Transition to kindergarten

AN ACT Relating to funding the transition to kindergarten program 1
at the 2024-25 school year program enrollment level of each school 2
district, charter school, and state-tribal education compact school 3
operating a program; amending RCW 28A.300.072; and making 4
appropriations. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The sum of $16,216,000, or as much thereof 7
as may be necessary, is appropriated from the state general fund for 8
the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and the sum of $4,709,000, or 9
as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the state 10
general fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, to the office 11
of the superintendent of public instruction, and is provided solely 12
for allocation to school districts, charter schools authorized under 13
RCW 28A.710.080(2), and state-tribal education compact schools 14
subject to chapter 28A.715 RCW, as payment during the 2024-25 school 15
year for the transition to kindergarten program established under 16
chapter 28A.300 RCW.17
Sec. 2. RCW 28A.300.072 and 2023 c 420 s 1 are each amended to 18
read as follows: 19
H-1534.1
HOUSE BILL 2012
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Bergquist, Couture, Ormsby, Pollet, Nance,
Gregerson, and Scott
Read first time 02/21/25. Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
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(1) The intent of the legislature is to continue and rename 1
transitional kindergarten as the transition to kindergarten program 2
and that the program be established in statute with the goal of 3
assisting eligible children in need of additional preparation to be 4
successful kindergarten students in the following school year. The 5
transition to kindergarten program is not part of the state's 6
statutory program of basic education under RCW 28A.150.200.7
(2)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction 8
shall administer the transition to kindergarten program and shall 9
adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW for the administration of, the 10
allocation of state funding for, and minimum standards and 11
requirements for the transition to kindergarten program. Initial 12
rules, which include expectations for school districts, charter 13
schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-14
tribal education compact schools transitioning existing programs to 15
the new requirements established in this section must be adopted in 16
time for the 2023-24 school year, and permanent rules must be adopted 17
by the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. 18
(b) School districts, charter schools as allowed by subsection 19
(7) of this section, and state-tribal education compact schools 20
operating a transition to kindergarten program shall adopt policies 21
regarding eligibility, recruitment, and enrollment for this program 22
that, at a minimum, meet the requirements of subsection (3) of this 23
section. 24
(3) The rules adopted under subsection (2) of this section must 25
include, at a minimum, the following requirements for school 26
districts, charter schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this 27
section, and state-tribal education compact schools operating a 28
transition to kindergarten program: 29
(a)(i) A limitation on program enrollment to eligible children. 30
Eligible children include only those who: 31
(A) Have been determined to benefit from additional preparation 32
for kindergarten; and 33
(B) Are at least four years old by August 31st of the school year 34
they enroll in the transition to kindergarten program;35
(ii) A requirement, as practicable, for school districts, charter 36
schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-37
tribal education compact schools to prioritize families with the 38
lowest incomes and children most in need for additional preparation 39
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to be successful in kindergarten when enrolling eligible children in 1
a transition to kindergarten program; 2
(iii) Access to the transition to kindergarten program does not 3
constitute an individual entitlement for any particular child.4
(b) Except for children who have been excused from participation 5
by their parents or legal guardians, a requirement that the 6
Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills as established 7
by RCW 28A.655.080 be administered to all eligible children enrolled 8
in a transition to kindergarten program at the beginning of the 9
child's enrollment in the program and at least one more time during 10
the school year. 11
(c) A requirement that all eligible children enrolled in a 12
transition to kindergarten program be assigned a statewide student 13
identifier and that the transition to kindergarten program be 14
considered a separate class or course for the purposes of data 15
reporting requirements in RCW 28A.320.175. 16
(d) A requirement that a local child care and early learning 17
needs assessment is conducted before beginning or expanding a 18
transition to kindergarten program that considers the existing 19
availability and affordability of early learning providers, such as 20
the early childhood education and assistance programs, head start 21
programs, and licensed child care centers and family home providers 22
in the region. Data available through the regionalized data dashboard 23
maintained by the department of children, youth, and families or any 24
other appropriate sources may be used to inform the needs assessment 25
required by this subsection. 26
(e)(i) A requirement that school districts, charter schools as 27
allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-tribal education 28
compact schools adhere to guidelines, as developed by the office of 29
the superintendent of public instruction, related to:30
(A) Best practices for site readiness of facilities that are used 31
for the program; 32
(B) Developmentally appropriate curricula designed to assist in 33
maintaining high quality programs; and 34
(C) Professional development opportunities. 35
(ii) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must 36
develop a process for conducting site visits of any school district, 37
charter school as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, or 38
state-tribal education compact school operating a transition to 39
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kindergarten program and provide feedback on elements listed in this 1
subsection (3)(e). 2
(f) A prohibition on charging tuition or other fees to state-3
funded eligible children for enrollment in a transition to 4
kindergarten program. 5
(g) A prohibition on establishing a policy of excluding an 6
eligible child due only to the presence of a disability.7
(4)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in 8
collaboration with the department of children, youth, and families, 9
shall develop statewide coordinated eligibility, recruitment, 10
enrollment, and selection best practices and provide technical 11
assistance to those implementing a transition to kindergarten program 12
to support connections with local early learning providers.13
(b) School districts, charter schools as allowed by subsection 14
(7) of this section, and state-tribal education compact schools must 15
consider the best practices developed under this subsection (4) when 16
adopting the policies required under subsection (2)(b) of this 17
section. 18
(5) Nothing in this section prohibits school districts, charter 19
schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-20
tribal education compact schools from blending or colocating a 21
transition to kindergarten program with other early learning 22
programs. 23
(6)(a) ((Funding)) Subject to (b) of this subsection, state 24
funding for the transition to kindergarten program must be based on 25
the following: 26
(i) The distribution formula established under RCW 28A.150.260 27
(4)(a), (5), (6), (8), and (10)(a) and (b), calculated using the 28
actual number of annual average full-time equivalent eligible 29
children enrolled in the program. A transition to kindergarten child 30
must be counted as a kindergarten student for purposes of the funding 31
calculations referenced in this subsection, but must be reported 32
separately. 33
(ii) The distribution formula developed in RCW 28A.160.150 34
through 28A.160.192, calculated using reported ridership for eligible 35
children enrolled in the program. 36
(b) Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, the annual average 37
full-time equivalent enrollment of eligible children in each program 38
funded under (a) of this subsection operated by a school district, 39
charter school as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, or 40
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state-tribal education compact school, may not exceed the annual 1
average full-time equivalent enrollment of eligible children in the 2
same school district, charter school as allowed by subsection (7) of 3
this section, or state-tribal education compact school program during 4
the 2024-25 school year. 5
(c) Funding provided for the transition to kindergarten program 6
is not part of the state's statutory program of basic education under 7
RCW 28A.150.200 and must be expended only for the support of 8
operating a transition to kindergarten program. 9
(7) Charter schools authorized under RCW 28A.710.080(2) are 10
immediately permitted to operate a transition to kindergarten program 11
under this section. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, any 12
charter school authorized under RCW 28A.710.080 (1) or (2) is 13
permitted to operate a transition to kindergarten program under this 14
section. 15
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