Happy Friday! This week kicked off with the Senate and House fiscal committees releasing their operating and supplemental budget proposals. Short sessions provide little time for lawmakers to catch their breath, because around every corner there seems to be another cut-off. Budgets tend to move fairly quickly through each chamber and the sooner they pass, the sooner committees can meet and the negotiations begin. Last week, the State Revenue Forecast was released, and it turns out that “Washington’s economy is projected to generate $67 billion for the two-year budget cycle that began July 1, up $122 million from the last forecast in November.” That gives Democratic budget writers more money than previously anticipated.
Senate lawmakers proposed their $71.7 billion supplemental operating budget, while the House is proposing just shy of that. The Olympian quoted Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, “We are proud of the investments we’re presenting today…We do not go backwards in any part of the budget, nor do we fund one program or project at the expense of another.”
On the Senate side, one of the largest proposals in the supplemental budgets this year is $242 million for K-12 schools, which includes funding for free student meals, school construction and special education. Paraeducators would also get an increase in hourly wages under the new budget proposal that would cost the state $49.6 million.
The session officially ends Thursday, March 7, which is just around the corner. Within that time lawmakers will face two more cut-offs: February 26 (fiscal) and March 1 (Rules). This week included the last of the policy committee meetings, and the focus now shifts to the fiscal committees and whether those education bills make it out of either the House Appropriations or the Senate Ways & Means Committees. It is worth noting that two major bills failed to make it out of policy committees this week. Senator Wellman’s sponsored Senate bill, ESSB 6264, that deals with implementing competency-based education, failed at the last second in executive session to make it out of the House. On the other side, House bill 4SHB 1479, which concerns banning the use of restraints and isolation techniques in schools, also failed to make it out of executive session.
Fiscal Hearings Next Week on TVW.org:
House Appropriations Committee
- Friday, February 23rd @ 1:30pm
- Monday, February 26th @ 10:30am
Senate Ways & Means Committee
- Friday, February 23rd @ 1:30pm
- Saturday, February 24th @ 9am
- Monday, February 26th @ 10am
Bills We’re Following
HB 1146: which requires public schools to notify high school students and their families about available dual credit programs and any available financial assistance (Senate hearing time: 22:30 and 30:58). Testifying in support: representatives from the WSPTA and Stand for Children. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.
3SHB 1228: which relates to grant programs for establishing dual language education and tribal language education programs, as well as multilingual skill bonuses for certificated instructional staff and paraeducators (Senate hearing time: 17:45 and 1:15:58). Testifying in support: representatives from WSPTA, OneAmerica and several concerned citizens. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
E4SHB 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. The bill would also change the defense for use of force on children with respect to teachers and other school staff (Senate hearing time: 2:14 and 42:07). Testifying in support: representatives from SCPTSA and several concerned citizens. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
ESHB 1277: which requires improving the consistency and quality of the implementation of the fundamental course of study for paraeducators (Senate hearing time: 2:40 and 35:29). Testifying in support: several concerned citizens, representatives from the WEA, PSE and PESB. Testifying as “other:” representatives from Lake Washington SD. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means 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 (Senate hearing time: 14:28 and 1:25:02). Testifying in support: representatives from SNOW. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.
HB 1879: which would name the curriculum used to inform students about tribal history, culture, and government after John McCoy (lulilaš) (Senate hearing time: 6:37 and 50:28). Testifying in support: representatives from the SBE, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. The bill is in the Senate Rules 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. This bill gained some press this week from The Seattle Times. The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.
E2SHB 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 (Senate hearing time: 45:19). Testifying in support: representatives from WSPTA, Washington Poison Center, the Governor’s Office, OSPI, several concerned citizens and the Mayor of Mercer Island. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
HB 2110: which concerns reorganizing statutory requirements governing high school graduation (Senate hearing time: 28:38 and 48:50). The bill is in the Senate Rules Committee.
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 2025-26 school year (Senate hearing time: 23:28 and 49:16). Testifying in support: representatives from AWB, Washington State Skill Centers, OSPI, MIC, Workforce Board and AGC. The bill is in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.
ESHB 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 (Senate hearing time: 1:43:04). The bill is in the Senate 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: 9:01 and 38:50). Testifying in support: student representatives from Lake Washington HS and several concerned citizens. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.
E2SSB 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: 00:56 and 1:33:54). Testifying in support: representatives from The Sammamish HS Robotics Team. Testifying in opposition: several students from Lake Washington HS. Testifying as “other:” representatives from WSSDA, WSPTA and CSTA Puget Sound. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.
SSB 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 (House hearing time: 59:40). Testifying in support: representatives from SBCTC, OSPI, AESD, Open Doors and United Way of King Co. The bill is in the House Appropriations 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 (House hearing time: 33:09). Testifying in support: representatives from PSE, Chehalis SD and WSSDA. The bill is in the House Appropriations Committee.
2SSB 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. The bill is in the House Appropriations 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 (House hearing time: 1:10:44). Testifying in support: representatives from TeamChild and The Arc of WA State. Testifying as “other:” representatives from WSSDA, Mercer Island SD, School Alliance and Small School Districts of Lewis Co. The bill is in the House Rules Committee.
Odds and Ends
Bonds vs. Levies and the heavy lift of a supermajority. This week from Crosscut, Over Half of WA School Bond Measures Get a Majority Vote but Fail.
“Test scores are one way to look at how well kids are doing in school, but they increasingly don’t match grades. This is problematic when families use both to signal academic gains or strains.” From The Seattle Times’ Education Lab, “Grade Inflation is Hurting WA Students, Researchers Say.”
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.