Remote testing

AN ACT Relating to supporting remote testing options for students 1
enrolled in online school programs; adding a new section to chapter 2
28A.250 RCW; and creating a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that students 5
enrolled in online school programs are required to travel to 6
designated testing sites for state assessments. This travel can 7
impose significant burdens on students and families, including 8
requiring parents or guardians to take time off from work, travel 9
long distances, and incur costs for accommodations and meals.10
As a result of these burdens, some parents have chosen to excuse 11
their students from taking state assessments. These choices, however, 12
impact the ability of educators and the state to measure the academic 13
progress of these students. 14
The legislature finds that to ensure equitable access to state 15
assessments and to uphold their integrity, the state must permit 16
remote testing options for students enrolled in online school 17
programs that align with the students' online instruction 18
environments. 19
The legislature, therefore, intends to expressly permit school 20
districts to offer remote testing options for students enrolled in 21
S-0397.1
SENATE BILL 5193
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Cortes, Chapman, Krishnadasan, Liias, Nobles, Salomon,
Shewmake, and C. Wilson
Prefiled 01/09/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Early Learning & K-12 Education.
p. 1 SB 5193
online education programs to reduce barriers to assessment 1
participation, and maintain fairness, equity, and security in the 2
assessment process. 3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.250 4
RCW to read as follows: 5
(1) Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, school districts with 6
online school programs may provide all students within those programs 7
with the ability to complete statewide assessments remotely.8
(2)(a) By April 1, 2026, the office of the superintendent of 9
public instruction shall develop or review and update as necessary 10
assessment administration and security policies to support remote 11
testing options for students enrolled in online school programs 12
including the remote administration of statewide academic 13
assessments. The policies required by this subsection (2), at a 14
minimum, must address: 15
(i) Required qualifications for testing personnel;16
(ii) The maximum ratio of students to proctors;17
(iii) Requirements for remote testing environments, including 18
restrictions on access to devices and persons, and procedures for 19
monitoring students completing tests; 20
(iv) Device and network requirements; and 21
(v) Parental consent and agreement forms. 22
(b) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall 23
periodically review and revise as necessary the policies required by 24
this subsection (2). 25
(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall 26
adopt and revise as necessary rules to implement this section. When 27
adopting rules in accordance with this section, the office of the 28
superintendent of public instruction is encouraged to consider 29
utilizing pilot rule making as provided in RCW 34.05.310.30
(4) For the purposes of this section, "device" means any 31
electronic equipment, including computers, tablets, and smartphones, 32
used for test administration. 33
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p. 2 SB 5193