SB 5574 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Providing instruction on Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history in public schools.

SB 5574 requires Washington public schools to teach Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history as part of social studies curriculum. Starting in the 2029-30 school year, all K-12 schools must include this history when aligned with state standards, covering topics like community contributions to civil rights, local/regional history, and economic/cultural impacts. The bill mandates the state superintendent to develop learning standards and approved curricula by September 2028, with school districts reporting on implementation annually beginning in 2030. This applies to all public school students in Washington, directly affecting curriculum content and instructional practices across the state.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Feb 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was expanded to include instruction on Latino American and Black American history alongside Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history. It was also updated to reflect the 2026 legislative session and added a new requirement for school districts to adopt policies ensuring this broader history is taught in social studies courses.

Scope change

The bill's scope was significantly broadened from focusing solely on Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history to explicitly including Latino American and Black American history as mandatory instruction topics.

SCOPE

Added requirements for instruction on Latino American and Black American history to match the expanded findings in the bill's preamble.

Updated the bill title and sponsor list to reflect the new co-sponsors and the expanded scope of the legislation.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the mechanism for instruction from a direct mandate to require districts to adopt a policy ensuring the history is included in social studies courses.

Removed the requirement to establish a specific advisory committee dedicated solely to Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history.

TIMELINE

Removed the specific deadline for the Superintendent to adopt learning standards and replaced it with a deadline tied to when revised social studies standards are adopted.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Jan 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Jan 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM.

upper

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

1 primary · 12 co-sponsors