By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org
The second year of the 64th Legislature adjourned about 6:45 PM on Thursday, March 7th, after a record-setting number of bills were pre-filed and introduced on January 8th and a super-fast 60 days of session. Legislators also added more spending for the 2024 supplemental operating, capital, and transportation budgets, passed many policy bills that have been delivered to the Governor, and approved three initiatives to the Legislature will go into effect June 6, 2024.
Three different initiatives will be on the 2024 November General Election ballot, including ones to repeal the Climate Commitment Act and the capital gains tax, both of which could blow a sizeable hole in the various 2025-27 budgets and beyond if passed. Budget writers added many notes of caution to the supplemental budgets, sprinkling various “null and void” statements linked to what happens in November, or placing January 1, 2025 effective dates on various provisos.
Two bills being tracked this session failed to win approval by both chambers in the final days. These included:
- SHB 1915 would have made financial education instruction a graduation prerequisite and a required component of public education. The half-credit graduation requirement was removed by the Senate and the House refused to concur with the changes. The bill likely will be back next year.
- ESSB 6031 would have modified the student transportation allocation to accommodate multiple vehicle types for transporting students and added 10-passenger vans to the depreciation schedule. The House struck all of the underlying bill and replaced it with a study. The Senate refused to concur with the changes and the bill died.
New funding additions and opportunities for K-12 education
The Legislature passed three bills that increase funding for school districts, two of which will begin in the 2023-24 school year apportionment payments.
- SHB 2180, increasing the special education enrollment funding cap. The bill increases the enrollment cap for special education funding from 15% to 16% for the 2024-25 school year.
- ESHB 2494, increasing state funding for operating costs in schools. The Materials, Supplies & Operating Costs (MSOC) per student rates are increased by $21 in the current school year and are intended to address growing costs in the categories and may not be spent for any other purpose.
- 2SSB 5882, increasing prototypical school staffing to better meet student needs. Classified staffing ratios are increased for instructional and non-instructional staff. The term “teaching assistance” is also changed to “paraeducators” in the prototypical school model. OSPI is directed to develop rules that require school districts to use the additional funding to support increased staffing, prevent layoffs, or increase salaries for paraeducators, office support and noninstructional aides in the 2024-25 school year. Finally, the first month’s payment after the bill is enacted must include the additional amounts from the beginning of the 2023-24 school year through that month.
| Current | Elementary School | Middle School | High School |
| Teaching assistance, including any aspect of educational instructional services provided by classified employees. | 0.936 | 0.700 | 0.652 |
| Office support and other noninstructional aides. | 2.012 | 2.325 | 3.269 |
| NEW 2023-24 School Year | Elementary School | Middle School | High School |
| Paraeducators, including any aspect of educational instructional services provided by classified employees. | 1.012 | 0.776 | 0.728 |
| Office support and other noninstructional aides. | 2.088 | 2.401 | 3.345 |
The Legislature also provided an additional $1.786 million for districts that became ineligible in the 2023-24 school year for the Experience Factor; added $76 million to student transportation to address underfunding reported by OSPI to the Legislature in February; and $45 million to bridge the gap in school meals to support the Community Eligibility Provision requirements passed in the 2023 session. Also positive is an additional $24.4 million for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program administered through the Department of Social & Health Services.
E2SHB 1368 creates a grant program for school districts to transition from diesel to zero emission school buses. Last session the Legislature approved $20 million in grants; this year, ESHB 2134, the 2024 supplemental transportation budget, includes $15.7 million to be distributed through the Department of Ecology, with another $4 million available January 1, 2025 if the Climate Commitment Act isn’t repealed. Eligible uses are replacement of diesel buses with zero emission vehicles, EV charging infrastructure, scrapping diesel buses, and transitioning the work force.
SHB 1044 would have created a new capital construction and planning grant program for the modernization and replacement of school facilities in financially distressed school districts that met certain enrollment and eligibility criteria. The bill was amended in the Senate Ways & Means Committee and returned to the House for review of the changes. Unlike other bills, this one didn’t go back and forth between the chambers towards the end but merely died for lack of action. That left the 2024 supplemental capital budget, ESSB 5949, as the big funding driver for K-12 school construction.
