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WashingtonSB 51922025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Concerning school district materials, supplies, and operating costs.

Sponsored By: T'wina Nobles (Democratic)

Became Law

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

9 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Extra funds for special education

The state enhances funding for students with disabilities based on excess costs. This adds extra staff and materials to support special education needs. The change is effective September 1, 2025.

More learning help for low‑income students

Learning Assistance Program funding uses the higher of a district’s current or prior‑year free or reduced‑price meal rate. On average, students get 2.3975 hours per week of extra instruction at a 15:1 class size. Qualifying high‑poverty schools get an extra 1.1 hours per week, also at 15:1, and districts must send that money to the schools that earned it. The state also adjusts middle and high school meal‑eligibility rates to fix underreporting. For the 2024–25 and 2025–26 school years, districts that give free meals but are not in CEP can keep using historic rates and keep qualifying status.

More support for English learners

Bilingual program funding is based on the number of eligible enrolled students. On average, K–6 students get 4.7780 hours per week and grades 7–12 get 6.7780 hours per week, at a 15:1 class size. Students who exited the program in the last two years get 3.0 hours per week at 15:1. These rules take effect September 1, 2025.

Stable funding for highly capable students

Funding equals 5.0% of each district’s full‑time basic education enrollment. On average, students get 2.1590 hours per week of extra instruction at a 15:1 class size. This takes effect September 1, 2025.

More per-student money for supplies

The state now funds at least $1,614.28 per full‑time student for school materials, supplies, and operations. High schools also get $214.84 more per full‑time student in grades 9–12. Beginning in 2026–27, these amounts rise each year with inflation. Two small increases, $35.27 per student and $4.69 per high‑school student, must be spent only on these supply and operations costs. Starting in 2026–27, districts must report each year how they spent this money by detailed categories.

Class size targets and lab funding

The law sets class size targets used to fund teachers: K–3 = 17.00; grade 4 = 27.00; grades 5–6 = 27.00; grades 7–8 = 28.53; grades 9–12 = 28.74. High schools get extra funding to lower lab science classes, using a 19.98 student class size and a 0.0833 course factor for two lab science classes per student. K–3 funding is limited to each district’s actual class size, up to the target; this rule has applied since September 1, 2019. The new targets and lab rules take effect September 1, 2025.

Funding rules for career classes

The state funds career and technical education (CTE) based on full‑time student counts for exploratory and preparatory courses, including skill centers. Staffing for approved CTE classes uses a 23.00 student class size, and approved skill center programs use 19.00 students per teacher. Only OSPI‑approved courses qualify for these funds. These rules take effect September 1, 2025.

More support staff, with new limits

The law sets minimum school staffing ratios for principals, librarians, paraeducators, counselors, nurses, safety staff, and more. Districts also get minimum staff per 1,000 students: technology 0.628; facilities/grounds 1.813; warehouse/laborers/mechanics 0.332. Each district must reserve at least 5.30% of staff units for central administration. Funding for nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, safety staff, and parent‑involvement coordinators is limited to a district’s actual staff‑to‑student ratios, and districts must prioritize properly certified staff. For the 2024–25 school year, districts must use added allocations to add staff, prevent layoffs, or raise pay for paraeducators, office support, and noninstructional aides. Most rules take effect September 1, 2025.

Clearer school funding and reports

OSPI posts per‑student state funding for each district on its main website, and districts must link to it. The legislature’s budget shows statewide average per‑student amounts. The governor and superintendent review the funding formula every two years; if lawmakers reject changes, the prior formula stays. Student enrollment for funding is the monthly average of full‑time and part‑time counts, and the state reviews these numbers monthly. These rules take effect September 1, 2025.

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Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • T'wina Nobles

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Adrian Cortes

    Democratic • Senate

  • Bob Hasegawa

    Democratic • Senate

  • Claire Wilson

    Democratic • Senate

  • Deborah Krishnadasan

    Democratic • Senate

  • Derek Stanford

    Democratic • Senate

  • Jamie Pedersen

    Democratic • Senate

  • Lisa Wellman

    Democratic • Senate

  • Manka Dhingra

    Democratic • Senate

  • Mike Chapman

    Democratic • Senate

  • Member 27504

    House

  • Yasmin Trudeau

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 180 • No: 14

Senate vote • 4/23/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 48 • No: 0

House vote • 4/16/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 85 • No: 12 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 3/6/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 47 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 9/1/2025.

    5/17/2025Senate

  2. Chapter 334, 2025 Laws.

    5/17/2025Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    5/17/2025legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/25/2025legislature

  5. Speaker signed.

    4/24/2025legislature

  6. President signed.

    4/24/2025legislature

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 48; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    4/23/2025Senate

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments.

    4/23/2025House

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 85; nays, 12; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    4/16/2025Senate

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/16/2025Senate

  11. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    4/16/2025Senate

  12. Committee amendment not adopted.

    4/16/2025Senate

  13. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    4/14/2025Senate

  14. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    4/8/2025Senate

  15. Minority; without recommendation.

    4/5/2025Senate

  16. Minority; do not pass.

    4/5/2025Senate

  17. APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

    4/5/2025Senate

  18. APP - Executive action taken by committee.

    4/5/2025Senate

  19. First reading, referred to Appropriations.

    3/8/2025Senate

  20. Third reading, passed; yeas, 47; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    3/6/2025Senate

  21. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/6/2025Senate

  22. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    3/6/2025Senate

  23. 1st substitute bill substituted.

    3/6/2025Senate

  24. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    3/3/2025Senate

  25. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    2/28/2025Senate

Bill Text

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