Tag Archives: school districts

Weekly Legislative Update: February 2, 2024

Posted by on
Education Policy | , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We have made it to the end of another week on the hill, and this one came with its first major cut-off of the session. Wednesday, January 31, was the last day for committees to pass bills out of their house of origin. Bills that were not scheduled for executive session and voted out of committee by 5pm on Wednesday, did not move forward. It was a flurry of activity and hearing schedules were packed. Lawmakers have to make the most of their time during short sessions because time between cut-offs is brief at best. Monday, February 5, is the fiscal committee cut-off, meaning that bills currently in the House Appropriations and Senate Ways & Means committees will need to be voted out by end of day Monday.

We watched as various bills that were expected to move forward this session came to a standstill on Wednesday. Although not uncommon, there were quite a few bills that shared companion bills in the opposite house that did not move forward. SB 5559, which concerned restraint or isolation of students in public schools, did not make it out of the Senate Ed committee on Wednesday, but its companion bill in the house, 3SHB 1479, did move forward. 

A big win for Senator Wellman and the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee was moving forward SSB 5804, which would put the life-saving opioid reversal medication naloxone, or “narcan,” in all Washington K-12 public schools. As reported in Crosscut, this legislation is timely as Washington experiences a public health crisis driven by the rise in fentanyl related overdoses and deaths. Its companion in the house, HB 2029, did not move forward.

Fiscal Committee Hearings on TVW.org:

Senate Ways & Means Committee

  • Friday, February 2nd @ 1:30pm
  • Saturday, February 3rd @ 9am
  • Monday, February 5th @ 10am

House Appropriations Committee

  • Friday, February 2nd @ 10:30pm
  • Saturday, February 3rd @ 9am
  • Monday, February 5th @ 10:30am

Bills We’re Following

ESHB 1113: which requires the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands related to behavior that did not involve a student issued to certificated professional educators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee.

HB 1146: which requires public 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 and K-12 Committee.

2SHB 1228: which would establish grant programs for establishing dual language education and tribal language education programs, as well as establish multilingual skill bonuses for certificated instructional staff and paraeducators (hearing time: 12:47). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

3SHB 1239: which would establish a simple, uniform, and easily accessible state-level process for the receipt and classification of complaints involving the elementary and secondary education system, and would require school districts to post the complaint process on their websites and make information available about the complaint process (hearing time: 39:40). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

ESHB 1277: which requires improving the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental course of study for paraeducators. The bill is in the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee.

3SHB 1479: which concerns restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs (hearing time: 18:33 and 40:26). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

3SHB 1565: which requires a feasibility report for a statewide online platform for recruitment and hiring of public school employees, establishes teacher residency programs, requires a teacher exchange program report, intends to improve beginning educator quality and increase beginning educator retention and to establish minimum requirements for educator workforce research (hearing time: 1:20:54). The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

EsHB 1608: which requires the Secretary of Health to issue a statewide standing order prescribing epinephrine and epinephrine autoinjectors to any school district for use by designated trained school personnel. The bill also permits school districts to maintain a supply of epinephrine and epinephrine autoinjectors (hearing time: 3:42). The bill is in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee.

HB 1879: which would name the curriculum used to inform students about tribal history, culture, and government after John McCoy (lulilaš) (hearing time: 00:37). The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 1914: which aims to improve special education services received by qualifying students by requiring school districts to provide parents information about the Office of the Education Ombuds with special education materials, and to provide parents with a monthly report about the quantity and method of special education services delivered to their students (hearing time: 1:37:53). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SHB 1915: which would require school districts by the 2025-26 school year to provide high school students with access to at least one-half credit of financial education instruction (hearing time: 22:26). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 1922: which would require OSPI to establish a grant program for the purchase and installation of vape detectors in public schools (hearing time: 1:36:19). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 1935: which promotes resource conservation practices that include student education and leadership opportunities in public schools (hearing time: 45:54). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SHB 1956: which directs the Secretary of Health to annually develop and distribute a statewide multimedia substance use prevention and awareness campaign that meets specified requirements and requires OSPI to distribute school and classroom substance use prevention and awareness materials  (hearing time: 0:46). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 2018: which would require OSPI to conduct a two year pilot program where selected sites implement a strategy to restrict student mobile device use during instructional hours and to report to the OSPI with certain information related to implementing the restriction, and would requires the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) to develop a model policy for restricting student mobile device use during instructional hours based on the information gathered from the pilot program (hearing time 1:21:44). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SHB 2037: which would require, beginning with the 2027-28 school year, public schools to provide instruction on the Holocaust and other genocides and crimes against humanity when the topic aligns with the social studies learning standards (hearing time: 51:04). The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 2038: which concerns data collection on student transfers and withdrawals from public schools and school districts (hearing time: 1:18:20). The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