The Small District & Tribal Compact Schools Modernization grant program received a big boost of $114.88 million. The funding will cover the remaining construction projects and fund any projects that received a planning grant in the 2023-25 fiscal biennium, not to exceed $6 million per grant. Small districts awarded a planning grant that don’t receive a modernization grant in the current biennium are eligible for the maximum state funding level of $12 million. OSPI is also directed to submit an alternative list with the agency’s request for capital appropriations for the 2025-27 biennium that includes small school districts with 3,000 students or less, with a state funding level not to exceed $12 million per project.
Another significant budget investment was the increase in square foot funding for districts that have passed school bonds and are in the OSPI queue for School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) state match funding. The square-foot dollar amount will increase from $271.61 per square foot to $375.00 per square foot in fiscal year 2025 (starts July 1, 2024), and the budget states legislative intent to increase the construction cost allocation by the same inflation rate used by OFM’s C-100 form (a capital budget estimating tool) in subsequent years.
The supplemental capital budget also included $45 million for school district Indoor Air Quality & Energy Efficiency grants administered by OSPI. Of that amount, $30 million is from the Climate Commitment Account and would lapse on December 31, 2024 if the CCA is repealed in the November general election.
Bills that passed the Legislature
Bills that passed the Legislature have until Saturday, March 30th to be signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee. Bill signings are closed to the public, with primary bill sponsors allowed to invite up to five guests to the bill signing. (No RSVP is necessary.) Unless otherwise specified by a date, bills will take effect Thursday, June 6, 2024. Supplemental budget bills become effective immediately.
Here are some of the high-level bills being tracked during the 2024 legislative session – a detailed Session Scorecard will be prepared and available by mid-April:
Preventing gun violence & suicide
- SHB 1903, reporting lost or stolen firearms.
The bill creates a civil infraction for the failure to report the loss or theft of a firearm to local law enforcement within 24 hours. It also requires law enforcement to enter information received in a report of the loss or theft of a firearm into the National Crime Information Center database. Local licensing authorities are required to provide firearms dealers with signage related to the penalties for the failure to report a lost or stolen firearm and the unsafe storage of a firearm.
- ESHB 2118, protecting the public from gun violence by establishing additional requirements for the business operations of licensed firearms dealers.
Under this passed bill, firearms dealer employees are required to be 21 or older, and they must undergo fingerprinting and a background check prior to selling or transferring any firearms, and each year thereafter. Dealers are required to adopt specified security features, alarm systems, safe storage practices, surveillance systems, and record keeping practices. One of the more controversial issues was the new requirement that dealers carry a general liability insurance policy of at least $1 million in coverage per incident.
- ESSB 5444, concerning firearms in sensitive places.
The list of designated places at which it is a gross misdemeanor for any person to enter while knowingly possessing a weapon is expanded to public libraries, zoos or aquariums, and transit stations and transit facilities which are broadly defined but don’t include public buses or other public transit vehicles. The prohibitions do not apply to individuals who maintain a valid conceal carry license, correctional personnel, or the activities of color guards and honor guards, including staging and logistical requirements, related to burial or internment ceremonies.
Special education, funding, inclusion and resources
- SB 5852, concerning special education safety net awards.
This bill is meant to make accessing the safety net easier and more predictable. When determining award eligibility and amounts the safety net award review committee must limit its review to relevant documentation that illustrates adherence to award criteria and may not make determinations regarding the content of IEPs beyond confirming documented and quantified services and evidence of corresponding expenditures for which a school district seeks reimbursement. In addition, safety net awards may only be adjusted for errors that materially affect the demonstration of need.
By December 1, 2024, OSPI must develop a survey requesting specific feedback on the safety net application process from school districts with 3,000 or fewer students. Then, by December 1, 2025, OSPI must use the feedback to implement a simplified, standardized safety net application for all school districts that reduces barriers to safety net funding.
- SB 5883, concerning the burden of proof for special education due process hearings.
Under this bill, a school district has the burden of proof, including the burden of persuasion and production, when it is a party to a due process hearing regarding the identification, evaluation, reevaluation, classification, educational placement, disciplinary action, or provision of a free appropriate public education for a student with a disability. The burden of proof must be met by a preponderance of the evidence.
A parent or person in parental relation that seeks tuition reimbursement for a unilateral parental placement has the burden of proof, including the burden of persuasion and production, on the appropriateness of that placement.
Educator workforce
- SB 5180, adopting the interstate teacher mobility compact.
Introduced at the request of the Department of Defense, Washington would become a new member of the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact when signed into law. At its core, the bill is about ensuring active military members and military spouses who hold an eligible teaching license may teach in Washington and that barriers are removed when teachers move between states. The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) already has adopted rules for expediting issuance of a teaching license to a person who is licensed in another state and whose spouse has been transferred by the military to Washington, but the bill was seen as a way to streamline the pathway to licensure mobility for all teachers.
The bill was significantly modified in the House Education Committee and was further amended in a conference committee before being passed by both chambers. Perhaps the most controversial element is Section 14, which would not allow a school district superintendent to renew an employment contract of a provisional employee licensed under the compact for a third year if the provisional employee has not yet completed both the issues of abuse course described in RCW 28A.410.035 and the equity-based school practices requirements under RCW 28A.410.277. The equity-based continuing education must be aligned with the standards for cultural competency developed by PESB under the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion standards described in RCW 28A.410.260.
Multilingual, multiliterate students
- 3SHB 1228, building a multilingual, multiliterate Washington through dual and tribal language education.
Funding to expand current dual language programs was included in the 2023 legislation session. With this bill, the policy for dual language and tribal language education programs is codified and makes the program subject to the appropriations each biennium. Ten new programs are expected to be rolled out, with OSPI identifying the criteria for awarding the grants, evaluating applicants, and providing technical assistance.
Recipients of the grants must create diverse advisory boards to guide the development of the dual language program. In addition, they must: (1) prioritize offering the dual language education program in the language that the majority of its ELL students speak; (2) conduct outreach to the community; and (3) submit data to OSPI identifying which grade levels and which courses are part of the dual language education program and which students are enrolled in those courses.
By November 1, 2024, OSPI must report to the Legislature with its plan for expanding dual language education. The bill states it is the goal of the Legislature to annually fund at least 10 new dual language programs that begin in kindergarten, so that all school districts that want to are able to offer a dual language education program by 2040. The plan must prioritize the expansion to reach students in the educational opportunity gap first.
The bill also requires OSPI to develop a program to support tribal language education, and OSPI must convene biannually up to 20 tribal language educators to develop and share best practices, resources, and knowledge.
Other elements of the bill include:
- Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, OSPI must provide school districts and state tribal education compact schools with program guidance, technical assistance, and professional learning to serve Alaska Native and American Indian students with appropriate, culturally affirming literacy supports.
- It is specified that dual language education and tribal language education are the preferred Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program models.
- Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools must, rather than may, award the seal of biliteracy to graduating high school students who meet OSPI’s award criteria. For a world language other than English that is an unwritten language, the criteria must only require a student to demonstrate proficiency in speaking (and not in reading and writing) the language. The criteria for the seal of biliteracy must specify that only a sovereign tribal government may certify a student as proficient in the language of the tribe. OSPI must provide students access to methods to demonstrate proficiency in less commonly taught or assessed languages at a cost that is not higher than that of assessing commonly taught or assessed languages.
- The standardized high school transcript must, rather than may, include a notation of whether the student has earned the seal of biliteracy.
Resolutions
- ESHB 1608, expanding access to anaphylaxis medications in schools.
Epinephrine, which can be administered intramuscularly in a fixed dose through an autoinjector, is used for the first-aid treatment of anaphylaxis. When the statute was created in 2014, a qualified and licensed health professional was authorized to prescribe epinephrine autoinjectors in the name of the school or district for use when necessary. The prescriptions had to be accompanied by a standing order for the administration of school-supplied, undesignated autoinjectors for potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.
