Education

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.

HB 1651 establishes formal frameworks for teacher residency and apprenticeship programs in Washington state. It defines a teacher residency as a preparation model integrating a full year of collaborative classroom teaching with academic coursework, requiring partnerships between schools and approved teacher preparation programs. Residents must receive at least 900 hours of clinical practice, and both residents and their preservice mentors receive funding or stipends. The bill also defines teacher apprenticeships as programs providing 2,000 hours of on-the-job mentored teaching experience, approved by both the state apprenticeship and training council and the professional educator standards board. These programs aim to provide structured, hands-on training for aspiring teachers.

This bill updates the formula for allocating state funding to support basic education in Washington state school districts. It outlines how funds are distributed based on the resources needed for "prototypical" elementary, middle, and high schools. The formula specifies minimum staffing levels for classroom teachers, including average class sizes for various grades and subjects, and allocations for other essential school staff like principals and support personnel. Additionally, it mandates the Superintendent of Public Instruction to report per-pupil allocations for different programs to enhance transparency, while generally allowing districts flexibility in how they use these funds.

House Bill 1587 encourages local governments, including municipalities, counties, and federally recognized Indian tribes, to establish their own "promise scholarship programs" for Washington students. These local programs will operate within the existing Washington state opportunity scholarship program, which will administer the scholarships, but local governments can set their own student eligibility rules and determine which educational programs to support. The scholarships aim to cover tuition and fees not met by other state aid, with local governments having the option to provide additional funds for expenses like books. The bill also authorizes state matching funds, up to $300,000 per local program annually, to support these efforts and expand access to postsecondary education.

HB 1540 expands eligibility for the "students experiencing homelessness and foster youth program" to include accredited public tribal colleges in Washington. This program, previously available only at public four-year institutions, provides assistance to students experiencing homelessness and those who were in the foster care system when they graduated high school. Support services can include access to laundry, storage, reduced-price meals, technology, housing assistance, and case management. Participating institutions are also enabled to develop affordable housing from surplus property and are required to submit annual reports to the legislature on the program's impact.