Well that’s a wrap! Yesterday, March 7, was the last day of the 2024 Legislative Session, or “Sine Die.” It is always impressive how much work legislators are able to get done in the last few days. Many education bills made it to the governor’s desk this week, inching their way closer to being signed into law. If a bill reaches the Governor’s desk when there are more than five days left in session, he is required to sign it within those five days. If a bill is received with five days remaining, or less, the Governor has 20 days to take action, or not, on the bill.
It is good to remember that the last few days of session are a flurry of activity, with the primary focus being budget negotiations, which mostly occur behind closed doors. Unsurprisingly, education spending is the biggest chunk of this year’s capital and operating budgets. On Wednesday, lawmakers approved the capital budget which includes roughly $306 million for school construction. This money for schools is spread across four areas: the School Construction Assistance Program, small districts, career and technical education facilities and heating, cooling and ventilation systems. That legislation now heads to the Governor for his final signature. Other areas of K-12 education that will receive funding increases are paraeducators and teacher’s aides, who have spent years advocating for pay raises, basic school maintenance, operations and supplies, and special education. In this year’s plan, districts can receive special education funding for up to 16% of their populations, up from 15%.
On Thursday, Superintendent Chris Reykdal released his statement to the press regarding this year’s legislative session. “Through their final budgets, the Legislature has made clear their commitment to sustaining evidence-based investments in student learning and well-being that are targeted to have the greatest impact,” stated Reykdal. OSPI and Reykdal prioritized special education services, mental and behavioral health, access to school meals, increased compensation to retain paraeducators, dual language, access to early literacy programs and more.
Bills Delivered to the Governor
HB 1146: which requires public schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance in order to reduce dual credit and exam costs for students and their families.
3SHB 1228: which creates grant programs for establishing dual language education and tribal language education programs, as well as requires literacy supports in service of American Indian and Alaska Native students, and modifies requirements related to the seal of biliteracy and the Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program. For more on this, check out this article from The Seattle Times this week.
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 amends requirements related to school supplies of autoinjectors to include epinephrine.
HB 1879: which would name the curriculum used to inform students about tribal history, culture, and government after John McCoy (lulilaš).
HB 2110: which makes revisions to high school graduation requirement provisions without modifying the requirements or related school district and state agency duties and authorizations.
SB 5852: which modifies safety net award eligibility and award adjustment provisions and requires that a survey of small school districts be used to implement a simplified, standardized safety net application.
SB 5883: which establishes burden of proof requirements for special education due process hearings.
Bills We’re Following
E4SHB 1239: which would direct the Office of the Education Ombuds to create a simple and uniform access point for the receipt of complaints involving the elementary and secondary education system, as well as require the PESB and the Paraeducator Board to report to the Legislature on a code of educator ethics. This bill would also modify the defense for use of force on children with respect to teachers and other school staff. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker.
ESHB 1277: which directs the Paraeducator Board to update rules and publish guidance related to the fundamental course of study, and requires school districts to provide paraeducators two days of the four-day fundamental course of study, in person and by specified deadlines, unless the school district is granted an exemption by the Paraeducator Board. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.
SHB 1915: which requires public school students, beginning with the class of 2031, and charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools, beginning in or before the 2027-28 school year, to earn one-half credit of financial education instruction (FEI) as a graduation prerequisite. The bill also directs the Financial Education Public-Private Partnership to review specified financial education information submitted by school districts and create a statewide implementation plan for the financial education credit provision and graduation requirements by September 30, 2026. The bill has passed both chambers.
E2SHB 1956: which directs the Department of Health to develop, implement, and maintain a statewide drug overdose prevention and awareness campaign to address the drug overdose epidemic through 2029, and tasks OSPI with developing and updating age-appropriate substance use prevention and awareness materials for school and classroom use. The bill also requires OSPI to adjust the state health and physical education learning standards for middle and high school students to add opioids to the list of drugs included in drug-related education. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.
2SHB 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 2027-28 school year. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.
ESHB 2331: which requires school district Instructional Materials Committees (IMCs) to include at least one parent member, and directs the IMC to include recommendations for culturally and experientially representative instructional materials. The bill also prohibits school districts from refusing to approve or prohibit the use of any instructional (or supplemental) material on the basis that it relates to or includes the study or contributions of any individual or group who is part of a protected class unless the content contains discriminatory bias. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.
SSB 5804: which requires all school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools, to obtain and maintain opioid overdose reversal medication in each school and to adopt a related policy. The bill also makes grant programs available for purchasing opioid overdose reversal medication and training personnel to administer the medication. For more on this bill, check out this week’s article in the Washington State Standard. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.
2SSB 5882: which increases staff allocations for teaching assistants, office support staff, and non instructional aides in the prototypical school funding model. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.
Odds and Ends
“Empowering students with a tool like financial education is a catalyst for unlocking greater opportunities and success in their futures. This week from The Seattle Times, Tri-Cities Student Lobbies for More Financial Literacy in WA Schools.
Last week, Washington lawmakers heard mixed testimony on Initiative 2081, which aims to bolster the voices of parents in the state’s K-12 public schools. From the Washington State Standard, “WA Lawmakers Hear Debate on Parental Rights Initiative.”
Meet CSTP’s Legislative Update Coordinator 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.