Proponents of this legislation argued that autoinjectors are expensive, and licensed health professionals were not inclined to create standing orders at schools for administration of epinephrine. This bill expands the authorization for a statewide standing order to the Secretary of the Department of Health, or the secretary’s designee, for use by school nurse or other designated trained school personnel on school property, a school bus, a field trip, or designated school activity. It also creates the option of administering epinephrine without using the autoinjector.
Nothing in the new bill requires school districts to stock a supply of epinephrine or epinephrine autoinjectors.
- E2SHB 1956, addressing fentanyl and other substance use prevention education.
After what has become a shocking number of reported deaths and overdoses and some heart-breaking testimony from parents of children who have lost their lives, the Legislature adopted a suite of bills to target substance use issues. This specific bill directs the Department of Health to develop, implement, and maintain a statewide drug overdose prevention and awareness campaign that meets specified requirements. The 2024 and 2025 campaigns must focus on increasing the awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, including the high possibility that other drugs are contaminated with synthetic opioids and that even trace amounts of synthetic opioids can be lethal.
It also requires OSPI to make available substance use prevention and awareness materials for school and classroom uses and requires OSPI to update by December 1, 2025 the state health and physical education learning standards for middle and high school students to add opioids to the list of drugs included in drug-related education and update the school and classroom materials to reflect the adjusted learning standards. Materials are expected to be available no later than 2026-27 school year.
On an on-going basis OSPI, and others identified in the bill, must develop age-appropriate substance use prevention and awareness materials for school and classroom uses. Materials must be distributed to school districts and schools, as well as ESDs and community-based organizations that provide before and after school programs, and the bill strongly encourage the incorporation of the age-appropriate materials in classrooms and in family and community communications.
- ESHB 2331, modifying requirements for public school instructional and supplemental instructional materials.
This bill is focused on the types and selection of instructional materials and supplemental materials. Supplemental materials are defined as materials in school libraries and educational materials that are not expressly required by the school or district and are selected at the discretion of a certificated teacher or teacher-librarian for materials in school libraries.
It requires school district Instructional Materials Committees to include one or more parents of enrolled students, with the parent members equaling less than one-half of the total membership of the committee. It directs districts to recruit from a diverse pool of parent members that reflects the demographics and learning needs in the district to the greatest extent possible.
The committee is directed to include recommendations for culturally and experientially representative instructional materials, including materials on the study of the role and contributions of individuals or groups that are part of a protected class. The authority to approve or disapprove recommendations remains with the school board of directors.
The bill prohibits school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools from refusing to approve or prohibit the use of any instructional or supplemental instructional material on the basis that it relates to or includes the study of the role and contributions of any individual or group who is part of a protected class unless the content contains discriminatory bias. Anyone alleging a violation of the requirements may bring a complaint under nondiscrimination laws.
By the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, school boards must adopt policies and procedures governing requested reviews and removals of instructional and supplemental instructional materials. As part of the policies and procedures, requests for the review and potential removal of supplemental instructional materials must be in writing from a parent or guardian of a student who is enrolled in the school or school district, and a review and appeal process up to the district superintendent. Decisions by the school district superintendent are not subject to appeal, and final decisions at any point in the process may not be reconsidered for a minimum of three years unless there is a substantive change of circumstances as determined by the superintendent.
- ESSB 5462, promoting inclusive learning standards and instructional materials in public schools.
Under ESSB 5462, OSPI must screen for biased content in each development or revision of a state learning standard and ensure that that the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion are incorporated into each new or revised learning standard.
By September 1, 2025, OSPI must produce and post on its website a schedule for the revision of state learning standards. In addition to notifying parents, schools, and the public of the revision schedules and timelines, the website posting must be updated as necessary to inform persons of the status of any pending revisions, and of any plans or actions related to developing new state learning standards.
By June 1, 2025, the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA), with the help of OSPI, must review and update a model policy and procedure regarding course design, selection, and adoption of instructional materials. The model must require that the school board of directors adopt inclusive curricula and select diverse, equitable, inclusive, age-appropriate instructional materials that include histories, contributions, and perspectives of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, including but not limited to, people from various racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, LGBTQ people, and people with various socioeconomic and immigration backgrounds.
