Written by Samantha Miller
Happy Friday folks! The official start of the 2026 Legislative Session began on Monday, January 12th. This session will run approximately 60 days, with Sine Die scheduled for Thursday, March 12th. 2026 marks the country’s 250th anniversary, and as the gavel came down opening ceremonies commenced. However, there is anticipation that this session might be one marked by party tension. Democratic Senate Leader, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck began remarks with a plea for “grace and respect,” among lawmakers. Heck told senators: “All the work to sustain democracy, all the sacrifices required for democracy, would ultimately be worthwhile. We are confident that it will become self-evident at the end of our 60 days together. So let’s get started.”
And start they did. The House Education Committee hit the ground running on Tuesday, with a work session on student mental health and well being, as well as a public hearing on HB 1634, which is a bill first introduced in the 2025 session. HB 1634, pertains to the creation of statewide sustainable and comprehensive behavioral supports in public schools. The Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee held public hearings on a slew of bills as well as passing bills out of committee with an executive session. With the session only 60 days, lawmakers feel the pressure to get moving as soon as possible.
Tuesday also brought with it Governor Ferguson’s first State of the State address. This is the Governor’s second address to the legislature, and in it he did not choose to mention the “looming multi-budget shortfall.” Addressing this shortfall, “is arguably the most important and difficult task that he and lawmakers face in the 60-day session,” writes Jerry Cornfield of the Washington State Standard. Governor Ferguson did speak to his proposed “wealth tax,” and in what form that revenue would go back into the pockets of Washingtonians. One such proposal is to expand eligibility for and increase the amount of the Working Families Tax Credit, possibly giving a portion of this to the K-12 Public School System.
However, according to The Seattle Times, “The state’s budget deficit also means that any education policy that costs the state money will face an uphill battle this year.” Ferguson has already proposed cutting about 1,800 slots in the Transition to Kindergarten program for 4-year-olds, a move that concerns Larry Delaney, president of the Washington Education Association (WEA). Delaney told lawmakers on Monday that the Transition to Kindergarten programs “are instrumental in boosting students’ social, emotional and academic preparedness as they enter kindergarten.”
Committee Meetings Next Week on tvw.org
House Education Committee:
- Monday, January 19 @ 130pm
- Tuesday, January 20 @ 4pm
- Thursday, January 22 @ 8am
Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee:
- Tuesday, January 20 @ 8am
- Wednesday, January 21 @ 1030am
- Thursday, January 22 @ 1030am
House Bills:
SSHB 1634: which establishes a network of statewide and regional partners to provide school districts and public schools with the technical assistance, resources, and training necessary to coordinate comprehensive student supports across the behavioral health continuum (hearing time: 1:18:47). Testified in support: representatives from Washington Thriving, NCESD, WSPTA, WSASP, OSPI, North Thurston SD, several concerned citizens and a student from the Mercer Island SD. Testified in opposition: representatives from CCHR. Executive session scheduled for Thursday, January 22nd at 8am.
HB 1795: this bill would prohibit specified interventions, including chemical and mechanical restraint, and prohibits the construction of isolation rooms, while allowing physical restraint and isolation of students under certain conditions. The bill would also prohibit the isolation of students in prekindergarten through fifth grade beginning August 1, 2027, except under specified conditions and modifies requirements for incident notification, review, and reporting, behavioral intervention planning; and policies and procedures. Executive session scheduled for Thursday, January 22nd at 8am.
HB 2116: which deals with updating school enrichment funding on a proportional basis.
HB 2147: a companion bill to SB 5918, this bill would provide funding for school supplies, materials and operating costs.
HB 2138: which aims to increase student performance in literacy through the hiring of reading coaches and would require OSPI to update teacher endorsement standards for reading and literacy.
HB 2142: which would replace statutory references to alternative learning experiences with remote and hybrid learning. Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 20th at 4pm.
HB 2160: which concerns eligibility for membership in the school employees’ benefits board programs during the second school year of employment.
HB 2246: which would update policies for elementary and secondary school students with firearm violations and include terms of suspension and expulsion. Public hearing scheduled for Monday, January 19th at 1:30pm.
HB 2262: which would address civics education in regards to cursive instruction and producing legible signatures.
HB 2282: which aims to support the implementation of transition to kindergarten programs.
HB 2328: which would require the creation and maintenance of school maps in safe school plans.
HB 2360: which would expand access to albuterol in public and private schools. Public hearing scheduled for Monday, January 19th at 1:30pm.
HB 2366: a companion bill to SB 5860, which would increase the compensation amount for school board directors from $50 per day, to $100 per day and would add child care costs as a type of expense to be paid when directors attend school board meetings.
