SB 5327 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

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.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Jan 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from focusing solely on computer science to also include financial education. The revised bill requires the state board of education to ensure students demonstrate competency in both computer science and financial education as foundational graduation skills. Additionally, the timeline for reporting recommendations to the legislature was extended from 2025 to 2026, and the expiration date for these new requirements was pushed back from 2027 to a later date (implied by the extension).

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include financial education alongside computer science, requiring districts to assess competency in both areas and providing more time for implementation.

REQUIREMENT

Added financial education to the list of foundational skills that students must demonstrate competency in for graduation requirements, alongside existing computer science standards.

Required the Superintendent of Public Instruction to review and update state financial education learning standards, in addition to the existing computer science review.

Amended the RCW to require school districts to provide financial education opportunities to students in grades 9-12 and encourage granting credit for successful completion.

Added a requirement for the Superintendent to consult with the financial education public-private partnership and provide a list of aligned instructional materials to school districts.

TIMELINE

Extended the deadline for the state board of education to report recommendations to the governor and legislature from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026.

Extended the expiration date for the new requirements from August 1, 2027, to a later date (the specific new date was not explicitly stated in the diff but the timeline was extended).

Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2025

How they voted

48–3

Passed

Total votes 51

Mar 5, 2025

D Democratic31

29 Yea 2 Nay

93% Yea

R Republican20

19 Yea 1 Nay

95% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Committee

Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. On motion, referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Appropriations.

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

ED - Majority; do pass.

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Education at 8:00 AM.

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Education at 4:00 PM.

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (48-3)

senate

Feb 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

WM - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Early Learning & K-12 Education.

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.

upper

Feb 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

And refer to Ways & Means.

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 8:00 AM.

upper

Jan 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 8:00 AM.

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors