Education (K-12 Education)

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5724: Improving student access to dual credit programs, including career and technical education dual credit programs.

SB 5724 aims to improve access to dual credit programs, particularly career and technical education (CTE) dual credit, for Washington high school students. It requires collaboration between community colleges, school districts, and other entities to create a statewide catalog of dual credit courses, align CTE programs with career pathways, and streamline credit transfer processes. The bill also mandates updating the state's administrative data system to better track credits, improve transcript accuracy, and support articulation agreements between high schools and colleges. These changes target students seeking career-focused postsecondary education, with a specific focus on fixing current gaps where CTE dual credit doesn't reliably transfer to college. The bill requires a report on data system improvements by October 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands dual credit access for K-12 students, aligns CTE programs with career pathways, and streamlines credit transfer to improve educational opportunities and access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2084: Increasing funding for K-12, health care, and public safety by repealing or modifying tax preferences for certain industries and goods.

House Bill 2084 seeks to increase state funding for K-12 education, health care, and public safety by modifying certain tax preferences. The bill repeals an existing tax exclusion, making sales of precious metal bullion and monetized bullion subject to state taxes. Additionally, it clarifies that businesses operating self-service storage facilities are subject to the state's business and occupation (B&O) tax for renting or leasing individual storage spaces. These changes aim to generate revenue for the specified public services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill closes tax loopholes (repealing bullion tax exclusion, clarifying B&O tax) to generate revenue for K-12, healthcare, and public safety funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly increases K-12 education funding by generating revenue through tax changes to fund schools, health care, and public safety.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly increases healthcare funding by generating revenue through tax changes targeting precious metal sales and storage facilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Sales Tax State Budget K-12 Education

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5304: Expanding eligibility for the students experiencing homelessness and foster youth program to an accredited tribal college.

SB 5304 expands Washington's Students Experiencing Homelessness and Foster Youth Program to include accredited tribal colleges, previously limited to public four-year institutions. The bill requires participating tribal colleges and four-year schools to provide specific supports like laundry access, housing assistance, reduced-price meals, technology resources, and case management for eligible students. It directly affects students who experienced homelessness or were in foster care upon high school graduation, ensuring they can access these services at tribal colleges meeting accreditation standards. The program also mandates annual reporting on participation and program effectiveness to the legislature.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access for homeless/foster youth by including tribal colleges in support program, mandating essential resources (housing, meals, tech) to improve higher education success.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill requires housing assistance for homeless/foster youth students, directly addressing homelessness and expanding housing support through program funding.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires participating institutions to provide technology resources as a mandated support for eligible students, directly advancing digital access and equity for underserved populations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Homelessness

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2082: Increasing funding to the education legacy trust account by creating a more progressive rate structure for the capital gains tax and estate tax.

HB 2082 aims to increase funding for public K-12 education, early learning, child care, and higher education in Washington state. The bill proposes to do this by modifying the state's capital gains tax and estate tax. It introduces an additional 2.90% excise tax on an individual's Washington capital gains that exceed $1,000,000, effective January 1, 2025. For the estate tax, it increases the exclusion amount to $3,000,000 for estates of decedents dying on or after January 1, 2025, and intends to raise the top-tier rates up to 35 percent. Revenues generated from these changes would be dedicated to the education legacy trust account.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes 2.90% capital gains tax on gains >$1M to fund education, creating progressive tax structure for public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly increases education funding via new capital gains/estate taxes for K-12, early learning, and higher education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Sales Tax Early Childhood K-12 Education School Funding

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passed · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5327: Concerning learning standards and graduation requirements.

SB 5327 directs the State Board of Education and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to review and update learning standards and graduation requirements concerning computer science and financial education for K-12 students. The State Board of Education must recommend adjustments to high school graduation requirements to ensure students can demonstrate foundational skills in these subjects, considering various credit and competency options. Concurrently, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction will update K-12 computer science learning standards and review financial education standards. The bill also requires the State Board to collect information from school districts on their current offerings and implementation needs for these subjects, and clarifies that school districts must provide all high school students opportunities to access financial education learning standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirects updates to computer science/financial education standards and graduation requirements to ensure foundational skills, strengthening curriculum content for K-12 students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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signed · Washington · House Apr 21, 2025

HB 1273: Improving student access to dual credit programs.