The model must require that, in adopting curricula and selecting instructional materials, school boards must seek curricula and instructional materials that are as culturally and experientially diverse as possible, recognizing that the availability of materials that include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups may vary.
By October 1, 2025, school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal compact schools must amend their policies and procedures to conform with the model policy. For the purpose of documenting compliance, within 10 days of completing the policy and procedure updates, school boards must provide notice of the completed actions and electronic copies of the applicable policies and procedures to OSPI. OSPI must then compile this information and prepare best practices and other informative materials to support school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools in meeting the requirements. This OSPI requirement expires June 30, 2028.
Finally, OSPI, in collaboration with the Association of Educational Service Districts, the Legislative Youth Advisory Council, and WSSDA must create an open collection of educational resources for inclusive curricula. The open collection of educational resources must include resources that include the histories, contributions, and perspectives of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups.
- ESB 5790, concerning bleeding control equipment in schools.
Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools must maintain and make available bleeding control equipment on each school campus for use in the event of a traumatic injury. Schools must inspect and inventory this equipment annually and after each use and replace equipment as necessary. School districts are encouraged to implement these requirements during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years.
In addition, each school must have a minimum of two employees who have completed training on using the bleeding control equipment. If a school has more than 1,000 students, it must have one trained employee per 500 students. School districts may use trainings produced by the United States Department of Homeland Security, the American College of Surgeons, or similar organizations.
- SSB 5804, concerning opioid overdose reversal medication in public schools.
As passed, this bill will require all school districts, not just districts with more than 2,000 students, to obtain and maintain at least one set of opioid overdose reversal medication doses in each of the public schools. This is a change from requiring medication only in high schools. School districts must also adopt an opioid-related overdose policy by September 1, 2024.
Public schools are encouraged to include opioid overdose reversal medication in each first aid kit maintained on school property and in any coach or sports first aid kits maintained by the public school, provided that these kits are not accessible to people other than school personnel who have been designated to distribute or administer this medication. Public schools are encouraged to include at least one location of this medication on the school’s emergency map.
- SB 5904, extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs.
A student is eligible to receive an award under the Washington College Grant, College Bound Scholarship, Passport to College, or Passport to Apprenticeships for six years or up to 150 percent of the published length of the student’s program, or the credit or clock-hour equivalent. The requirement that a student use a passport award before age 26 is eliminated.
The Education Research and Data Center is required to report on the impacts to degree completion from increasing the timeline for use of state financial aid programs to the legislature by December 1, 2024, and each year thereafter.
2024 Supplemental Operating budget
The 2024 Legislature added nearly $3 billion in what are called “near general fund” dollars – these are from all of the various accounts, including the general fund where most revenues are collected; the Education Legacy Trust Account, which funds mainly K-12 programs; the Workforce Education Investment Account (WEIA), which is funded through increased business & occupation taxes for higher education programs; and the Fair Start for Kids account, which is funded through the capital gains tax.
To review any of the elements of ESSB 5950, go to this link and look for the Conference Committee (03/06/2024) documents. If you’re interested in watching the 30-minute conference report when non-partisan budget staff summarize the agreed-upon final budget, watch here.
