Transition to kindergarten

AN ACT Relating to transition to kindergarten programs; amending 1
RCW 28A.300.072; and reenacting and amending RCW 43.88C.010.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 28A.300.072 and 2023 c 420 s 1 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1) The intent of the legislature is to continue and rename 6
transitional kindergarten as the transition to kindergarten program 7
and that the program be established in statute with the goal of 8
assisting eligible children in need of additional preparation to be 9
successful kindergarten students in the following school year. The 10
transition to kindergarten program is not part of the state's 11
statutory program of basic education under RCW 28A.150.200.12
(2)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction 13
shall administer the transition to kindergarten program and shall 14
adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW for the administration of, the 15
allocation of state funding for, and minimum standards and 16
requirements for the transition to kindergarten program ((. Initial 17
rules, which include expectations for school districts, charter 18
schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-19
tribal education compact schools transitioning existing programs to 20
the new requirements established in this section must be adopted in 21
S-1576.1
SENATE BILL 5769
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Wellman, C. Wilson, and Nobles
Read first time 02/21/25. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
p. 1 SB 5769
time for the 2023-24 school year, and permanent rules must be adopted 1
by the beginning of the 2024-25 school year )) in accordance with this 2
section. 3
(b) School districts, charter schools as allowed by subsection 4
(7) of this section, and state-tribal education compact schools 5
operating a transition to kindergarten program shall adopt policies 6
regarding eligibility, recruitment, and enrollment for this program 7
that, at a minimum, meet the requirements of subsection (3) of this 8
section. 9
(3) The rules adopted under subsection (2) of this section must 10
include, at a minimum, the following requirements for school 11
districts, charter schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this 12
section, and state-tribal education compact schools operating a 13
transition to kindergarten program: 14
(a)(i) A limitation on program enrollment to eligible children. 15
Eligible children include only those who: 16
(A) Have been determined to benefit from additional preparation 17
for kindergarten; and 18
(B) Are at least four years old by August 31st of the school year 19
they enroll in the transition to kindergarten program;20
(ii) A requirement, as practicable, for school districts, charter 21
schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-22
tribal education compact schools to prioritize families with the 23
lowest incomes and children most in need for additional preparation 24
to be successful in kindergarten when enrolling eligible children in 25
a transition to kindergarten program; 26
(iii) Access to the transition to kindergarten program does not 27
constitute an individual entitlement for any particular child.28
(b) Except for children who have been excused from participation 29
by their parents or legal guardians, a requirement that the 30
Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills as established 31
by RCW 28A.655.080 be administered to all eligible children enrolled 32
in a transition to kindergarten program at the beginning of the 33
child's enrollment in the program and at least one more time during 34
the school year. 35
(c) A requirement that all eligible children enrolled in a 36
transition to kindergarten program be assigned a statewide student 37
identifier and that the transition to kindergarten program be 38
considered a separate class or course for the purposes of data 39
reporting requirements in RCW 28A.320.175. 40
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(d) A requirement that a local child care and early learning 1
needs assessment is conducted before beginning or expanding a 2
transition to kindergarten program that considers the existing 3
availability and affordability of early learning providers, such as 4
the early childhood education and assistance programs, head start 5
programs, and licensed child care centers and family home providers 6
in the region. Data available through the regionalized data dashboard 7
maintained by the department of children, youth, and families or any 8
other appropriate sources may be used to inform the needs assessment 9
required by this subsection. 10
(e)(i) A requirement that school districts, charter schools as 11
allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-tribal education 12
compact schools adhere to guidelines, as developed by the office of 13
the superintendent of public instruction, related to:14
(A) Best practices for site readiness of facilities that are used 15
for the program; 16
(B) Developmentally appropriate curricula designed to assist in 17
maintaining high quality programs; and 18
(C) Professional development opportunities. 19
(ii) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must 20
develop a process for conducting site visits of any school district, 21
charter school as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, or 22
state-tribal education compact school operating a transition to 23
kindergarten program and provide feedback on elements listed in this 24
subsection (3)(e). 25
(f) A prohibition on charging tuition or other fees to state-26
funded eligible children for enrollment in a transition to 27
kindergarten program. 28
(g) A prohibition on establishing a policy of excluding an 29
eligible child due only to the presence of a disability.30
(4)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in 31
collaboration with the department of children, youth, and families, 32
shall develop statewide coordinated eligibility, recruitment, 33
enrollment, and selection best practices and provide technical 34
assistance to those implementing a transition to kindergarten program 35
to support connections with local early learning providers.36
(b) School districts, charter schools as allowed by subsection 37
(7) of this section, and state-tribal education compact schools must 38
consider the best practices developed under this subsection (4) when 39
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adopting the policies required under subsection (2)(b) of this 1
section. 2
(5) Nothing in this section prohibits school districts, charter 3
schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-4
tribal education compact schools from blending or colocating a 5
transition to kindergarten program with other early learning 6
programs. 7
(6)(a) Funding for the transition to kindergarten program must be 8
based on the following: 9
(i) The distribution formula established under RCW 28A.150.260 10
(4)(a), (5), (6), (8), and (10)(a) and (b), calculated using the 11
actual number of annual average full-time equivalent eligible 12
children enrolled in the program. A transition to kindergarten child 13
must be counted as a kindergarten student for purposes of the funding 14
calculations referenced in this subsection, but must be reported 15
separately. 16
(ii) The distribution formula developed in RCW 28A.160.150 17
through 28A.160.192, calculated using reported ridership for eligible 18
children enrolled in the program. 19
(b) Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, the annual average 20
full-time equivalent eligible children enrolled in the program funded 21
in (a) of this subsection may not exceed the state-funded annual 22
average full-time equivalent children enrolled in the program in the 23
2024-25 school year as specified in the omnibus appropriations act.24
(c) Funding provided for the transition to kindergarten program 25
is not part of the state's statutory program of basic education under 26
RCW 28A.150.200 and must be expended only for the support of 27
operating a transition to kindergarten program. 28
(7) Charter schools authorized under RCW 28A.710.080(2) are 29
immediately permitted to operate a transition to kindergarten program 30
under this section. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, any 31
charter school authorized under RCW 28A.710.080 (1) or (2) is 32
permitted to operate a transition to kindergarten program under this 33
section. 34
Sec. 2. RCW 43.88C.010 and 2023 c 420 s 4, 2023 c 345 s 1, and 35
2023 c 244 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:36
(1) The caseload forecast council is hereby created. The council 37
shall consist of two individuals appointed by the governor and four 38
individuals, one of whom is appointed by the chairperson of each of 39
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the two largest political caucuses in the senate and house of 1
representatives. The chair of the council shall be selected from 2
among the four caucus appointees. The council may select such other 3
officers as the members deem necessary. 4
(2) The council shall employ a caseload forecast supervisor to 5
supervise the preparation of all caseload forecasts. As used in this 6
chapter, "supervisor" means the caseload forecast supervisor.7
(3) Approval by an affirmative vote of at least five members of 8
the council is required for any decisions regarding employment of the 9
supervisor. Employment of the supervisor shall terminate after each 10
term of three years. At the end of the first year of each three-year 11
term the council shall consider extension of the supervisor's term by 12
one year. The council may fix the compensation of the supervisor. The 13
supervisor shall employ staff sufficient to accomplish the purposes 14
of this section. 15
(4) The caseload forecast council shall oversee the preparation 16
of and approve, by an affirmative vote of at least four members, the 17
official state caseload forecasts prepared under RCW 43.88C.020. If 18
the council is unable to approve a forecast before a date required in 19
RCW 43.88C.020, the supervisor shall submit the forecast without 20
approval and the forecast shall have the same effect as if approved 21
by the council. 22
(5) A councilmember who does not cast an affirmative vote for 23
approval of the official caseload forecast may request, and the 24
supervisor shall provide, an alternative forecast based on 25
assumptions specified by the member. 26
(6) Members of the caseload forecast council shall serve without 27
additional compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses 28
in accordance with RCW 44.04.120 while attending sessions of the 29
council or on official business authorized by the council. 30
Nonlegislative members of the council shall be reimbursed for travel 31
expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.32
(7) "Caseload," as used in this chapter, means:33
(a) The number of persons expected to meet entitlement 34
requirements and require the services of public assistance programs, 35
state correctional institutions, state correctional noninstitutional 36
supervision, state institutions for juvenile offenders, the common 37
school system, long-term care, medical assistance, foster care, and 38
adoption support; 39
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(b) The number of students who are eligible for the Washington 1
college bound scholarship program and are expected to attend an 2
institution of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.92.030;3
(c) The number of students who are eligible for the Washington 4
college grant program under RCW 28B.92.200 and 28B.92.205 and are 5
expected to attend an institution of higher education as defined in 6
RCW 28B.92.030; 7
(d) The number of children who are eligible, as defined in RCW 8
43.216.505, to participate in, and the number of children actually 9
served by, the early childhood education and assistance program; and10
(e) Beginning with the first official forecast after July 23, 11
2023, the number of people eligible for the working families' tax 12
credit under RCW 82.08.0206. The total number of people eligible for 13
the working families' tax credit should include: 14
(i) The number of eligible people with no qualifying children;15
(ii) The number of eligible people with one qualifying child;16
(iii) The number of eligible people with two qualifying children; 17
and 18
(iv) The number of eligible people with three or more qualifying 19
children. 20
(8) The caseload forecast council shall forecast the temporary 21
assistance for needy families and the working connections child care 22
programs as a courtesy. 23
(9) By January 1, 2023, the caseload forecast council shall 24
present the number of individuals who are assessed as eligible for 25
and have requested a service through the individual and family 26
services waiver and the basic plus waiver administered by the 27
developmental disabilities administration as a courtesy. The caseload 28
forecast council shall be presented with the service request list as 29
defined in RCW 71A.10.020 to aid in development of this information.30
(10) Beginning with the official forecast submitted in November 31
2022 and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 32
specific purpose, the caseload forecast council shall forecast the 33
number of individuals who are assessed as eligible for and have 34
requested supported living services, a service through the core 35
waiver, an individual and family services waiver, and the basic plus 36
waiver administered by the developmental disabilities administration 37
as a courtesy. The caseload forecast council shall be presented with 38
the service request list as defined in RCW 71A.10.020 to aid in 39
development of this information. 40
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(11) As a courtesy, beginning with the official forecast 1
submitted in November 2022, the caseload forecast council shall 2
forecast the number of individuals who are expected to reside in 3
state-operated living alternatives administered by the developmental 4
disabilities administration. 5
(12) The caseload forecast council shall forecast youth 6
participating in the extended foster care program pursuant to RCW 7
74.13.031 separately from other children who are residing in foster 8
care and who are under eighteen years of age. 9
(13) The caseload forecast council shall forecast the number of 10
youth expected to receive behavioral rehabilitation services while 11
involved in the foster care system and the number of screened in 12
reports of child abuse or neglect. 13
(14) The caseload forecast council shall forecast the number of 14
individuals who are functionally and financially eligible for 15
medicaid waiver services administered by the developmental 16
disabilities administration who also meet the criteria outlined in 17
RCW 71A.12.370 and are expected to utilize a medicaid waiver service.18
(15) ((The caseload forecast council shall forecast eligible 19
children participating in the transition to kindergarten program 20
under RCW 28A.300.072.21
(16))) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the 22
definitions provided in RCW 43.88.020 apply to this chapter.23
(((17))) (16) During the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, and beginning 24
with the November 2021 forecast, the caseload forecast council shall 25
produce an unofficial forecast of the long-term caseload for juvenile 26
rehabilitation as a courtesy. 27
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