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Weekly Legislative Update – April 7, 2023

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Education Policy | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CSTP Updates

Happy Friday, Spring Break, Ramadan, Passover, and Easter as well! Phew! The session seems to be flying by and it is so packed with floor and committee action as well as the release, and debates of the budget proposals. According to the Seattle Times, “Spending on K-12 schools would account for nearly half of overall state spending for the next two years in both the House and Senate budget proposals. Legislators will have to hammer out an agreement on overall education spending and on a key area of that, special education.” Following the House budget vote earlier this week, appointed budget negotiators from both houses will continue to meet and debate on a final proposal. One of the last votes that lawmakers take this session will be on the final negotiated budget.   Tuesday, April 4, marked the fiscal committee cut-off for the House Appropriations and Senate Ways & Means Committees. Most education related bills made it through at the last minute, however, a few did fail to make the cut. The next cut-off comes next Wednesday, April 12, and will be the last day for lawmakers to consider and pass bills out of the opposite house. This is the last cut-off date before the end of session, Sine Die, which is scheduled for April 23.

Education Committee Hearings for Next Week on TVW.org

There are no committee meetings scheduled next week but we expect there will be a lot of floor action.

House Bills

2SHB 1013: which would require OSPI and Washington ESDs to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program with one site each in Eastern and Western Washington (hearing time: 6:18). The bill is in the Rules Committee.

SHB 1015: which revises minimum employment requirements for paraeducators. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.

ESHB 1057: which would provide a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees’ retirement system plan 1 and the teachers’ retirement system plan 1. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

HB 1146: which would require schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1207: which aims to prevent and respond to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools through updated policies and procedures. The bill has passed both chambers.

E2SHB 1238: which would require K-5 elementary public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to offer universal free breakfasts and lunches if up to 30% of students at the school qualify for free or reduced lunch. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee. 

ESHB 1277: which would establish rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

​​HB 1308: which establishes a graduation pathway option that enables students to meet pathway requirements by completing a performance-based learning experience. The bill has passed both chambers.

2SHB 1316:  which would lower dual enrollment program costs for eligible students from $65 to $42.50 per credit by creating a subsidy program, incentivizing reduction of per college credit fees charged to college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start (RS) program tuition fee waiver. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SHB 1332: which would require all school districts to incorporate a tribal sovereignty curriculum into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2023, as well as require districts to consult with the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s) about incorporating materials about their history, culture, and government into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2025. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

ESHB 1377:  which would require the posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee. 

ESHB 1436: which would increase the enrollment limit for special education funding over several years until the 2027-28 school year, when the limit is removed, and would increase special education excess cost multipliers for kindergarten through age 21 over four school years to 1.059 for students who spend at least 80 percent of the school day in a general education setting. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SHB 1550: which would establish the transition to kindergarten program to provide no-charge assistance to eligible children in need of additional preparation to be successful kindergarten students in the following school year. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

HB 1622: which aims to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by aligning program goals, establishing common reporting requirements, and establishing examples of permitted expenditures for the OSPI program. The bill has passed both chambers.

SHB 1658:which would authorize high school students aged 16 and above to earn up to two elective credits through paid work experience if approval and alignment with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan are met. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1701: which concerns basic education services to youth who are served through institutional education programs. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

Senate Bills

SB 5019: which removes “classified staff providing student and staff safety” from the definition of physical, social, and emotional support staff and the specific funding considerations for that group. The bill is in the House Rules Committee. 

SSB 5048: which would require colleges to provide enrollment and registration in College in the High School (CHS) courses at no cost to students in grades 9-12 at public high schools, and would require the legislature to appropriate funds to fund CHS courses, at inflation-adjusted rates. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SSB 5072: which would establish new requirements for identifying students who may be eligible for highly capable services, including conducting universal screenings once in or before second grade, and again before sixth grade.The bill has passed both chambers.

SSB 5127: which would clarifyschool districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

E2SSB 5174: which would modify the student transportation allocation formula and expand the definition of “to and from school” to include the transportation of students participating in career connected and work based learning opportunities. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

ESB 5175: which would allow employment contracts between a school board and principal to be up to three years in length, as opposed to limited to a term of one year. The bill has passed both chambers.

E2SSB 5243: which revises high school and beyond plan (HSBP) requirements, and would require OSPI to facilitate the transition and adoption of a common online platform for HSBPs. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

ESSB 5257: which would ensure that public schools provide daily recess for all elementary students with a minimum of 45 minutes when the school day is longer than five hours and a minimum of 30 minutes when the school day is shorter, as well as prohibit schools from withholding recess as a punitive action. The bill has passed both chambers.

E2SSB 5311: which would increase the special education excess cost multipliers for pre-K and K12 students over a four-year period and increase the special education enrollment funding cap from 13.5 percent to 14.5 percent. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

E2SSB 5315: which would require OSPI to establish standards for approval, monitoring, and investigating school district contracts with nonpublic agencies (NPAs) operating special education programs for students with disabilities, and requires that restraint and isolation procedures and notification requirements apply to NPAS. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

ESB 5355: which requires school districts to provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SSB 5617: which would require interdistrict cooperative agreements in a skill center to stipulate that any course equivalencies approved by OSPI or a host district must be honored by other participating school districts. The bill has passed both chambers. 

ESB 5650: which concerns salary inflationary increases for K-12 employees. The bill has been delivered to the governor awaiting signature. 

Odds and Ends

“In Washington, housing is one of the clearest predictors of whether a student might face suspension or expulsion from school.” On April 12, Project Homeless is hosting a discussion about some of the challenges homeless students face, as well as solutions. Read more on this and how you can join in or offer help, from the Seattle Times, What Do You Want To Know About K-12 Student Homelessness?

“Last month, education leaders from Utah, California, and Maryland visited three Washington schools to learn strategies for inclusive education to take back to their states,” read more from OSPI: Washington Schools Serve as Model for Inclusionary Practices.

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2023 legislative session. She writes weekly emails during the legislative session focusing on bills that impact Washington educators. Samantha has degrees in both Political Science and History, as well as a Master in Teaching. Samantha has worked in Elementary Education for 6 years, most recently as a 3rd Grade general education teacher. The majority of her time is spent chasing around her two children who keep her very busy. Samantha enjoys running, working in her yard, listening to political podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Weekly Legislative Update – March 31, 2023

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CSTP Updates

There is just one month left in the 2023 Legislative Session, and this week lawmakers were desperately trying to get last minute bills passed out of committee before Wednesday’s deadline, as well as working behind the scenes crafting this year’s budget. Wednesday marked the last day for bills to pass out of policy committees in the opposite house, except for fiscal committees. The House Appropriations and Senate Ways & Means Committees have until Tuesday, April 4, to move bills out.

