Education (Teachers)

HB 1475 suspends $5,000 annual bonuses for certificated instructional staff (teachers) who hold National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, effective for the 2025-26 through 2028-29 school years. The bill halts payments that would otherwise be made under existing law, which previously provided these bonuses (adjusted for inflation) to certified teachers, plus an additional $5,000 for those working in high-poverty schools meeting specific criteria. This suspension applies to all eligible teachers regardless of school poverty designation during the specified years. The change does not alter the underlying bonus structure or eligibility rules but temporarily stops payments for four consecutive school years.

SB 5596 repeals Washington State's participation in the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, a multi-state agreement that allowed teachers to transfer licenses more easily between states. The bill removes specific laws (RCW 28A.420.005-.120) that governed this compact, ending Washington’s ability to recognize teaching licenses from other participating states. This directly affects out-of-state teachers seeking to work in Washington schools, as they will no longer qualify for streamlined licensure under the compact and must meet Washington’s full licensing requirements instead. The repeal also modifies the "provisional employee" rules for new teachers but does not change the core process for school districts to nonrenew teaching contracts.

SB 5737 suspends annual bonuses for certificated instructional staff in Washington state who hold National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, specifically for the 2025-26 through 2028-29 school years. The bill amends existing law to prevent payment of these $5,000 bonuses, which previously applied to certified teachers in all schools and additional bonuses for those in high-poverty schools meeting specific criteria. This suspension applies broadly to all eligible teachers under the current bonus structure, overriding prior provisions that would have continued payments. The change affects public school teachers with National Board certification, not the underlying eligibility rules for the bonuses themselves. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.