Education

signed · Washington · House Mar 14, 2026

HB 2317: Concerning early learning program licensing requirements.

HB 2317 amends Washington State's early learning program licensing rules by adding "outdoor nature-based child care" as a defined program type, requiring such programs to operate in approved outdoor spaces for at least four hours daily and follow a nature-based curriculum. It expands the definition of "early learning" to explicitly include services like preschool, child care subsidies, parent education, and nature-based programs. The bill clarifies exemptions for certain providers, including seasonal camps, military-affiliated programs, and nature-based programs meeting specific criteria, removing them from full licensing requirements. These changes directly affect child care centers, family providers, and early learning programs operating under state oversight.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands early learning definition to include nature-based programs, increasing educational access and curriculum diversity for young children.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 14, 2026

SB 5963: Modifying funding for the passport to careers program and eligibility for the Washington college grant.

SB 5963 connects two Washington state education programs by automatically qualifying students eligible for the Passport to Careers program as income-eligible for the Washington College Grant. This change eliminates the need for separate income verification, streamlining access to college financial aid for qualifying students. The bill amends eligibility rules in the Washington College Grant statute to include Passport to Careers participants starting in the 2026-27 academic year. It directly affects low-income Washington students enrolled in Passport to Careers, expanding their access to free college funding without additional application steps.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands eligibility for Washington College Grant, increasing state funding allocation for education access by eliminating redundant verification.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAutomates eligibility for college grants, expanding access to financial aid for Passport to Careers students without additional verification, directly strengthening higher education funding access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 14, 2026

SB 6278: Concerning the ongoing review of approved teacher and principal preparation programs.

This bill updates Washington state's requirements for reviewing teacher and principal preparation programs. It mandates that the state education board periodically assess these programs using specific criteria - including program standards, educator role standards, evidence from programs, and input from school districts and community stakeholders - to ensure they prepare educators for modern classrooms. Programs must also develop partnership plans with local school districts for student teacher placements, prioritizing high-need subjects and geographic areas, and submit these plans to the state board every three years. The changes take effect January 1, 2027, and directly affect all approved teacher preparation programs and school districts in Washington.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates periodic reviews of teacher prep programs with specific quality criteria to ensure modern educator readiness, strengthening program standards and district partnerships.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 14, 2026

SB 5872: Establishing the preK promise account.

SB 5872 creates the "preK promise account" to fund Washington's early childhood education and assistance program. The account, managed by the state treasurer, accepts gifts, grants, and donations specifically for this program, with funds tracked separately by donor. It prohibits leftover funds from reverting to the general state budget at the end of each biennium. The bill ensures dedicated, ongoing support for early childhood education services without requiring annual legislative appropriations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates dedicated preK funding account, prohibits fund diversion to general budget, ensures ongoing support without annual appropriations for essential early education program.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates dedicated preK funding via a separate account, ensuring ongoing support without annual appropriations, directly advancing early education access and funding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6351: Increasing fiscal resources for students and children by providing targeted sales tax exemptions for schools and certain before-and-after school care programs and arts and cultural classes.

SB 6351 would exempt specific educational and childcare services from Washington state sales tax. It targets schools, before-and-after school care programs, and arts/cultural classes for children and students. The bill amends tax law to remove sales tax on purchases for these services, directly increasing funding available to qualifying programs. This policy change provides immediate fiscal relief to schools and childcare providers by reducing their operational costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts schools and childcare services from sales tax, reducing operational costs and increasing funding availability for public education programs.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts schools, childcare, and arts programs from sales tax, directly increasing fiscal resources for educational services by reducing operational costs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6247: Concerning school district financial management.

SB 6247 requires educational service districts to provide financial support to school districts showing signs of financial distress, including regular meetings with district leadership to create action plans and address budget issues. It mandates that school board members complete annual governance training focused on funding, budgeting, and fiscal accountability, with the training developed by the Washington State School Directors' Association. The bill also establishes a requirement for educational service district staff to report suspected financial misconduct to state auditors and the attorney general. By January 2027, the state superintendent must define "financial distress" using measurable indicators to guide oversight.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates financial support for distressed school districts and requires governance training on fiscal accountability, directly strengthening school district financial management and stability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6222: Supporting public school students by improving their access to surplus technology hardware.

SB 6222 allows Washington school districts to prioritize distributing surplus technology hardware (like laptops and tablets) to public school students, especially those from low-income families. It amends state law to require districts to first offer these devices for sale at reduced cost or free grant to students before selling them to others, with low-income families getting first priority. The bill defines "low-income" as families qualifying for free/reduced meals or earning ≤185% of the federal poverty level. This creates a clear process for schools to repurpose unused tech instead of selling it broadly, directly helping students who lack home devices for learning.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrioritizes low-income students for surplus tech access, directly improving educational equity and access per bill's mandate to offer devices first to qualifying families.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill prioritizes low-income students for free/reduced-cost tech hardware access, directly promoting digital equity - a key support indicator for technology policy.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5901: Providing school construction assistance program facilities support for on-base schools.

This bill amends Washington's school construction funding formula to specifically exclude military base school facilities from a district's available space count when calculating state assistance. It directly affects school districts operating schools on military bases, ensuring these facilities don't reduce their eligibility for state construction funds. The key change modifies the funding formula to treat on-base schools separately, potentially increasing their state funding share by not counting these spaces against their capacity. This adjustment aims to better support districts with military-connected students under the state's school construction program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesModifies school funding formula to increase state assistance for military base schools by excluding their facilities from space count, advancing public school construction funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExcludes military base schools from space count, increasing state construction funding eligibility for those districts.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5931: Concerning workforce education investment accountability and oversight board administrative changes.

SB 5931 amends Washington's workforce education oversight board structure to improve accountability. It specifies the board's 18-member composition (including legislative chairs, business representatives, labor groups, higher education leaders, students, and other stakeholders) and extends cochair terms from one to two years. The bill requires the board to report annual recommendations to the legislature by December 31st, using data from education and workforce agencies to assess if funding boosts student success metrics like completion and job placement. This procedural change directly affects the oversight board and its coordination with the Student Achievement Council and workforce agencies. It does not create new funding but refines how existing workforce education investments are reviewed and reported.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill strengthens oversight of workforce education (higher education subset) via accountability measures and annual funding assessments, improving governance of education programs.80% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncludes labor groups in oversight board composition and mandates data-driven funding assessments for workforce education, strengthening accountability in employment training programs.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5240: Concerning anaphylaxis medications in schools.

Senate Bill 5240 allows public and private schools in Washington to maintain a supply of epinephrine, including autoinjectors, for use in emergencies. Licensed health professionals can prescribe this medication in the school's name, accompanied by a standing order for administration by school nurses or trained personnel. The bill clarifies that epinephrine can be administered to students experiencing anaphylaxis, even if they do not have a personal prescription on file, and extends its use to field trips and school buses. It also provides liability protection for those involved in prescribing and administering the medication.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill protects student health by enabling schools to administer epinephrine for anaphylaxis emergencies without personal prescriptions, ensuring safe learning environments.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows schools to stock epinephrine for anaphylaxis emergencies without individual prescriptions, improving immediate access to life-saving treatment in schools.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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