Last Friday, the State Supreme Court upheld the capital gains tax, reversing the previous superior court order. This means that the revenue raised by this tax can be assumed in our state’s next two-year budget, which comes as a relief to many lawmakers during this budget-drafting crunch time.  While we are on the topic of budgets, Senate Democrats released their budget proposal late last week, and according to NPR, “The operating budget that Senate lawmakers released includes about $5 billion in new spending, and almost $3 billion of that would be for education, for things like teacher salaries, special education funding.” The House Democrats released their budget proposal Monday afternoon, and Crosscut reports, “The proposed House budget would spend nearly $70 billion over the next two years, an increase from the $59 billion budget plan approved two years ago. Among other things, it would expand the number of K-12 schools providing free breakfast and put $172 million toward boosting special education in K-12 schools. Now that both the house and senate have released their proposals, lawmakers will need to sit down to figure out a compromise by April 23, the end of the session. 

Education Committee Hearings for Next Week on TVW.org

House Appropriations Committee

  • Monday, April 3 at 9:00 a.m.
  • Tuesday, April 4 at 9:00 a.m.

Senate Ways & Means Education Committee

  • Monday, April 3 at 10:00 a.m.
  • Tuesday, April 4 at 10:00 a.m.

House Bills

2SHB 1013: which would require OSPI and Washington ESDs to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program with one site each in Eastern and Western Washington (hearing time: 6:18). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SHB 1015: which revises minimum employment requirements for paraeducators. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.

ESHB 1057: which would provide a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees’ retirement system plan 1 and the teachers’ retirement system plan 1. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1109: which would provide additional special education funding to school districts in order to increase initial evaluations during summers. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

HB 1146: which would require schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1207: which aims to prevent and respond to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools through updated policies and procedures. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SHB 1238: which would require K-5 elementary public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to offer universal free breakfasts and lunches if up to 30% of students at the school qualify for free or reduced lunch. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

ESHB 1277: which would establish rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

​​HB 1308: which establishes a graduation pathway option that enables students to meet pathway requirements by completing a performance-based learning experience. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SHB 1316: which would lower dual enrollment program costs for eligible students from $65 to $42.50 per credit by creating a subsidy program, incentivizing reduction of per college credit fees charged to college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start (RS) program tuition fee waiver. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

2SHB 1332: which would require all school districts to incorporate a tribal sovereignty curriculum into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2023, as well as require districts to consult with the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s) about incorporating materials about their history, culture, and government into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2025. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

ESHB 1377: which would require the posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

ESHB 1436: which would increase the enrollment limit for special education funding over several years until the 2027-28 school year, when the limit is removed, and would increase special education excess cost multipliers for kindergarten through age 21 over four school years to 1.059 for students who spend at least 80 percent of the school day in a general education setting. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

HB 1478: which establishes a statement of student rights for public schools and requires public schools to develop student-focused educational and promotional materials that incorporate the statement and to include the materials into required civics instruction. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SHB 1550: which would establish the transition to kindergarten program to provide no-charge assistance to eligible children in need of additional preparation to be successful kindergarten students in the following school year. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

2SHB 1565: which requires the development of an online platform for the recruitment and hiring of public school employees and establishes a teacher residency program. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

HB 1622: which aims to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by aligning program goals, establishing common reporting requirements, and establishing examples of permitted expenditures for the OSPI program. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1658: which would authorize high school students aged 16 and above to earn up to two elective credits through paid work experience if approval and alignment with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan are met. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1701: which concerns basic education services to youth who are served through institutional education programs. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Senate Bills

SB 5019: which removes “classified staff providing student and staff safety” from the definition of physical, social, and emotional support staff and the specific funding considerations for that group. The bill is in the House Rules Committee. 

SSB 5048: which would require colleges to provide enrollment and registration in College in the High School (CHS) courses at no cost to students in grades 9-12 at public high schools, and would require the legislature to appropriate funds to fund CHS courses, at inflation-adjusted rates. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SSB 5072: which would establish new requirements for identifying students who may be eligible for highly capable services, including conducting universal screenings once in or before second grade, and again before sixth grade. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

ESSB 5102: which requires school districts and school boards to provide every student with access to school library information and technology programs. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SSB 5127: which would clarifyschool districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

E2SSB 5174: which would modify the student transportation allocation formula and expand the definition of “to and from school” to include the transportation of students participating in career connected and work based learning opportunities. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

ESB 5175: which would allow employment contracts between a school board and principal to be up to three years in length, as opposed to limited to a term of one year. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

E2SSB 5243: which revises high school and beyond plan (HSBP) requirements, and would require OSPI to facilitate the transition and adoption of a common online platform for HSBPs. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

ESSB 5257:which would ensure that public schools provide daily recess for all elementary students with a minimum of 45 minutes when the school day is longer than five hours and a minimum of 30 minutes when the school day is shorter, as well as prohibit schools from withholding recess as a punitive action. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

E2SSB 5311: which would increase the special education excess cost multipliers for pre-K and K12 students over a four-year period and increase the special education enrollment funding cap from 13.5 percent to 14.5 percent. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

E2SSB 5315: which would require OSPI to establish standards for approval, monitoring, and investigating school district contracts with nonpublic agencies (NPAs) operating special education programs for students with disabilities, and requires that restraint and isolation procedures and notification requirements apply to NPAS. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

ESB 5355: which requires school districts to provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SSB 5617: which would require interdistrict cooperative agreements in a skill center to stipulate that any course equivalencies approved by OSPI or a host district must be honored by other participating school districts. The bill is in the House Rules Committee. 

SSB 5626: which requires OSPI to establish a grant program for expanding the capability of school districts to integrate media literacy and digital citizenship into public school instruction. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

ESB 5650: which concerns salary inflationary increases for K-12 employees. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.

Odds and Ends

“Called “un-grading,” the idea is meant to ease the transition to higher education…” This week from NPR Ed, To Help New Students Adapt, Some Colleges are Eliminating Grades.

“I provide my students with examples from their real world that show they need a basic understanding of the science to comprehend the things taking place around them every day,” from MindShift this week, How Science Class Can Help Students Explore Inequities in Their Communities.

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2023 legislative session. She writes weekly emails during the legislative session focusing on bills that impact Washington educators. Samantha has degrees in both Political Science and History, as well as a Master in Teaching. Samantha has worked in Elementary Education for 6 years, most recently as a 3rd Grade general education teacher. The majority of her time is spent chasing around her two children who keep her very busy. Samantha enjoys running, working in her yard, listening to political podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Weekly Legislative Update – March 24, 2023

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Education Policy | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CSTP Updates

Happy Friday! Here we are with just a month left of the 2023 Legislative Session. Sine Die, the last day of session, is scheduled for April 23, and it will be here before we know it. This week, lawmakers were busy holding committee hearings with packed agendas, including public testimony on a number of bills as well as caucusing and holding executive sessions. These last few days before the final policy committee cut-off, March 29, can seem like a whirlwind on the hill. 