| Topic | Amount | Section | Notes/Comments |
| Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program | $5,024,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal year 2024, $7,206,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal year 2025, and $12,230,000 of the general fund—federal appropriation | Section 205, DSHS Economic Services Program | Solely for the implementation of the summer electronic benefit transfer program for the summer break months following the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. The program implementation must align with the federal summer electronic benefit program requirements defined in the consolidated appropriations act, 2023 (136 Stat. 4459). The department may use a third-party entity to administer the program. |
| Prototypical School Staffing – Classified Workers | $71.78 million | Section 504 plus | Funding is provided to modify the prototypical school staffing model and to implement 2SSB 5882 (Prototypical school staffing), which increases staff allocations for paraeducators, office supports and noninstructional aides. |
| MSOC Adjustment | $43.61 million | Section 504 plus | Funding is increased for Maintenance, Supplies, and Operating Costs (MSOC) as required under EHB 2494 (School operating costs). |
| Special Education Cap Lift to 16% | $19.63 million | Section 509 plus | Funding is provided to increase the 15 percent enrollment limit on state special education funding to 16 percent. Chapter 417, Laws of 2023 (ESHB 1436) increased the cap from 13.5 percent to 15 percent. |
| 1% Experience Factor Support | $1.786 million | Section 505 | Funding is provided for school districts that dropped 2 percent due to losing the experience factor in the 2023-24 school year (SY). Districts will receive a 1 percent factor in the 2024-25 SY. LEAP doc 3. |
| Inclusionary Professional Development | $5 million | Section 501 | Funding is provided for OSPI to support professional development in inclusionary practices for classroom teachers in an effort to reduce student isolation and restraint. |
| Special Education Residency Cohort | $3.5 million | Section 515 | Funding is provided for cohorts of special education teacher residents who will complete a year-long program that combines professional training and coursework with in-the-classroom co-teaching experience alongside a mentor teacher. |
| 9th Grade Success Program | $3 million | Section 522 | Funding is provided for grants to school districts for the Ninth Grade Success program administered by Stand for Children. |
| Behavioral Health Supports | $1.2 million | Section 510 | Funding is provided to expand the existing Student Assistance Professionals (SAP) Program through the ESDs. The SAP Program places intervention specialists in local schools to serve students at risk of, or who have initiated, substance abuse. |
| District access to skill centers | $1.4 million | Section 522 | Funding is provided for grants to small school districts (less than 2,750 students) with students who attend regional skills centers for career and technical education. Per bill language (Rec Sum says 750) |
| Contract Bus Driver Benefits | $425,000 | Section 507 | Funding is provided to allow contract bus drivers and related staff to opt into health and retirement benefits as proposed in ESHB 1248 (Pupil transportation). |
| Teacher Prep Program Analysis | $188,000 | Section 503 | Provides funding for the professional educator standards board to convene two work groups to review implementation of new and existing standards in teacher preparation programs and to perform preparation program gap analyses. |
| Tribal Curriculum grants ($200K for districts, $200K for tribes) | $400,000
$200,000 of this amount is for grants to school districts.
$200,000 of this amount is for grants to federally recognized Indian tribes, including federally recognized Indian tribes whose traditional lands and territories included parts of Washington, but now reside in Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia. |
Section 522 | Provides grants to support the incorporation of tribal curriculum into social studies curricula. The tribal curriculum must include materials about the history, culture, and government of the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe or tribes, including federally recognized Indian tribes whose traditional lands and territories included parts of Washington, but that now reside in Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia, for the purpose of giving students the opportunity to learn about the unique heritage and experience of their closest federally recognized tribal neighbors. Grant funding may be used for costs associated with curriculum design and implementation and costs related to collaboration with federally recognized Indian tribes, including reimbursements to tribes for collaboration-related costs. |
| Dual & Tribal Language (HB 1228) | $185,000 | Section 501 | Grants were in the 2023-25 budget during the 2023 session. |
| School District Technical Assistance – grant programs | $150,000 | Section 501 | Funding is provided for OSPI to hire 1.0 FTE to support smaller school districts with applying for state, local or other public or private grant sources. |
| High School & Beyond Plan | $4.567 million | Section 501 | Additional funding is provided for E2SSB 5243 (high school and beyond plan) which, among other provisions, directs OSPI to facilitate the transition to a universal online platform for the High School and Beyond Plan. |
| Free & Reduced Price Meals alternative metric study | $150,000 | Section 501 | Funding is provided for a study to examine how free and reduced-price school meal data is used as a funding driver for programs and to provide recommendations for an alternative metric or metrics to the legislature. |
| Statewide IEP Portal Feasibility study | $500,000 | Section 501 | Funding is provided to conduct a feasibility study for an online, statewide Individualized Education Program (IEP) system. |
| Seasonal Farmworkers Children study | $183,000 | Section 501 | Funding is provided for OSPI to study the factors that impact education outcomes for children of seasonal farm workers in comparison to migrant students. |
| School District Compliance Review | $1.5 million | Section 501 | Funding is provided for OSPI to conduct a one-time compliance review of every school district in Washington between July 2024 and July 2025 related to compliance with state nondiscrimination laws, Chapters 28A.640 RCW and 28A.642 RCW, and federal nondiscrimination laws. |
| Initiative 2081 Technical Assistance to school districts | $500,000 | Section 501 | Funding is provided for OSPI to develop guidance and provide technical assistance to school districts on the implementation of Initiative 2081 (Parental rights/schools) |
| Transportation – STARS correction | $76.89 million | Section 507 | Funding is provided to account for OSPI’s increased allocation of transportation funding to school districts |
| Community Eligibility Provision | $45 million | Section 508 | Funding is provided for additional reimbursements to school districts participating in the federal Community Eligibility Provision for meals not reimbursed at the federal free meal rate. |
| Change to Paraeducator Fundamental Course of Study Reimbursement prioritization | No change in funding | Section 503 | School districts receiving grants under this subsection must prioritize funding toward compensation for paraeducators who complete the required hours of instruction per school year. |
| New School District Requirement: | $25,000 to OSPI | Section 509 | By November 1, 2024, each district shall report to the superintendent on the district’s utilization of special education funding increases in the 2023-25 biennial operating budget and 2024 supplemental operating budget.
