Education

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1241: Improving access to and provision of a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities.

HB 1241 requires Washington school districts to improve transparency and timeliness in special education evaluations for students with disabilities. It mandates that districts provide parents with clear, translated information about evaluation processes and timelines (including a 22-day decision window after referrals and a 60-day evaluation window after consent), track and publicly report processing times by disability category, and use standardized templates for parent communications. The bill also ensures parents receive language-accessible materials and quarterly service reports for quantifiable special education services, while prohibiting multitiered systems from delaying evaluations. These changes directly affect students with disabilities, their families, and school districts across Washington State.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates transparency and timelines for special education evaluations, enhancing access for students with disabilities through clearer parent communication and tracking.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special 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

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1863: Promoting cardiac emergency response plans in schools.

HB 1863 requires all Washington school districts to develop cardiac emergency response plans by the 2025-26 school year, directly affecting schools, staff, students, and participants in athletic events. The plan must include designated response teams (staff, coaches, nurses), AED placement within three minutes of cardiac events, annual staff training in CPR/AED use, and coordination with local emergency services. Schools must update plans yearly and maintain AEDs per manufacturer guidelines, with clear signage. The bill also creates a grant program prioritizing schools with high student poverty rates (50%+ on free/reduced lunch) to fund AEDs and training.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates cardiac safety protocols in schools, enhancing student protection within educational settings per topic description.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates cardiac emergency response plans, AEDs, and staff CPR/AED training in schools, directly enhancing emergency health response capabilities and public health safety.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5593: Adjusting enrichment levies and local effort assistance.

SB 5593 adjusts how Washington school districts calculate their maximum allowable enrichment levies (local property taxes for extra programs beyond state funding). It sets new limits based on student enrollment: $2,500 per student (adjusted for inflation) for districts with fewer than 40,000 students, and $3,000 per student for larger districts. The bill also modifies the calculation to account for local effort assistance, compliance adjustments, and cooperative agreements between districts. School districts must now get approval for their levy expenditure plans before voting on new levies.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill caps local school district property tax levies at specific per-student amounts, restricting local tax authority and limiting additional funding sources.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill caps local enrichment levies at $2,500-$3,000/student, restricting districts' ability to raise additional funding for school programs beyond state support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Government Spending School Funding

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1310: Concerning special education funding.

HB 1310 eliminates the enrollment cap on students eligible for state special education funding in Washington, directly affecting all public school districts and students with disabilities. The bill increases funding multipliers for districts serving students with disabilities in inclusive settings (80%+ time in general education), raising the multiplier from 1.12 to 1.5289 for those students, while lowering it to 1.447 for less inclusive placements. It also requires the state superintendent to monitor racial disproportionality in special education identification and provide technical assistance to districts. These changes aim to ensure equitable state funding without requiring local district contributions and support inclusive educational practices.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state funding multipliers for inclusive special education programs, directly expanding budget allocations for public schools serving students with disabilities.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEliminates enrollment cap and increases funding multipliers for inclusive special education settings, directly advancing student access and funding for districts serving students with disabilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

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signed · Washington · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 5641: Encouraging public school instruction in awareness of blood donation.

Senate Bill 5641 encourages public school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools in Washington state to offer instruction on blood donation awareness. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, this instruction may be included in health classes required for graduation for students in grades 9-12. The bill specifies that the awareness programs should be provided by nationally recognized organizations, such as the American Red Cross or Bloodworks Northwest. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction will post links to these approved instructional programs on its website. This initiative aims to educate students about the importance of blood donation and opportunities to participate.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates blood donation awareness in health curriculum for grades 9-12, enhancing student education on health topics without restricting content.90% confidence

passed · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5123: Expanding protections for certain students to promote inclusivity in public schools.

Senate Bill 5123 expands protections against discrimination for students in Washington public schools. The bill amends existing state law to prohibit discrimination based on additional categories, including ethnicity, gender expression, gender identity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, and neurodivergence. It also provides specific definitions for these new protected characteristics within the relevant chapter of state education code. This aims to promote inclusivity and ensure equity for all students in public schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands anti-discrimination protections for students (including gender identity, neurodivergence) in public schools to promote inclusivity, directly strengthening educational access and environment.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationExplicitly prohibits discrimination based on 'immigration or citizenship status' in public schools, protecting immigrant students from discrimination.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Citizenship & Naturalization

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signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5813: Increasing funding to the education legacy trust account by creating a more progressive rate structure for the capital gains tax and estate tax.

SB 5813 aims to increase funding for public education, child care, early learning, and higher education by modifying the state's capital gains and estate taxes. Beginning January 1, 2025, an additional excise tax of 2.90 percent will be imposed on an individual's Washington capital gains that exceed $1,000,000. For the estate tax, the bill increases the applicable exclusion amount to $3,000,000 for estates of decedents dying on or after July 1, 2025. It also creates a more progressive rate structure for the estate tax by increasing the top tier rates up to 35 percent, with all revenues dedicated to the education legacy trust account.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes progressive capital gains/estate taxes on high earners to fund public education, childcare, and higher education programs, directly increasing state funding for essential services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly increases education funding via progressive tax changes, targeting capital gains over $1M and estate tax adjustments to fund public education, child care, and higher education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Early Childhood

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5619: Establishing minimum in-state resident enrollment thresholds for public universities.

SB 5619 requires Washington's public universities to enroll at least 75% Washington resident students in fall freshman programs each year. This applies to all state universities, regional universities, and the state college, with the exception that institutions may admit more non-residents if not enough qualified Washington residents apply. The bill defines "academically qualified" as meeting the institution's published admissions standards and specifies "resident" using existing state definitions. Its goal is to ensure public higher education institutions prioritize access for Washington residents, aligning with the legislature's intent to support the state's workforce needs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires 75% in-state enrollment at public universities, prioritizing Washington residents' access to higher education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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passed · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5663: Establishing a virtual campus for all Washingtonians.

SB 5663 allows Washington community and technical colleges to advertise their entirely online course offerings to potential students statewide, beyond their traditional district boundaries. Colleges can use various methods, including digital advertising and direct mail, to distribute information about these online courses. The bill also permits colleges to inform their local citizens about online programs offered exclusively by neighboring districts. However, it explicitly states that community and technical colleges are not allowed to compete with each other or other higher education institutions for student enrollment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access by enabling community colleges to advertise online courses statewide, increasing opportunity for all Washingtonians to access higher education programs.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill enables digital advertising of online courses, expanding access to virtual education and supporting digital equity through technology adoption.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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