March’s revenue forecast was released on Monday the 20th, and the updated financial predictions come at a time when legislators are working to draft a new two-year budget. “Washington’s state operating budget is the spending plan that doles out dollars to the state’s schools, parks, prisons, public lands and social services, such as the foster care and mental health programs” reports Crosscut this week. Senate Democrats are scheduled to release their proposed two-year budget plan late this week, according to a spokesperson for the caucus. House Democrats could release their proposed spending blueprint as early as next week.

Education Committee Hearings for Next Week on TVW.org

House Education Committee:

  • Monday, March 27 at 1:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 28 at 4:00 p.m.

Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee:

  • Monday, March 27 at 1:30 p.m.

House Bills

2SHB 1013: which would require OSPI and Washington ESDs to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program with one site each in Eastern and Western Washington (hearing time: 6:18). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SHB 1015: which revises minimum employment requirements for paraeducators (hearing time: 5:39). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

ESHB 1057: which would provide a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees’ retirement system plan 1 and the teachers’ retirement system plan 1. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1109: which would provide additional special education funding to school districts in order to increase initial evaluations during summers (hearing time: 1:17). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SHB 1113: which would require the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators (hearing time: 20:08). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1146: which would require schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance (hearing time: 00:38). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1207: which aims to prevent and respond to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools through updated policies and procedures (hearing time: 5:51). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SHB 1238: which would require K-5 elementary public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to offer universal free breakfasts and lunches if up to 30% of students at the school qualify for free or reduced lunch (hearing time: 1:15). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

ESHB 1277: which would establish rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators (hearing time: 00:29). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

​​HB 1308: which establishes a graduation pathway option that enables students to meet pathway requirements by completing a performance-based learning experience (hearing time: 0:57). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SHB 1316: which would lower dual enrollment program costs for eligible students from $65 to $42.50 per credit by creating a subsidy program, incentivizing reduction of per college credit fees charged to college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start (RS) program tuition fee waiver (hearing time: 14:49). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

2SHB 1332: which would require all school districts to incorporate a tribal sovereignty curriculum into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2023, as well as require districts to consult with the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s) about incorporating materials about their history, culture, and government into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2025 (hearing time: 26:26). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

ESHB 1377: which would require the posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education (hearing time: 11:30). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

ESHB 1436: which would increase the enrollment limit for special education funding over several years until the 2027-28 school year, when the limit is removed, and would increase special education excess cost multipliers for kindergarten through age 21 over four school years to 1.059 for students who spend at least 80 percent of the school day in a general education setting (hearing time: 23:37). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1478: which establishes a statement of student rights for public schools and requires public schools to develop student-focused educational and promotional materials that incorporate the statement and to include the materials into required civics instruction (hearing time: 13:16). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SHB 1479: which would prohibit students from being subjected to isolation, mechanical restraint, or chemical restraint by school staff, except for school resource officers under some circumstances, and specifies that existing isolation rooms must remain unlocked, and no new isolation rooms may be created, and, by January 1, 2024, isolation rooms must be removed or repurposed (hearing time: 23:17).  This issue of student restraint in Vancouver Public Schools received press this week in this article from Crosscut. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. 

SHB 1504: which requires public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to provide daily recess for all students in kindergarten through grade 5, and grade 6 if the students attend an elementary school. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1550: which would establish the transition to kindergarten program to provide no-charge assistance to eligible children in need of additional preparation to be successful kindergarten students in the following school year (hearing time: 29:45). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1565: which requires the development of an online platform for the recruitment and hiring of public school employees and establishes a teacher residency program (hearing time: 26:57). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

HB 1622: which aims to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by aligning program goals, establishing common reporting requirements, and establishing examples of permitted expenditures for the OSPI program (hearing time: 14:38). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1658: which would authorize high school students aged 16 and above to earn up to two elective credits through paid work experience if approval and alignment with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan are met (hearing time: 1:19). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1701: which concerns basic education services to youth who are served through institutional education programs (hearing time: 18:52). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Senate Bills

SB 5019: which removes “classified staff providing student and staff safety” from the definition of physical, social, and emotional support staff and the specific funding considerations for that group (hearing time: 1:37). The bill is in the House Rules Committee. 

SSB 5048: which would require colleges to provide enrollment and registration in College in the High School (CHS) courses at no cost to students in grades 9-12 at public high schools, and would require the legislature to appropriate funds to fund CHS courses, at inflation-adjusted rates. The bill is in the Senate Post Secondary Education & Workforce Committee.

SSB 5054: which would modify instructional hours to include time students spend in educational activities under the supervision of non-certificated staff while teachers participate in professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as encourage school districts to adopt a school calendar that includes at least four hours per week for teachers to engage in PLCs during the school day (hearing time: 46:09). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5072: which would establish new requirements for identifying students who may be eligible for highly capable services, including conducting universal screenings once in or before second grade, and again before sixth grade. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

ESSB 5102: which requires school districts and school boards to provide every student with access to school library information and technology programs (hearing time: 00:46). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5127: which would clarify school districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. The bill is in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.

E2SSB 5174: which would modify the student transportation allocation formula and expand the definition of “to and from school” to include the transportation of students participating in career connected and work based learning opportunities. The bill has passed out of the House Appropriations Committee.

ESB 5175: which would allow employment contracts between a school board and principal to be up to three years in length, as opposed to limited to a term of one year (hearing time: 12:09). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SB 5180: which aims to support the retention of teachers by removing barriers to licensure and creating a streamlined pathway to licensure mobility (hearing time: 17:42). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

E2SSB 5243: which revises high school and beyond plan (HSBP) requirements, and would require OSPI to facilitate the transition and adoption of a common online platform for HSBPs (hearing time: 25:40). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESSB 5257: which would ensure that public schools provide daily recess for all elementary students with a minimum of 45 minutes when the school day is longer than five hours and a minimum of 30 minutes when the school day is shorter, as well as prohibit schools from withholding recess as a punitive action. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

E2SSB 5311: which would increase the special education excess cost multipliers for pre-K and K12 students over a four-year period and increase the special education enrollment funding cap from 13.5 percent to 14.5 percent (hearing time: 1:12). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

E2SSB 5315: which would require OSPI to establish standards for approval, monitoring, and investigating school district contracts with nonpublic agencies (NPAs) operating special education programs for students with disabilities, and requires that restraint and isolation procedures and notification requirements apply to NPAS (hearing time: 3:25). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5355: which requires school districts to provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5462: which would direct OSPI to review and update relevant state learning standards at all grade levels to include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of LGBTQ people, and historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, by December 1, 2024 (hearing time: 38:31). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5617: which would require interdistrict cooperative agreements in a skill center to stipulate that any course equivalencies approved by OSPI or a host district must be honored by other participating school districts (hearing time: 17:25). The bill is in the House Rules Committee. 

SSB 5626: which requires OSPI to establish a grant program for expanding the capability of school districts to integrate media literacy and digital citizenship into public school instruction (hearing time: 20:28). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5650: which concerns salary inflationary increases for K-12 employees. The bill has passed out of the House Appropriations Committee.

