PRIA Logo™
WashingtonSB 62602025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Implementing efficiencies and programming changes in public education.

Sponsored By: Lisa Wellman (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

7 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 2 mixed.

Certified teachers get inflation-adjusted annual bonuses

Washington certificated instructional staff receive an annual bonus that rises with inflation through the 2025-26 school year. Staff must attain and maintain National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification. The bonus is paid as one lump sum. The provision does not specify the bonus amount or inflation measure.

Lower funded course limits for Running Start

Running Start funding limits cover a student's combined high school and college enrollment, measured in full-time equivalents. The law sets a 1.3 limit for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, with a stated limit of 1.4 otherwise. A separate provision sets a 1.2 limit if Senate Bill 6346 was not enacted by June 30, 2026. These caps limit funded coursework; the provisions do not say whether families must pay for courses above the cap.

Longer bus lifetimes, stricter district funding

Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction annually updates reimbursement schedules for student transportation vehicles purchased after September 1, 1982. Payments account for investment returns and changing replacement costs, minus salvage value; contracted private-carrier vehicles use straight-line depreciation based on original cost. For buses scheduled for payments as of September 2025 or qualifying afterward, minimum lifetimes are 120 months for category A and 180 months for categories C and D. Districts must maintain vehicles and, where possible, operate them for their assigned lifetime; failures can trigger future payment deductions equal to original cost times the share of required life or miles not completed. Districts must keep these payments in separate transportation vehicle funds, while educational service districts providing transportation must use separate accounts within their general expense funds.

Lower enrollment counts for school aid

Washington's local effort assistance supplements enrichment levies in districts with low levy revenue per student. The law lowers the alternative-learning enrollment threshold from 33% to 25% of annual average full-time enrollment. Enrollment used for aid is reduced by the alternative-learning enrollment above that 25% level. Beginning in calendar year 2020, districts qualify when a levy of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value raises less per counted student than the state threshold. That threshold starts at $1,550 per student in 2019 dollars and is adjusted from 2020 using the federal implicit price deflator. Maximum annual aid equals prior-year counted enrollment times the threshold, minus revenue from the benchmark levy. Districts levying at least $1.50 receive the full maximum; those levying less receive the maximum multiplied by their levy rate divided by $1.50. Beginning in calendar year 2022, state-tribal compact schools receive the host district's previous-year actual enrichment levy per student, capped at the inflation-adjusted $1,550 threshold, times their prior-year enrollment. Prior-year enrollment means the most recently completed school year; nonhigh districts alone count their students attending a high district, and innovation academy cooperatives divide enrollment proportionally among participating districts. This aid is supplemental and is not part of the state's constitutional basic education program.

Lower reimbursement quotes for zero-emission school buses

For zero-emission school buses bought in 2025-26 through 2027-28, Washington uses 33% of the vehicle-category quote to adjust district reimbursements. This lowers the quote used in those payment calculations. The final depreciation payment can still use the lowest bid in the relevant bus category for that school year. The law does not state the resulting dollar payment.

Kindergarten transition fees with protections for children

Schools running transition-to-kindergarten programs can charge families sliding-scale enrollment fees. They cannot charge children who qualify for ECEAP or Head Start but have not yet been placed. They also cannot charge children with disabilities entitled to a free appropriate public education under federal and state law. No fee amounts are specified.

Kindergarten transition funding prioritizes children with needs

Washington limits transition-to-kindergarten funding to state budget amounts and directs it through state education agency priorities. Priority groups include children who lack licensed child care and either qualify for free or reduced-price meals or have household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. Other priority groups include children eligible but not scheduled for ECEAP or Head Start, children eligible for or receiving special education, and English or multilingual learners. Existing programs serving priority children receive priority before new programs in areas with extremely limited child care access. Funding uses eligible children's annual average full-time enrollment and reported bus ridership; they count as kindergarten students for these calculations and special education funding, but are reported separately.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Lisa Wellman

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Claire Wilson

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 146 • No: 146

Senate vote • 3/12/2026

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 26 • No: 23

House vote • 3/11/2026

2637 Rude Pg 2 Ln 28

Yes: 45 • No: 52 • Other: 1

House vote • 3/11/2026

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 50 • No: 47 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 3/3/2026

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 25 • No: 24

Actions Timeline

  1. Governor signed.

    4/1/2026legislature

  2. Effective date 6/11/2026*.

    4/1/2026Senate

  3. Chapter 267, 2026 Laws.

    4/1/2026Senate

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    3/13/2026legislature

  5. President signed.

    3/12/2026legislature

  6. Speaker signed.

    3/12/2026legislature

  7. Senate concurred in House amendments.

    3/12/2026House

  8. Passed final passage; yeas, 26; nays, 23; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    3/12/2026Senate

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 50; nays, 47; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    3/11/2026Senate

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/11/2026Senate

  11. Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.

    3/11/2026Senate

  12. APP - Executive action taken by committee.

    3/9/2026Senate

  13. Minority; do not pass.

    3/9/2026Senate

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

    3/9/2026Senate

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

    3/9/2026Senate

  16. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    3/9/2026Senate

  17. First reading, referred to Appropriations.

    3/4/2026Senate

  18. Third reading, passed; yeas, 25; nays, 24; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    3/3/2026Senate

  19. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/3/2026Senate

  20. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    3/3/2026Senate

  21. 1st substitute bill substituted.

    3/3/2026Senate

  22. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    3/3/2026Senate

  23. Minority; without recommendation.

    3/2/2026Senate

  24. Minority; do not pass.

    3/2/2026Senate

  25. WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

    3/2/2026Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation