all their work by 11:59pm on Sine Die.
Education Committee Schedules for next week on tvw.org
House Education Committee:
- Monday, March 31 @ 1:30pm
- Tuesday, April 1 @ 4pm
House Bills
SHB 1079: which allows school districts to provide all students enrolled in online school programs the option to take statewide standardized tests remotely, beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The bill was passed out of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee and sent to the Senate Rules Committee.
2SHB 1273: which directs ESDs to collaborate with specified entities to streamline regional efforts that support students’ dual credit access and directs the SBCTC to develop a plan for improving its online career and technical education (CTE) dual credit administrative data system. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
ESHB 1296: which would make changes to delineated rights of parents and legal guardians of public school children, establish a statement of student rights and associated duties for school districts, and would establish anti-retaliation protections for public school employees (Senate hearing time: 1:54). Testifying in support:representatives from Gender Diversity, WEA Chinook Council, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, SWEC, WSCA, Pro-Choice WA, Gender Justice League, The Washington Bus, Sexual Violence Law Center, WEA, OSPI, and several concerned citizens. Testifying in opposition: representatives from the Eatonville SD, Reject 5599, Informed Choice WA, a Yakima County Commissioner and several concerned citizens. The bill was passed out of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee and sent to the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
HB 1393: which requires school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools to permit students to wear one item or object of cultural significance at high school commencements and other official graduation ceremonies and events (Senate hearing time: 00:37). The bill was passed out of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee and sent to the Senate Rules Committee.
ESHB 1414: which directs OSPI, in consultation with the Department of Labor, to establish a work group to recommend changes to state laws and practices affecting the training, certification, and employment of 16- and 17-year-olds enrolled in or who completed career and technical education programs (Senate hearing time: 26:29 and 1:18:58). Testifying in support: representatives from MIC, Tritech Skill Center, Northwest Maritime, WSSCA and a concerned citizen. The bill was passed out of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee and sent to the Senate Rules Committee.
ESHB 1651: which establishes teacher residency programs, describes a teacher apprenticeship program and establishes requirements for teacher apprenticeship programs (and number of hours) and requires the PESB to establish a process to approve these programs (Senate Hearing time: 2:44and 35:11). Testifying in support: representatives from the WEA. Testifying as “other:” representatives from PESB. The bill was passed out of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee and sent to the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
Senate Bills
ESSB 5004: which requires emergency response systems of school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools to include specified technology and be developed in accordance with collaboration requirements (House hearing time: 5:04). Testifying in support: representatives from Make Our Schools Safe and several concerned citizens. Testifying with amendment suggestion: representatives from the Puget Sound School Coalition. The bill was passed out of the House Education Committee.
SSB 5025: which directs the PESB to establish full and limited certificates for deaf and deaf-blind educational interpreters and specifies that, by the beginning of the 2027-28 school year, educational interpreters employed by school districts must obtain a certificate; and provides that those without a certificate, but who demonstrate satisfactory efforts toward full certification, may provide educational interpreter services for up to 18 months after completing the assessment (House hearing time: 00:29). Testifying in support: representatives from the PESB and CDHY. The bill was passed out of the House Education Committee.
SSB 5123: which would add protected classes to the nondiscrimination provisions that apply to Washington public schools: ethnicity, homelessness, immigration status, and neurodivergence (House hearing time: 1:42). Testifying in support: representatives from WSASP, PFLAG Skagit, several concerned citizens, Testifying in opposition: representatives from WSYR, Lynden School District, FPIW Action, and several concerned citizens. The bill was passed out of the House Education Committee.
SB 5177: which would require OSPI to specify that the professional development resources that are provided on certain topics must consider the experiences of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups (House hearing time: 39:02). Testifying in support:representatives from LYAC and the Attorney General’s Office. Testifying in opposition: a concerned citizen. The bill is in the House Education Committee.
2SSB 5179: which directs OSPI to establish a process to investigate and address complaints alleging noncompliance with state laws concerning civil rights; harassment, intimidation, and bullying; certain curriculum requirements; the use of restraint or isolation on a student; and student discipline (House hearing time: 6:52and 22:31). Testifying in support: representatives from OSPI and The Arc of King Co. Testifying in opposition: representatives from Reject 5599 PAC, Lynden School Board, the Supt. of the Chewelah SD and several concerned citizens. The bill is in the House Education Committee.
ESSB 5181: which modifies certain rights of parents and guardians of children enrolled in public school, removes rights related to notification requirements regarding medical services and treatment, lists ten additional rights of parents and guardians and includes cross references to existing state law for each. The bill adds that these rights do not create a private right of action (House hearing time: 9:33and 55:26). Testifying in support: representatives from Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, WEA, Sexual Violence Law Center, WSASP and several concerned citizens. Testifying in opposition: representatives from Informed Choice WA and several concerned citizens. The bill is in the House Education Committee.
SB 5189: which requires OSPI to adopt rules to authorize funding for students enrolled in competency-based education (CBE) programs and to create competencies aligned with state learning standards, as well as requires the SBE to develop a process to identify schools and school districts that are implementing CBE, and identify costs associated with this process (House hearing: 1:38:05). Testifying in support: representatives from the SBCTC, SBE, Issaquah SD (Gibson Ek HS) and the LaConner SD. Testifying in opposition: a concerned citizen. The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee.
ESSB 5192: which increases allocations for materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC) as well as provides that MSOC calculations must use a three-year rolling average for student enrollment and must be adjusted annually for inflation. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.
SSB 5193: which allows school districts with online programs to provide students the ability to complete statewide assessments remotely beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The bill directs OSPI to develop assessment administration and security policies to support remote testing options by April 1, 2027 (House hearing time: 44:58). Testifying in support: representatives from K12 Stride, WA Digital Public School Alliance and a concerned citizen. The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee.
SSB 5240: which allows a school nurse or designated trained school personnel to use any available epinephrine on school property to respond to an anaphylactic reaction when certain requirements are met as well as provides liability protections when epinephrine is administered in substantial compliance with the written policies of the school district. Testifying as “other:” representatives from SNOW and WFIS. The bill is in the House Education Committee.
SSB 5253: which extends special education services to students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which the student turns 22 (House hearing time: 00:54).Testifying in support: representatives from OSPI,The Arc of WA and a concerned citizen. The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee.
E2SSB 5263: which would increase the special education funding multipliers to 1.6381 for Pre-K students and 1.5289 for K-12 students and would eliminate multiplier tiers that provide different levels of funding based on time spent in a general education setting. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.
SSB 5327: which directs the SBE to develop recommendations for students to have the opportunity to demonstrate competency of the high school computer science state learning standards, and consider how to incorporate the competencies into the framework of graduation requirements. (House hearing time: 1:15:02). Testifying in support: representatives from the SBE. The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee.
2SSB 5358: which permits school districts to offer Career and Technical Education Program (CTE) courses to sixth graders in middle school, and requires middle and high school CTE courses to be treated as a single program for accounting purposes. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.
SSB 5418: which designates that charter schools must provide a program of basic education unless an exemption has been authorized pursuant to a charter contract. As well as provides that charter contracts may allow charter schools to seek exemptions to basic education requirements and directs a charter school authorizer to consult with the State Board of Education. The bill is in the House Education Committee.
SB 5570: which requires school districts to incorporate curricula about the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe or tribes into their social studies curricula no later than September 1, 2026, and requires districts to collaborate with neighboring tribes on coordinating curricula (House hearing: 1:17:26). Testifying in support: the Asst. Supt. of the Office of Native Education, representatives from the Highline PS, Bellingham SD and the WSNAEC. Testifying in opposition: a concerned citizen and a teacher from Ferndale HS. The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee.
SB 5637: which requires school districts that operate a high school provide a mandatory one-half credit stand-alone course in civics for each high school student (House hearing time: 5:03and 1:39:32). Testifying support: representatives from the WLA, LYAC and several high school students. Testifying in opposition: representatives from the Conservative Ladies of WA. The bill is in the House Education Committee.
SB 5737: which reduces the annual bonuses for instructional staff with a National Board Certificate starting in the 2025-26 school year (hearing time: 1:57:32). Testifying in opposition: representatives from the Evergreen, Mount Baker, Walla Walla, Lake Washington SD and Vancouver School Districts, the WEA, WSSDA, Highline Education Association, WSCA and several concerned citizens. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
Odds and Ends
What happens when AI writes for us? From KQED’s MindShift: With AI Changing Everything, Here’s How Teachers Can Shape the New Culture of Learning.
“They are more mature, very compassionate to other global situations, kind to others, and understanding the difference between the two countries and other countries.” From The Seattle Times, The 50-year Tie that Bonds Students in Seattle and Japan.