The report shall include the following: (i) To what extent the district has increased special services, programs, and supports to students with disabilities for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years; (ii) How the district has modified staffing ratios during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years in special programs to provide more intensive staff support to students enrolled in special education programs; (iii) How the district has used the resources provided under chapter 475, Laws of 2023 and this act to increase employee compensation for both certificated and classified staff during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years to improve staff retention and recruitment of new staff; (iv) To what extent the district has increased staff development programs and curriculum that is both timely and relevant to the needs of students with disabilities during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years; and (v) To what extent the district has used the resources provided under chapter 475, Laws of 2023 and this act to purchase staff safety equipment during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years in order to reduce work-related injuries. |
2024 Supplemental Capital budget
Lawmakers added $1.3 billion in capital construction funding for projects all over the state, including investments from excess capital gains which are deposited in the Common School Construction Account. Here are the investments in school construction.
| Topic | Amount | Section | Notes/Comments |
| 2023-25 School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) | $293.65 million | Section 5002, OSPI | Down from $588.172 million. OSPI must consult with the Department of Enterprise Services and the Department of Commerce to identify cost-effective steps for new buildings and building modernization projects to comply with the Clean Buildings Act. |
| 2023-25 Small District & Tribal Compact Schools Modernization | $114.88 million | Section 5003, OSPI | $86 million for small district modernization grants, not to exceed $6 million per grant, to school districts that were awarded a planning grant during the 2023-25 fiscal biennium pursuant to LEAP capital document No. OSPI-1-2023.
Small districts awarded a planning grant pursuant to this list that do not receive a modernization grant in the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium are eligible for the maximum state funding level of $12,000,000 established under subsection (5)(a) of this section.
OSPI shall report the status and award amounts of all grants awarded pursuant to this section to the governor and appropriate fiscal committees of the legislature no later than October 15, 2024.
Small districts awarded a planning grant in the 2023-25 fiscal biennium are eligible for the maximum state funding level of $12 million.
OSPI shall report on the status and award amounts of all grants by October 15, 2024.
|
| Increased the planning grants by about $1 million to $2.307 million.
|
|||
| $1.8 million more for energy assessment grants to districts with 1,000 or fewer students.
|
|||
| In addition to the standard list, OSPI shall also submit an alternative list for the 2025-27 biennium that includes small districts with 3,000 students or less, with a state funding level not to exceed $12 million per project. | |||
| Emergency Repair grants
Urgent repair grants
ADA compliance |
$6 million
$1.1 million
$1 million |
Section 5004 | $5 million increased to $11 million.
$11.6 million is increased to $12.7 million.
$3.6 million to $4.6 million. |
| Healthy Kids-Healthy Schools | $1.5 million | Section 5005 | $10 million increased to $11.5 million |
| School District Indoor Air Quality & Energy Efficiency | $45.025 million
Appropriations from the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) take effect January 1, 2025. |
Section 5007 | Total amount has some breakdown and prioritization.