Odds and Ends:

“I love how my Black students, in particular, can’t tell the difference between my African American studies class and my American history class…” This week from MindShift, Illinois Teachers Create Black History Courses to Fill in Gaps in US History for Students.

This week from NPR Education, What We Do (and Don’t) Know About Teacher Shortages, and What Can Be Done About Them.

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2023 legislative session. She writes weekly emails during the legislative session focusing on bills that impact Washington educators. Samantha has degrees in both Political Science and History, as well as a Master in Teaching. Samantha has worked in Elementary Education for 6 years, most recently as a 3rd Grade general education teacher. The majority of her time is spent chasing around her two children who keep her very busy. Samantha enjoys running, working in her yard, listening to political podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Weekly Legislative Update – March 17, 2023

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Education Policy | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CSTP Updates

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! This week lawmakers were back in committees, holding public hearings and executive sessions on bills from the opposite house. After last week’s origin cut-off, legislators find themselves on the downhill side of the legislative session, where the number of bills that remain alive is more manageable, and the amount of time between cut-off dates is shorter. March 29 is the next cut-off, and all bills will need to be passed out of committee, except for fiscal, in the opposite house.

At this point of the session, we are also expecting to hear details from lawmakers regarding budget proposals: Operations, Capital and Transportation. Budget negotiations occur largely behind closed doors, but we will be sure and update budget information as we learn it. Last Thursday, Governor Inslee held a media conference at the state capitol, referencing budget hopes and proposals and highlighting his priorities for 2023-2025 as well. 

Education Committee Hearings for Next Week on TVW.org

House Education Committee:

  • Monday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 21 at 4:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 23 at 8:00 a.m

Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee:

  • Monday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 22 at 1:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 23 at 1:30 p.m.

House Bills

2SHB 1013: which would require OSPI and Washington ESDs to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program with one site each in Eastern and Western Washington (hearing time: 6:18). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1015: which revises minimum employment requirements for paraeducators (hearing time: 5:39). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

ESHB 1057: which would provide a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees’ retirement system plan 1 and the teachers’ retirement system plan 1. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SHB 1109: which would provide additional special education funding to school districts in order to increase initial evaluations during summers (hearing time: 1:17). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee and scheduled for executive session on March 20.

SHB 1113: which would require the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators (hearing time: 20:08). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1146: which would require schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1207: which aims to prevent and respond to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools through updated policies and procedures. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1238: which would require K-5 elementary public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to offer universal free breakfasts and lunches if up to 30% of students at the school qualify for free or reduced lunch (hearing time: 1:15). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. 

ESHB 1277: which would establish rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators (hearing time: 00:37). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

​​HB 1308: which establishes a graduation pathway option that enables students to meet pathway requirements by completing a performance-based learning experience (hearing time: 1:14). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1316: which would lower dual enrollment program costs for eligible students from $65 to $42.50 per credit by creating a subsidy program, incentivizing reduction of per college credit fees charged to college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start (RS) program tuition fee waiver (hearing time: 15:17). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1332: which would require all school districts to incorporate a tribal sovereignty curriculum into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2023, as well as require districts to consult with the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s) about incorporating materials about their history, culture, and government into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2025 (hearing time: 26:26). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

ESHB 1377: which would require the posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education (hearing time: 11:30). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

ESHB 1436: which would increase the enrollment limit for special education funding over several years until the 2027-28 school year, when the limit is removed, and would increase special education excess cost multipliers for kindergarten through age 21 over four school years to 1.059 for students who spend at least 80 percent of the school day in a general education setting (hearing time: 23:37). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1478: which establishes a statement of student rights for public schools and requires public schools to develop student-focused educational and promotional materials that incorporate the statement and to include the materials into required civics instruction. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1479: which would prohibit students from being subjected to isolation, mechanical restraint, or chemical restraint by school staff, except for school resource officers under some circumstances, and specifies that existing isolation rooms must remain unlocked, and no new isolation rooms may be created, and, by January 1, 2024, isolation rooms must be removed or repurposed. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1504: which requires public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to provide daily recess for all students in kindergarten through grade 5, and grade 6 if the students attend an elementary school. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1550: which would establish the transition to kindergarten program to provide no-charge assistance to eligible children in need of additional preparation to be successful kindergarten students in the following school year. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1565: which requires the development of an online platform for the recruitment and hiring of public school employees and establishes a teacher residency program (hearing time: 26:57). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1622: which aims to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by aligning program goals, establishing common reporting requirements, and establishing examples of permitted expenditures for the OSPI program (hearing time: 14:38). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1658: which would authorize high school students aged 16 and above to earn up to two elective credits through paid work experience if approval and alignment with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan are met. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1701: which concerns basic education services to youth who are served through institutional education programs (hearing time: 18:52). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

Senate Bills

SB 5019: which removes “classified staff providing student and staff safety” from the definition of physical, social, and emotional support staff and the specific funding considerations for that group (hearing time: 1:37). The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee. 

SSB 5048: which would require colleges to provide enrollment and registration in College in the High School (CHS) courses at no cost to students in grades 9-12 at public high schools, and would require the legislature to appropriate funds to fund CHS courses, at inflation-adjusted rates. The bill is in the Senate Post Secondary Education & Workforce Committee.

SSB 5054: which would modify instructional hours to include time students spend in educational activities under the supervision of non-certificated staff while teachers participate in professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as encourage school districts to adopt a school calendar that includes at least four hours per week for teachers to engage in PLCs during the school day (hearing time: 46:09). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5072: which would establish new requirements for identifying students who may be eligible for highly capable services, including conducting universal screenings once in or before second grade, and again before sixth grade. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SSB 5102: which requires school districts and school boards to provide every student with access to school library information and technology programs. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5127: which would clarifyschool districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. The bill is in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.

E2SSB 5174: which would modify the student transportation allocation formula and expand the definition of “to and from school” to include the transportation of students participating in career connected and work based learning opportunities. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

ESB 5175: which would allow employment contracts between a school board and principal to be up to three years in length, as opposed to limited to a term of one year. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SB 5180: which aims to support the retention of teachers by removing barriers to licensure and creating a streamlined pathway to licensure mobility. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

E2SSB 5243: which revises high school and beyond plan (HSBP) requirements, and would require OSPI to facilitate the transition and adoption of a common online platform for HSBPs (hearing time: 25:40). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESSB 5257:which would ensure that public schools provide daily recess for all elementary students with a minimum of 45 minutes when the school day is longer than five hours and a minimum of 30 minutes when the school day is shorter, as well as prohibit schools from withholding recess as a punitive action. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

E2SSB 5311: which would increase the special education excess cost multipliers for pre-K and K12 students over a four-year period and increase the special education enrollment funding cap from 13.5 percent to 14.5 percent (hearing time: 1:12). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

E2SSB 5315: which would require OSPI to establish standards for approval, monitoring, and investigating school district contracts with nonpublic agencies (NPAs) operating special education programs for students with disabilities, and requires that restraint and isolation procedures and notification requirements apply to NPAS. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5355: which requires school districts to provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5462: which would direct OSPI to review and update relevant state learning standards at all grade levels to include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of LGBTQ people, and historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, by December 1, 2024 (hearing time: 38:31). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5617: which would require interdistrict cooperative agreements in a skill center to stipulate that any course equivalencies approved by OSPI or a host district must be honored by other participating school districts (hearing time: 17:25). The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee. 