HB 2058: which would require all school districts to provide breakfast and lunch without charge to any requesting students, beginning with the 2024–25 school year (hearing time: 31:24 and 1:04:15). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 2110: which concerns reorganizing statutory requirements governing high school graduation (hearing time: 48:53). The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 2130: which would extend eligibility for special education services to the end of the school year in which a student eligible for special education services turns 22 years of age (hearing time: 0:44). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SHB 2236: which directs OSPI to develop an Allied Health Professions Career and Technical Education Core Plus Program and provide available curriculum and instructional materials to districts and skill centers for optional use by the 2025-26 school year (hearing time 1:05:30). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SHB 2239: which would encourage school districts to provide instruction on skills that promote social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health and wellness (hearing time: 16:12). The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.

SHB 2267: which would provide public school students with opportunities for cultural expression at commencement ceremonies (hearing time: 56:00). The bill is in the House Rules committee.

SHB 2331: which would bar school boards from refusing to approve, or prohibiting the use of, an educational material on the basis that it relates to the study of contributions of individuals or groups that are part of a protected class, and would establish new requirements for written complaints about instructional materials (hearing time: 11:08). The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SHB 2398: which would require school district instructional materials committees (IMCs) to include parents of students in a number equaling less than one half of the total membership of the IMC (hearing time: 11:08). The bill is in the House Rules Committee.

SSB 5804: which would require school districts to maintain at least one set of opioid reversal medication doses within each high school (hearing time: 11:24 and 45:14). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5809: which would authorize charter schools to apply for state grants on the same basis as school districts (hearing time: 1:05:54). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5849: which requires that all students show competency in high school learning standards related to computer science in order to graduate from high school, but specifies that the requirements do not increase the number of high school credits required for graduation, beginning with the 2029 graduating class. The bill also provides various options in which students may demonstrate competency in computer science learning standards (hearing time: 1:18:12). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5850: which would establish a grant program for community-based organizations  to support students who are chronically absent, and would require each ESD to develop and offer staff training on early warning systems to identify and locate students who are chronically absent (hearing time: 1:12:13). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5851: which requires public middle, junior high, and high schools to provide Holocaust and genocide instruction when this topic aligns with the social studies learning standards beginning with the 2027-28 school year (hearing time: 4:00). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5852: would require that special education safety net awards only be adjusted for errors in applications or IEPs that materially affect the demonstration of need. (hearing time: 1:52 and 26:52). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 5882: which would phase in additional staffing allocations for paraprofessionals in instructional and non-instructional roles in an effort to improve the individualized support for student learning and behavioral needs (hearing time: 28:55). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 5883: provides that a school district has the burden of proof when it is a party to a special education due process hearing and creates an exception to this burden of proof requirement in circumstances when a parent seeks reimbursement for a unilateral parental placement (hearing time: 7:01 and 38:26). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SSB 5923: which tasks OSPI to review and update substance use prevention education materials and resources provided to students and families in middle and high schools and requires education to prevent fentanyl and other opioid use to be provided once a year to all students in seventh and ninth grade (hearing time: 14:11 and 58:18). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 6014: which would increase the K-12 special education enrollment funding cap from 15 percent to 17.25 percent (hearing time 19:51 and 1:06:02). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 6018: which would designate early learning coordinators at educational service districts (hearing time: 51:07). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SB 6123: which would establish the minimum state average allocation for salaries for classified administrative staff at $91,733, and for other classified staff to $54,633, beginning with the 2024-25 school year  (hearing time: 22:23). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 6205: which would mandate instruction on the meaning and history of the pledge of allegiance in public schools (hearing time: 19:00). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 6216: which would establish a regional school-based mental and behavioral health student assistance program through the educational service districts (ESDs), and would create a grant program to support school districts in developing and implementing a plan for recognition, screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students (hearing time: 1:02:39). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

SSB 6264: which would require the State Board of Education (SBE) to develop and recommend a process to identify and designate schools and school districts that are implementing competency-based education (CBE) and identify costs associated with this process (hearing time: 59:30). The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Odds and Ends

How daily mindfulness lessons are showing positive results in one Florida elementary school. This week from NPR, To Help These Kids Deal With Trauma, Mindfulness Lessons Over the Loudspeaker.

“Some educators prefer inquiry; some prefer direct instruction. Depending upon your biases, you’re likely to see a complicated, mixed body of research as glass half full or glass half empty.” From KQED’s MindShift, Two Groups of Scholars Revive the Debate Over Inquiry vs. Direct Instruction.

Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller returns as CSTP’s Legislative Updates Coordinator for the 2024 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 – April 7, 2023

Posted by on
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 24, 2023

Posted by on
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.