Education

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2534: Promoting educational stability for children of military families.

HB 2534 (Promoting educational stability for children of military families) helps military-connected children enroll in Washington schools more smoothly when their families relocate due to military orders. It allows schools to accept enrollment applications before the child arrives in Washington, using military orders as proof of relocation (e.g., transfers to WA or bordering states, deployments), and requires parents to provide documentation within 90 days. The bill ensures schools transfer special education plans (like IEPs or 504 plans) from previous states and provide comparable services without delay. This directly affects military families moving to Washington and public school districts handling their enrollments.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationStreamlines enrollment for military-connected students, improving access to K-12 education during relocations without barriers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2557: Providing parental access to special education evaluation reports.

HB 2557 requires Washington school districts to provide parents of children in special education with written evaluation reports at least five school days before eligibility meetings, ensuring they can review the reports and prepare questions in advance. The bill sets a 35-school-day timeline for completing evaluations and delivering reports, with meetings scheduled no sooner than five days after report delivery. It mandates reports be provided in accessible written or electronic formats (not just during meetings) and allows parents to voluntarily waive the five-day review period in writing. Failure to provide reports on time without a waiver constitutes a procedural violation that could be considered in disputes over parental participation rights. The law directly affects parents, school districts, and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, which must update guidance and rules to implement these requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires schools to provide parents special education evaluation reports 5 days before meetings, enhancing parental involvement and access to educational decisions in K-12 special education.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2044: Addressing unexcused student absences.

HB 2044 revises how unexcused student absences are addressed by school districts, affecting students and their parents. The bill eliminates the requirement for school districts to file truancy petitions before a child's fifth unexcused absence. Instead, after a fifth unexcused absence, districts are directed to enter into an attendance agreement with the parent or child (if age eight or above), either directly or through a community engagement board. Truancy petitions to juvenile court are now generally required only if an attendance agreement is not reached or not complied with, and typically not before the child's 15th unexcused absence in a school year.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEliminates juvenile court truancy petitions, reducing criminal justice system involvement in student absences, aligning with reform goals of diverting low-level issues from courts.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationShifts from punitive truancy petitions to supportive attendance agreements, promoting student engagement without restriction or defunding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

signed · Washington · House May 20, 2025

HB 1296: Promoting a safe and supportive public education system.

HB 1296, "Promoting a safe and supportive public education system," enacts new requirements for public schools, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools in Washington. The bill prioritizes student safety, access to education free of discrimination, and privacy within the school system. It expands protected characteristics to include ethnicity, gender expression, gender identity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, and neurodivergence in anti-discrimination policies. Furthermore, the bill mandates that schools develop and share a "Statement of Student Rights" through educational and promotional materials, including civics education, to inform students of their entitlements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands anti-discrimination protections to include gender identity, neurodivergence, and homelessness, prioritizing student safety and access in public education system.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill explicitly includes 'immigration or citizenship status' as a protected characteristic in school anti-discrimination policies, protecting students from discrimination based on immigration status.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5813: Increasing funding to the education legacy trust account by creating a more progressive rate structure for the capital gains tax and estate tax.

SB 5813 aims to increase funding for public education, child care, early learning, and higher education by modifying the state's capital gains and estate taxes. Beginning January 1, 2025, an additional excise tax of 2.90 percent will be imposed on an individual's Washington capital gains that exceed $1,000,000. For the estate tax, the bill increases the applicable exclusion amount to $3,000,000 for estates of decedents dying on or after July 1, 2025. It also creates a more progressive rate structure for the estate tax by increasing the top tier rates up to 35 percent, with all revenues dedicated to the education legacy trust account.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes progressive capital gains/estate taxes on high earners to fund public education, childcare, and higher education programs, directly increasing state funding for essential services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly increases education funding via progressive tax changes, targeting capital gains over $1M and estate tax adjustments to fund public education, child care, and higher education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5785: Modifying students' share of the education costs at institutions of higher education.

This bill modifies the Washington college grant and college bound scholarship programs, impacting students seeking financial aid for higher education in Washington state. It codifies the maximum eligibility for the Washington college grant to students with family incomes up to 60 percent of the state median family income. The bill also adjusts how maximum grant amounts are calculated for various institutions, including private universities and apprenticeship programs, with some changes taking effect in the 2026-27 academic year. Additionally, it updates criteria for institutional eligibility, specifically for out-of-state affiliated institutions, to participate in these financial aid programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationModifies grant eligibility to include lower-income students (up to 60% median income) and adjusts funding calculations, expanding access to higher education financial aid.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · House May 20, 2025

HB 2050: Implementing K-12 savings and efficiencies.

House Bill 2050 updates the system for providing state local effort assistance funding to K-12 public school districts in Washington. This funding helps supplement local school district levies for educational enrichment programs. The bill modifies how this assistance is calculated, including updating financial thresholds and refining definitions for terms like "eligible school district" and "student enrollment." It also removes temporary provisions related to how student enrollment from prior school years was considered for funding calculations. These changes affect how much state funding school districts receive to support their local education efforts, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesUpdates state funding formula for K-12 schools, maintaining supplemental support for public education budgets through revised financial thresholds.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill updates K-12 funding system to maintain state assistance for educational enrichment programs, supplementing local levies without reducing support.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5009: Modifying the student transportation allocation to accommodate multiple vehicle types for transporting students.

SB 5009 modifies the student transportation allocation system for school districts in Washington state. It encourages districts to use various vehicle types, including school buses and other vehicles like district-owned passenger cars, for student transportation if deemed safe and cost-effective. The bill updates reporting requirements for districts to include miles driven per vehicle type and directs the superintendent of public instruction (SPI) to calculate transportation allocations based on all vehicle types used. Additionally, the SPI will establish minimum categories and competitive specifications for all student transportation vehicles to guide reimbursement.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows flexible transportation options to maintain student access, supporting operational efficiency for school districts.75% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill modifies student transportation allocation to allow flexible vehicle use (buses, cars) for safety/cost, updating reporting to optimize existing transportation resources within the framework.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5194: Concerning state general obligation bonds and related accounts.

SB 5194 authorizes the state of Washington to issue nearly $4.7 billion in general obligation bonds. These bonds will finance various state capital projects outlined in the 2023-2025 and 2025-2027 fiscal biennia and future biennia. The proceeds are deposited into state building construction accounts and then transferred to specific accounts, including those for outdoor recreation, habitat conservation, farm and forest preservation, and early learning facilities. The state pledges its full faith and credit for repayment, using general state revenues to cover the principal and interest on these bonds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes $4.7B in bonds to fund capital projects including recreation, conservation, and education facilities, advancing state budget priorities through targeted appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds early learning facilities, a direct educational infrastructure investment under bond proceeds for state capital projects.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds habitat conservation, farm/forest preservation, and outdoor recreation accounts from bond proceeds, directly advancing environmental protection priorities.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5752: Modifying child care and early childhood development programs.

Senate Bill 5752 modifies child care and early childhood development programs for families and young children in Washington State. It extends the full statewide implementation timeline for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) from the 2026-27 school year to the 2030-31 school year. The bill also revises ECEAP eligibility criteria, removing basic food benefits as a standalone qualifier and adding eligibility for Indian children at or below 100% of the state median income. Additionally, it updates the "birth to three" ECEAP pilot project by making its funding subject to appropriation and clarifying eligibility for children under 36 months from low-income families or those receiving basic food benefits.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands ECEAP eligibility to include Indian children and removes barriers, increasing access to early childhood education programs, a core education access component.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education