SSB 5626: which requires OSPI to establish a grant program for expanding the capability of school districts to integrate media literacy and digital citizenship into public school instruction (hearing time: 20:03). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5650: which concerns salary inflationary increases for K-12 employees. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

Odds and Ends:

Is our society going through “a huge transition,” as the allure of a college degree is starting to fade? This week from The Seattle Times, WA College-Going Rate Dropped Sharply During Pandemic.

“In Washington state, more teachers left the classroom after last school year than at any point in the last three decades…” From MindShift, Teacher Turnover Hits New Highs Across the US.

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2023 legislative session. She writes weekly emails during the legislative session focusing on bills that impact Washington educators. Samantha has degrees in both Political Science and History, as well as a Master in Teaching. Samantha has worked in Elementary Education for 6 years, most recently as a 3rd Grade general education teacher. The majority of her time is spent chasing around her two children who keep her very busy. Samantha enjoys running, working in her yard, listening to political podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Weekly Legislative Update – March 10, 2023

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Education Policy | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CSTP Updates

Happy Friday! We are halfway through this year’s 105-day legislative session, and the pace has not appeared to slow one bit. Wednesday, March 8, was the last day for bills to be passed out of their house of origin, and there were several bills that got stuck in their respective Rules Committees and did not make it out. Over the last two weeks, lawmakers have spent the majority of their time on the floor of their respective houses, making last minute amendments to bills in order to keep them alive and passing them off their floor. Next week the focus will shift back to the committees, where public hearings and executive sessions will be taking place at rapid speed in order for members to pass bills out of committee in the opposite house by March 29. 

On Tuesday, the Washington State Board of Education (SBE) released a press statement, to again highlight HB 1308, which would add a performance based pathway to graduation, and all the legislative work that has gone on behind the scenes to keep this bill alive. HB 1308 currently sits with the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee and will need to be heard and voted on by March 29 in order to move forward.

Education Committee Hearings for Next Week on TVW.org

House Education Committee:

  • Monday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 14 at 4:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 16 at 8:00 a.m.

Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee:

  • Monday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 15 at 1:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 16 at 1:30 p.m.

House Bills

2SHB 1013: which would require OSPI and Washington ESDs to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program with one site each in Eastern and Western Washington. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1015: which revises minimum employment requirements for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

ESHB 1057: which would provide a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees’ retirement system plan 1 and the teachers’ retirement system plan 1. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SHB 1109: which would provide additional special education funding to school districts in order to increase initial evaluations during summers. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1113: which would require the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1146: which would require schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1207: which aims to prevent and respond to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools through updated policies and procedures. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1238: which would require K-5 elementary public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to offer universal free breakfasts and lunches if up to 30% of students at the school qualify for free or reduced lunch. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

ESHB 1277: which would establish rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

​​HB 1308: which establishes a graduation pathway option that enables students to meet pathway requirements by completing a performance-based learning experience. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1316: which would lower dual enrollment program costs for eligible students from $65 to $42.50 per credit by creating a subsidy program, incentivizing reduction of per college credit fees charged to college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start (RS) program tuition fee waiver. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1332: which would require all school districts to incorporate a tribal sovereignty curriculum into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2023, as well as require districts to consult with the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s) about incorporating materials about their history, culture, and government into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2025. The bill has passed the House Chamber. 

ESHB 1377: which would require the posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

ESHB 1436: which would increase the enrollment limit for special education funding over several years until the 2027-28 school year, when the limit is removed, and would increase special education excess cost multipliers for kindergarten through age 21 over four school years to 1.059 for students who spend at least 80 percent of the school day in a general education setting. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1478: which establishes a statement of student rights for public schools and requires public schools to develop student-focused educational and promotional materials that incorporate the statement and to include the materials into required civics instruction. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1479: which would prohibit students from being subjected to isolation, mechanical restraint, or chemical restraint by school staff, except for school resource officers under some circumstances, and specifies that existing isolation rooms must remain unlocked, and no new isolation rooms may be created, and, by January 1, 2024, isolation rooms must be removed or repurposed. The bill has passed the House Chamber.

SHB 1504: which requires public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to provide daily recess for all students in kindergarten through grade 5, and grade 6 if the students attend an elementary school. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2HB 1550: which would establish the transition to kindergarten program to provide no-charge assistance to eligible children in need of additional preparation to be successful kindergarten students in the following school year. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1565: which requires the development of an online platform for the recruitment and hiring of public school employees and establishes a teacher residency program. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1622: which aims to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by aligning program goals, establishing common reporting requirements, and establishing examples of permitted expenditures for the OSPI program. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1658: which would authorize high school students aged 16 and above to earn up to two elective credits through paid work experience if approval and alignment with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan are met. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1701: which concerns basic education services to youth who are served through institutional education programs. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

Senate Bills

SB 5019: which removes “classified staff providing student and staff safety” from the definition of physical, social, and emotional support staff and the specific funding considerations for that group (hearing time: 1:37). The bill is in the House Education Committee. 

SSB 5048: which would require colleges to provide enrollment and registration in College in the High School (CHS) courses at no cost to students in grades 9-12 at public high schools, and would require the legislature to appropriate funds to fund CHS courses, at inflation-adjusted rates. The bill has passed the Senate Chamber.

SSB 5054: which would modify instructional hours to include time students spend in educational activities under the supervision of non-certificated staff while teachers participate in professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as encourage school districts to adopt a school calendar that includes at least four hours per week for teachers to engage in PLCs during the school day. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5072: which would establish new requirements for identifying students who may be eligible for highly capable services, including conducting universal screenings once in or before second grade, and again before sixth grade. The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee.

SSB 5102: which requires school districts and school boards to provide every student with access to school library information and technology programs. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5127: which would clarifyschool districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. The bill is in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.

E2SSB 5174: which would modify the student transportation allocation formula and expand the definition of “to and from school” to include the transportation of students participating in career connected and work based learning opportunities. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

ESB 5175: which would allow employment contracts between a school board and principal to be up to three years in length, as opposed to limited to a term of one year. The bill has passed the Senate Chamber.

SB 5180: which aims to support the retention of teachers by removing barriers to licensure and creating a streamlined pathway to licensure mobility. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

E2SSB 5243: which revises high school and beyond plan (HSBP) requirements, and would require OSPI to facilitate the transition and adoption of a common online platform for HSBPs. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESSB 5257:which would ensure that public schools provide daily recess for all elementary students with a minimum of 45 minutes when the school day is longer than five hours and a minimum of 30 minutes when the school day is shorter, as well as prohibit schools from withholding recess as a punitive action. The bill has passed out of the House Education Committee.