This bill aims to improve high school students' access to Career and Technical Education (CTE) dual credit programs in Washington state. It establishes and expands regional pilot programs through grant funding, enabling community and technical colleges, public high schools, and skill centers to boost student participation and credential attainment. The bill also directs the state board for community and technical colleges to plan for improving or replacing the statewide online enrollment and reporting system for CTE dual credit. Additionally, it requires reports to the legislature on the pilot program findings and recommendations for further improvements to dual credit policies and data collection.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands access to dual credit programs via grant-funded regional pilots, boosting student participation and credential attainment in CTE education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education K-12 Education

signed · Washington · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 1295: Using evidence-based instructional practices in reading and writing literacy for public elementary students.

HB 1295 requires Washington public school districts to implement evidence-based reading and writing literacy programs for kindergarten through fourth grade students. These programs must include phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension instruction, and be fully operational by the 2027-28 school year. The bill also mandates revised teacher training standards for educators to deliver these programs, with new certification requirements by 2026 and educator preparation programs updated by 2027. This directly affects elementary schools, teachers, and students, particularly those identified as reading below grade level, with specific attention to improving equity in dyslexia screening and support.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates evidence-based literacy programs with specific instructional components (phonics, comprehension) and requires teacher training standards by 2026, advancing K-12 literacy education quality.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Teachers

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5369: Enhancing youth mental health and well-being through advanced training and expansion of the workforce in schools.

SB 5369 addresses Washington's critical shortage of school social workers, which currently stands at one worker for every 3,798 students - far below the recommended national standard of one per 250 students. The bill requires educational service districts to partner with universities, mental health agencies, and school districts to expand the workforce through in-school training placements for social work students and conditional certification pathways. It revises statutes to clarify school social workers' roles in providing mental health counseling, crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, and support for students with individualized education plans. The law directly affects K-12 schools and students, particularly those facing emotional distress, behavioral challenges, or high absenteeism rates, by increasing access to mental health support within educational settings.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands school social worker workforce through partnerships and training, directly addressing K-12 mental health support and staffing shortages per national standards.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands school mental health workforce through training partnerships, directly addressing youth mental health services shortage per its title and summary.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands school social worker workforce via training placements and certification pathways, creating employment opportunities in mental health services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health Mental Health Professional Licensing

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5080: Making financial education instruction a graduation requirement.

Washington's SB 5080 requires all public high school students to complete financial education instruction to graduate, beginning with the 2033 class. School districts must provide courses aligned with existing state learning standards by the 2029-30 school year, offering flexible options like regular classes, online learning, or career programs. The bill mandates districts to submit implementation plans by December 2025 and allows individual waivers for students who moved to Washington after previous graduation requirements were met. This applies to all Washington public high schools, including charter and tribal schools, without creating new curriculum but making existing financial education standards a graduation requirement.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates financial education as a graduation requirement, expanding curriculum standards for all public high school students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5007: Supporting students who are chronically absent and at risk for not graduating high school.

SB 5007 creates a statewide program to support students missing 10% or more of school days (chronically absent) and at risk of not graduating high school. It requires educational service districts to train staff on early warning systems to identify at-risk students and connect them with supports like family engagement, health services, academic help, and transportation. The bill establishes a "Building Bridges" grant program for local school-family-community partnerships to implement dropout prevention systems, including data-driven interventions, mentorship, and alternative education options. These partnerships must collect and report data on student demographics, attendance, graduation rates, and outcomes to track effectiveness. The law aims to improve reengagement and graduation rates through coordinated, evidence-based support for vulnerable students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates statewide program with grants and staff training to address chronic absenteeism, improve graduation rates, and connect students to support services like academic help and transportation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health

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