In addition, if the climate commitment account is repealed as of December 30, 2024, the amounts appropriated in this section from the climate commitment account—state shall lapse on December 31, 2024.
|
| $33.25 million:
$11.25 million of the common school construction account and $22 million of the CCA provided solely for grants to school districts with enrollments that are less than or equal to 3,000 students.
|
Grants are provided to school districts for assessment, installation, repair, or replacement of HVAC, air filtration enhancements, and general air quality improvements that improve student health and safety.
Funds may be used for improvements that improve student health and safety. (b) Grantees under this subsection may: (i) Seek technical assistance from state funded entities, such as the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the department of commerce, and the department of health; (ii) seek technical assistance from other entities, such as local health jurisdiction school safety programs and the smart buildings center’s K-12 ventilation and indoor air quality resource team; and (iii) use funding awarded to seek guidance and technical assistance from commercial entities that have specialized knowledge of troubleshooting modern HVAC or smart building systems.
If applications for grants under this subsection exceed available funding, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must first prioritize grants for school districts: (i) Without existing HVAC systems; (ii) that have documented proof of indoor air quality performance that does not meet current state energy code; (iii) with outdated or underperforming HVAC systems; and (iv) that have the most limited financial capacity. |
||
| $11.25 million:
$3.75 million common school construction account and $7.5 million of the CCA provided solely for grants to school districts with enrollments exceeding 3,000 students for indoor air quality assessment grants. |
|||
| Energy Assessment Grants to School Districts | $4.95 million | Section 5008, OSPI | Solely for energy assessment grants to school districts for buildings that exceed 220,000 gross square feet pursuant to compliance with the state’s energy-related building standards in chapter 19.27A RCW. Assessments funded under this subsection must include professional cost estimates for mitigating the energy use intensity deficiencies identified. OSPI must collect the cost estimate data from school districts receiving a grant under this subsection and report a summary of the collected cost data, as well as a list of specific capital projects for school districts developed |
| School-based Health and Behavioral Health Clinics | $2.064 million | Section 5009, OSPI | Project list. |
| CTE Projects | $68.2 million | Section 5010 | Skill Center projects are named (Tri-Tech to receive $45.5 million and Wenatchee Valley Technical to receive $14.463 million) |
| School Construction Assistance Program Revision (SCAPR) | $1 million | Section 5011 | School construction assistance study. Interim report due March 15, 2025, and final report due September 30, 2025. |
| SCAP Square Footage Enhancement | $79.216 million | Section 5013 | Increases the per square foot change from $271.61 to $375.00 in fiscal year 2025. Includes an inflation rate adjustment for future years. |
2024 Supplemental Transportation budget
Similar to the bipartisan capital budget, the 2024 supplemental transportation budget added about $1.1 billion in spending. In addition to the $20 million provided in the 2023 legislative session, legislators added new funding to incentivize school districts and private student transportation carriers to transition to zero emission vehicles.
| Topic | Amount | Section | Notes/Comments |
| Zero emission vehicles grant program | $19.715 million
$15.715 from MTCA
$4 million from Carbon Emissions Reduction Account, effective January 1, 2025 |
Sec. 108, Ecology | Provided solely for the department to provide grants to transition from diesel school buses and other student transport vehicles to zero emission vehicles and for the necessary fueling infrastructure needed for zero emission student transportation. The department must prioritize school districts serving tribes and vulnerable populations in overburdened communities as defined under RCW 70A.02.010. Up to five percent of the appropriation in this section may be used for technical assistance and grant administration. |
| LEAP doc – All projects transportation list | |||
| Safe Routes to Schools | $5.9 million | View Ridge Safe Routes to Schools (CCA funding) | |
| $419,000 | Snowdon Elementary | ||
| $40,000 | Tolt Middle School Access Project | ||
| $175,000 | Madison Street | ||
| $4 million | Bethel School District sidewalk projects | ||
| Safe Routes to Schools grant program | $52.71 million | (Other funding) | |
| Move Ahead WA – Safe Routes to Schools grant program | $45.4 million | $32 million in 2025-27; $37.8 million in 2027-29 (Other funding) |