E2SSB 5311: which would increase the special education excess cost multipliers for pre-K and K12 students over a four-year period and increase the special education enrollment funding cap from 13.5 percent to 14.5 percent. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

E2SSB 5315: which would require OSPI to establish standards for approval, monitoring, and investigating school district contracts with nonpublic agencies (NPAs) operating special education programs for students with disabilities, and requires that restraint and isolation procedures and notification requirements apply to NPAS. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5355: which requires school districts to provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5462: which would direct OSPI to review and update relevant state learning standards at all grade levels to include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of LGBTQ people, and historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, by December 1, 2024. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5617: which would require interdistrict cooperative agreements in a skill center to stipulate that any course equivalencies approved by OSPI or a host district must be honored by other participating school districts (hearing time: 17:25). The bill is in the House Education Committee. 

SSB 5626: which requires OSPI to establish a grant program for expanding the capability of school districts to integrate media literacy and digital citizenship into public school instruction. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5650: which concerns salary inflationary increases for K-12 employees. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

Odds and Ends:

“When students engage in mildly disruptive behavior, teachers can try asking open questions instead of immediately confronting the behavior.” Last week from Edutopia, Using Curiosity as a Way to Diffuse Power Struggles.  Including this story from NPR because it is a great reminder that when kids dream big and adults buy in, great things can happen. These Students Raised Hundreds of Thousands to Make Their Playground Accessible.

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2023 legislative session. She writes weekly emails during the legislative session focusing on bills that impact Washington educators. Samantha has degrees in both Political Science and History, as well as a Master in Teaching. Samantha has worked in Elementary Education for 6 years, most recently as a 3rd Grade general education teacher. The majority of her time is spent chasing around her two children who keep her very busy. Samantha enjoys running, working in her yard, listening to political podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Weekly Legislative Update – March 3, 2023

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Education Policy | , , , , , , , , ,

CSTP Updates

We have made it through the first two major cut-offs and are cruising right on to the halfway point of the 2023 Legislative Session. Last week was jam packed with fiscal committee hearings and executive sessions, leaving lawmakers scrambling to add last minute amendments in order to ensure that their bill made it out of committee. The next major cut-off date is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8, and is the deadline for bills to pass in their house of origin. 

In a mid-February meeting with the State Board of Education (SBE), State Superintendent, Chris Reykdal, sketched out the money pressures currently facing Washington public schools. He expanded on the topic in an interview with the Seattle Times that was published on Monday. In this interview, Reykdal addressed these growing financial stressors and why he thinks the state is not doing enough to fund education. He sighted the possible school closures that the Bellevue School District announced a few weeks ago, and noted that Seattle Public Schools is also starting to talk about consolidating some schools to save money. Reykdal stated, “We’re down to enrollment levels we thought we’d see in about 10 years, which is 1.06 million students. If you’re a district that’s experiencing this disproportionately, it almost puts a freeze on your budget. … It is a perfect storm, and we are preparing ourselves for a number of districts who are going to find themselves in more financial distress.”

Education Committee Hearings for Next Week on TVW.org

House Education Committee:

  • Tuesday, March 7 at 8 a.m.
  • Thursday, March 9 at 8 a.m.

Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee:

  • Thursday, March 9 at 1:30pm

House Bills:

2SHB 1013: which would require OSPI and Washington ESDs to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program with one site each in Eastern and Western Washington. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1015: which revises minimum employment requirements for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

ESHB 1057: which would provide a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees’ retirement system plan 1 and the teachers’ retirement system plan 1. The bill has passed out of the House Rules Committee. 

SHB 1109: which would provide additional special education funding to school districts in order to increase initial evaluations during summers. The bill has passed out of the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1113: which would require the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1146: which would require schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

SHB 1207: which aims to prevent and respond to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools through updated policies and procedures. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1238: which would require K-5 elementary public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to offer universal free breakfasts and lunches if up to 30% of students at the school qualify for free or reduced lunch. The bill is in the House Rules Committee. This bill was highlighted in Crosscut this week.

2SHB 1239: which would establish a simple and uniform system for complaints related to, and instituting a code of educator ethics for, conduct within or involving public elementary and secondary schools. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

ESHB 1277: which would establish rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2SHB 1305: which would make changes to the requirements to initial student evaluations for special education and to the development and implementation of individualized education programs (IEPs) in order to improve access to a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

​​HB 1308: which establishes a graduation pathway option that enables students to meet pathway requirements by completing a performance-based learning experience. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

2SHB 1316:  which would lower dual enrollment program costs for eligible students from $65 to $42.50 per credit by creating a subsidy program, incentivizing reduction of per college credit fees charged to college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start (RS) program tuition fee waiver. The bill is in the House Rules Committee. 

2SHB 1332: which would require all school districts to incorporate a tribal sovereignty curriculum into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2023, as well as require districts to consult with the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s) about incorporating materials about their history, culture, and government into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2025. The bill is in the House Rules Committee. 

ESHB 1377:  which would require the posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

HB 1436: which authorizes school districts to apply to OSPI for additional special education funding beyond state excess cost allocations, and increases excess cost multipliers for special education students over four school years. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1478: which establishes a statement of student rights for public schools and requires public schools to develop student-focused educational and promotional materials that incorporate the statement and to include the materials into required civics instruction. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

2SHB 1479: which would prohibit students from being subjected to isolation, mechanical restraint, or chemical restraint by school staff, except for school resource officers under some circumstances, and specifies that existing isolation rooms must remain unlocked, and no new isolation rooms may be created, and, by January 1, 2024, isolation rooms must be removed or repurposed. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1504: which requires public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to provide daily recess for all students in kindergarten through grade 5, and grade 6 if the students attend an elementary school. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

2HB 1550: which would establish the transition to kindergarten program to provide no-charge assistance to eligible children in need of additional preparation to be successful kindergarten students in the following school year. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

2SHB 1565: which requires the development of an online platform for the recruitment and hiring of public school employees and establishes a teacher residency program. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1622: which aims to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by aligning program goals, establishing common reporting requirements, and establishing examples of permitted expenditures for the OSPI program. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1658: which would authorize high school students aged 16 and above to earn up to two elective credits through paid work experience if approval and alignment with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan are met. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1692: which would create a nonpartisan Legislative District Student Council, composed of 11 student members, in each legislative district to serve as advisory bodies to examine and make recommendations on issues affecting youth and education. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1701: which concerns basic education services to youth who are served through institutional education programs. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.

Senate Bills:

SB 5019: which removes “classified staff providing student and staff safety” from the definition of physical, social, and emotional support staff and the specific funding considerations for that group. The bill is in the House Education Committee and scheduled for public hearing March 9 at 8 a.m.