HB 2369: which promotes the use of local foods in public schools. Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 20th at 4pm.
HB 2432: which aims to support public school students by improving their access to surplus technology hardware.
HB 2444: which seeks to require Washington state’s participation in the federal tax credit program for contributions of individuals to scholarship granting organizations in the effort to expand school choice.
HB 2484: a companion bill to SB 5992, which would create the youth development fund account to increase access to positive youth development programs.
Senate Bills:
SB 5574: which requires school districts to adopt a policy ensuring that instruction in Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Latino American, and Black American history is included in one or more required social studies courses when the district reviews or adopts its social studies curriculum during its regular review cycle (hearing time: 45:49). Testifying in support: representatives from the WEA, AWSP, Make Us Visible, SCPTSA, several concerned citizens, and a student at Bellevue HS. Testifying in opposition: a concerned citizen.
SB 5841: which requires high school and beyond plans to contain evidence that the student has completed at least one state or federal financial aid application, or that their parent or legal guardian has opted the student out of this requirement.
SB 5849: which would make financial education a graduation requirement in Washington State.
SB 5859: which would expand opportunities for competency-based assessments in graduation pathway options. Public hearing scheduled for Thursday, January 222 at 10:30am.
SB 5860: which would increase the compensation amount for school board directors from $50 per day, to $100 per day and would add child care costs as a type of expense to be paid when directors attend school board meetings (hearing time: 16:47). Testifying in support: representatives from South Sound Superintendents. Testifying in opposition: representatives from Washington Citizens Against Unfair Taxes, and a concerned citizen. Testifying as “other:” representatives from WSSDA.
SB 5861: which would change the voter requirements of school board elections in order to encourage community representation in education. Public hearing scheduled for Thursday, January 222 at 10:30am.
SB 5907: which would expand access to the early childhood education and assistance program for military families. Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 20 at 8am.
SB 5918: which supports allocated additional funding for school materials, supplies, and operating costs to school districts. Public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, January 21 at 10:30am.
SB 5943: which allows expiring impact fees to be used to modernize school facilities to comply with state and federal laws regarding student safety, campus security, emergency response, and energy efficiency standards.
SB 5951: which addresses the issue of access to albuterol in public and private schools. Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 20 at 8am.
SB 5952: which would direct WSSDA and OSPI to develop a standardized process, including a template form, for excusing individual high school students from participating in physical education in accordance with state law (hearing time: 59:09). Testifying in support: representatives from the SBE, several concerned citizens. Testifying in opposition: representatives from SHAPE WA, and a concerned citizen.
SB 5956: which prohibits certain decisions related to student discipline and school safety based on automated decision systems, school surveillance technology, biometric data, and facial recognition services. This bill would direct OSPI to update its guidance on artificial intelligence in K-12 education to address automated decision systems and school surveillance technologies (hearing time: 32:38). Testifying in support: representatives from the BESR and a concerned citizen.
SB 5961: a companion bill to HB 2371, this bill would transfer the imagination library program from the department of children, youth, and families to the office of the superintendent of public instruction (hearing time 1:23:40). Testifying in support: representatives from OSPI and the Imagination Library Program.
SB 5969: which would allow students with a required Individualized Education Program (IEP) transition plan to elect for their transition plan to fulfill the high school and beyond plan requirements (hearing time: 134:22). Testifying in support: representatives from the WEA, and the Communities of Schools in WA. Testifying as “other:” representatives from OSPI. Testifying in opposition: representatives from The Arc of King County, the SBE, LWSD, and a concerned citizen.
SB 5992: which would create the youth development fund account to increase access to positive youth development programs. Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 20 at 8am.
SB 6042: which would require the creation and maintenance of school maps in safe school plans. Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 20 at 8am.
SB 6051: which aims to provide flexibility to school districts by authorizing school district waivers. Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 20 at 8am.
SB 6052: which would establish a statewide digital transcript data-sharing environment. Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 20 at 8am.
SB 6065: which concerns school district transportation vehicle funds. Public hearing scheduled for Thursday, January 222 at 10:30am.
SB 6122: which would update the state’s distribution formula with the aim of increasing school district flexibility in expenditure of basic education funding.
SB 6130: a companion bill to HB 2341, which would align Washington state with national civic engagement activities by celebrating national voter registration day.
Odds and Ends
“If you’re looking for a good math teacher, you’re probably looking for somebody who’s exposing their students to more mathematical vocabulary.” From KQED’s MindShift Podcast, Words Matter: Teachers who Use Math Vocabulary Help Students do Better in Math.
Weighing the risks of AI. This week from NPR Education, This Risks of AI in Schools Outweigh the Benefits.