SSB 5048: which would eliminate college in the high school fees. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5054: which would modify instructional hours to include time students spend in educational activities under the supervision of non-certificated staff while teachers participate in professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as encourage school districts to adopt a school calendar that includes at least four hours per week for teachers to engage in PLCs during the school day. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5072: which would establish new requirements for identifying students who may be eligible for highly capable services, including conducting universal screenings once in or before second grade, and again before sixth grade (hearing time: 11:57).  The bill is in the House Education Committee and scheduled for executive session March 7 at 8 a.m.

SSB 5085: which would remove statutory limitations on the scope of collective bargaining in regards to supervisors, or principals and assistant principals, and would require specific evaluation criteria when transferring a principal/assistant principal to a subordinate certificated position. This bill would prohibit school district employment applications from including a question asking whether the applicant has ever been on a plan of improvement, or under an investigation. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5102: which requires school districts and school boards to provide every student with access to school library information and technology programs. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5127: which would clarify school districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. The bill has passed out of the Senate Rules Committee.

2SSB 5174: which would modify the student transportation allocation formula and expand the definition of “to and from school” to include the transportation of students participating in career connected and work based learning opportunities. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5175: which would allow employment contracts between a school board and principal to be up to three years in length, as opposed to limited to a term of one year. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5180: which aims to support the retention of teachers by removing barriers to licensure and creating a streamlined pathway to licensure mobility. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5243: which revises high school and beyond plan (HSBP) requirements, and would require OSPI to facilitate the transition and adoption of a common online platform for HSBPs. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

ESSB 5257: which would ensure that public schools provide daily recess for all elementary students with a minimum of 45 minutes when the school day is longer than five hours and a minimum of 30 minutes when the school day is shorter, as well as prohibit schools from withholding recess as a punitive action (hearing time: 48:20). The bill is in the House Education Committee.

2SSB 5311: which would increase the special education excess cost multipliers for pre-K and K12 students over a four-year period and increase the special education enrollment funding cap from 13.5 percent to 14.5 percent. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

2SSB 5315: which would require OSPI to establish standards for approval, monitoring, and investigating school district contracts with nonpublic agencies (NPAs) operating special education programs for students with disabilities, and requires that restraint and isolation procedures and notification requirements apply to NPAS. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

ESB 5355: which requires school districts to provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

ESB 5462: which would direct OSPI to review and update relevant state learning standards at all grade levels to include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of LGBTQ people, and historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, by December 1, 2024. The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SB 5527: which would add additional courses to the list of courses approved as a graduation pathway option. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5617: which would require interdistrict cooperative agreements in a skill center to stipulate that any course equivalencies approved by OSPI or a host district must be honored by other participating school districts. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SSB 5626: which requires OSPI to establish a grant program for expanding the capability of school districts to integrate media literacy and digital citizenship into public school instruction. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5647: which requires safe school plans to include how substitute teachers and other temporary employees receive necessary information, including school safety policies and procedures and the three basic functional drill responses. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5650: which concerns salary inflationary increases for K-12 employees. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

Odds and Ends:

Looking for additional tools to use in your classroom to help kids cope with stressors? From NPR Ed, How Grown Ups Can Help Kids Transition to Post-Pandemic School Life.

All schools in Washington state are now required to teach sexual health education. This week, The Seattle Times’ Education Lab reported on a new local podcast that provides a window into those classroom conversations in the Seattle area. “We really wanted to get ahead of that fear about what’s being talked about,” said Chris Johnson, director of prevention and education services at KCSARC. Check out, Seattle-Area Podcast Explores How to Talk to Kids About Consent.

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2023 legislative session. She writes weekly emails during the legislative session focusing on bills that impact Washington educators. Samantha has degrees in both Political Science and History, as well as a Master in Teaching. Samantha has worked in Elementary Education for 6 years, most recently as a 3rd Grade general education teacher. The majority of her time is spent chasing around her two children who keep her very busy. Samantha enjoys running, working in her yard, listening to political podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Weekly Legislative Update – February 24, 2023

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Education Policy | , , , , , , , , , , ,

CSTP Updates

Hello and happy Friday! The 105-day schedule does not allow for much time to take in the loss or celebration of bills as they move quickly through the committee process. Last Friday, February 17, was the policy committee cut-off in the house of origin. The OSPI sponsored bill, SB 5505, which introduced the idea of a “balanced school calendar,” failed to make it out of committee alongside several other bills. Today, February 24 is the fiscal committee cut-off. Bills that are not passed out of the House Appropriations or Senate Ways & Means Committees by end of day today will not move forward. 

This session, bills that expand access to education programs that allow many students to earn college credit while in high school have received broad support thus far, and continue to be progressing toward the governor’s desk. Dual-credit programs, such as Running Start and College in the High School, give Washington State students the opportunity to earn college credit and their high school diploma simultaneously.  Crosscut reports that these dual credit programs also happen to cost significantly less than traditional four-year universities for both students and the state. The four dual credit bills still in play are: HB 1146, which requires students and families to be informed of dual credit opportunities offered in their district, SSB 5048, which eliminates College in the High School fees, and both HB 1316 and HB 1003 which aim to expand access more broadly by removing barriers such as add-on course fees and lack of financial coverage for summer classes.

Education Committee Hearings for Next Week on TVW.org

House Appropriations Committee

  • Friday, February 24 at 9:00 am

House Education Committee

  • Wednesday, March 1 at 8:00 am

House Bills:

HB 1003: which would lower dual credit program costs for eligible students with financial need by creating a subsidy program, reducing per college credit fees for college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start program tuition fee waiver, and would also make the Running Start program permanent to pilot institutions. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 1013: which would require OSPI and Washington ESDs to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program with one site each in Eastern and Western Washington. The bill has passed out of the House Appropriations Committee.

SHB 1015: which revises minimum employment requirements for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee.

HB 1057: which would provide a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees’ retirement system plan 1 and the teachers’ retirement system plan 1. The bill has passed out of the House Appropriations Committee. 

HB 1109: which would provide additional special education funding to school districts in order to increase initial evaluations during summers. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1113: which would require the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee.

HB 1146: which would require schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee.

HB 1207: which aims to prevent and respond to harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination in schools through updated policies and procedures. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1238: which requires public schools, beginning with the 2023-24 school year, to provide breakfast and lunch each school day to any requesting students and at no charge to the students. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee and scheduled for executive session today at 9am.

SHB 1239: which would establish a simple and uniform system for complaints related to, and instituting a code of educator ethics for, conduct within or involving public elementary and secondary schools. The bill has passed out of the House Appropriations Committee.

SHB 1277: which would establish rules to improve the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental courses of study for paraeducators. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1305: which would make changes to the requirements to initial student evaluations for special education and to the development and implementation of individualized education programs (IEPs) in order to improve access to a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee and scheduled for executive session today at 9am.

​​HB 1308: which establishes a graduation pathway option that enables students to meet pathway requirements by completing a performance-based learning experience. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1316:  which would lower dual enrollment program costs for eligible students from $65 to $42.50 per credit by creating a subsidy program, incentivizing reduction of per college credit fees charged to college in the high school students, and revising eligibility for the Running Start (RS) program tuition fee waiver. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee. 

SHB 1332: which would require all school districts to incorporate a tribal sovereignty curriculum into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2023, as well as require districts to consult with the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s) about incorporating materials about their history, culture, and government into their social studies curricula by September 1, 2025. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee. 

SHB 1377:  which would require the posting of approved courses and providers of continuing education. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1436: which authorizes school districts to apply to OSPI for additional special education funding beyond state excess cost allocations, and increases excess cost multipliers for special education students over four school years. The bill has passed out of the House Appropriations Committee. 

HB 1478: which establishes a statement of student rights for public schools and requires public schools to develop student-focused educational and promotional materials that incorporate the statement and to include the materials into required civics instruction. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1479: which would prohibit students from being subjected to isolation, mechanical restraint, or chemical restraint by school staff, except for school resource officers under some circumstances, and specifies that existing isolation rooms must remain unlocked, and no new isolation rooms may be created, and, by January 1, 2024, isolation rooms must be removed or repurposed. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee and scheduled for executive session today at 9am.

SHB 1504: which requires public schools, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, to provide daily recess for all students in kindergarten through grade 5, and grade 6 if the students attend an elementary school. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1550: which would establish the transition to kindergarten program to provide no-charge assistance to eligible children in need of additional preparation to be successful kindergarten students in the following school year. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee and scheduled for executive session today at 9am.

SHB 1565: which requires the development of an online platform for the recruitment and hiring of public school employees and establishes a teacher residency program. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee. 

HB 1622: which aims to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by aligning program goals, establishing common reporting requirements, and establishing examples of permitted expenditures for the OSPI program. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1658:which would authorize high school students aged 16 and above to earn up to two elective credits through paid work experience if approval and alignment with the student’s High School and Beyond Plan are met. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 1701: which concerns basic education services to youth who are served through institutional education programs. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

Senate Bills:

SB 5019: which removes “classified staff providing student and staff safety” from the definition of physical, social, and emotional support staff and the specific funding considerations for that group. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5048: which would eliminate college in the high school fees. The bill has passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5054: which would modify instructional hours to include time students spend in educational activities under the supervision of non-certificated staff while teachers participate in professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as encourage school districts to adopt a school calendar that includes at least four hours per week for teachers to engage in PLCs during the school day. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5072: which would establish new requirements for identifying students who may be eligible for highly capable services, including conducting universal screenings once in or before second grade, and again before sixth grade.The bill is in the House Education Committee.

SSB 5085: which would remove statutory limitations on the scope of collective bargaining in regards to supervisors, or principals and assistant principals, and would require specific evaluation criteria when transferring a principal/assistant principal to a subordinate certificated position. This bill would prohibit school district employment applications from including a question asking whether the applicant has ever been on a plan of improvement, or under an investigation. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5102: which requires school districts and school boards to provide every student with access to school library information and technology programs. The bill has passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

SSB 5127: which would clarifyschool districts’ ability to redact personal information related to a student. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5174: which would modify the student transportation allocation formula and expand the definition of “to and from school” to include the transportation of students participating in career connected and work based learning opportunities. The bill has passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

SB 5175: which would allow employment contracts between a school board and principal to be up to three years in length, as opposed to limited to a term of one year. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5180: which aims to support the retention of teachers by removing barriers to licensure and creating a streamlined pathway to licensure mobility. The bill has passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

SSB 5243: which revises high school and beyond plan (HSBP) requirements, and would require OSPI to facilitate the transition and adoption of a common online platform for HSBPs. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5248: which would reappropriate COVID-19 relief funding for grants to be used on high quality tutoring and rigorous extended learning programs. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee and scheduled for executive session today at 9am.

ESSB 5257: which would ensure that public schools provide daily recess for all elementary students with a minimum of 45 minutes when the school day is longer than five hours and a minimum of 30 minutes when the school day is shorter, as well as prohibit schools from withholding recess as a punitive action. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5311: which would increase the special education excess cost multipliers for pre-K and K12 students over a four-year period and increase the special education enrollment funding cap from 13.5 percent to 14.5 percent. The bill has passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5315: which would require OSPI to establish standards for approval, monitoring, and investigating school district contracts with nonpublic agencies (NPAs) operating special education programs for students with disabilities, and requires that restraint and isolation procedures and notification requirements apply to NPAS. The bill has passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5355: which requires school districts to provide instruction on sex trafficking prevention and identification at least once between grades 7 and 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5462: which would direct OSPI to review and update relevant state learning standards at all grade levels to include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of LGBTQ people, and historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, by December 1, 2024. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5527: which would add additional courses to the list of courses approved as a graduation pathway option. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5617: which would require  interdistrict cooperative agreements in a skill center to stipulate that any course equivalencies approved by OSPI or a host district must be honored by other participating school districts. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5626: which requires OSPI to establish a grant program for expanding the capability of school districts to integrate media literacy and digital citizenship into public school instruction. The bill has passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5647: which requires safe school plans to include how substitute teachers and other temporary employees receive necessary information, including school safety policies and procedures and the three basic functional drill responses. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 5650: which concerns salary inflationary increases for K-12 employees. The bill has passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee. 

Odds and Ends:

“How can educators establish opportunities for students to tell their stories and find themselves in the stories of others?” From MindShift, Matching Students with Books is a Sacred Task. How Can Educators Select Stories that Boost Belonging?

After my 2nd grader came home asking me how to write her name in cursive it got me thinking, will her generation ever know how to read or write in cursive? From the Atlantic Magazine, I found this thought provoking article. Gen Z Never Learned to Read Cursive.

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2023 legislative session. She writes weekly emails during the legislative session focusing on bills that impact Washington educators. Samantha has degrees in both Political Science and History, as well as a Master in Teaching. Samantha has worked in Elementary Education for 6 years, most recently as a 3rd Grade general education teacher. The majority of her time is spent chasing around her two children who keep her very busy. Samantha enjoys running, working in her yard, listening to political podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Reconsidering College as “The Goal”

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Education, Education Policy, Social Issues | , , , ,

Let’s say a prototypical U.S. graduating class has one hundred students.

Of that hundred, sixty-seven enroll directly into a two- or four-year college. (Source: National Center for Education Statistics)

Of the sixty-seven who do enroll, only forty-eight will make it into their second year of college (whether at the same institution or a different one)… the rest drop out. (Source: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center via NPR; computation mine)

Of those forty-eight who make it into year two, only twenty-eight will have earned a degree even six years after enrolling in college. (Source: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Persistence and Retention; computation mine)

That’s worth repeating:

Of the one hundred graduating seniors in that prototypical class, only twenty-eight will statistically have earned a college degree within six years of leaving high school.

There are a multiple ways to interpret this.

On one hand, we could indict the K-12 school system for not preparing kids to persevere in the post-secondary education system.

Continue reading →