Competency-based assessments

AN ACT Relating to expanding opportunities for competency-based 1
assessments in graduation pathway options; and amending RCW 2
28A.230.710. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 28A.230.710 and 2024 c 66 s 5 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
(1) Each student graduating from a public high school and earning 7
a high school diploma must meet the requirements of at least one 8
graduation pathway option established in this section. The graduation 9
pathway options are intended to provide a student with multiple ways, 10
including test-based, course-based, and performance-based options, to 11
demonstrate readiness in furtherance of the student's individual 12
goals for high school and beyond. For the purposes of this section, 13
"demonstrate readiness" means the student meets or exceeds state 14
learning standards addressed in the graduation pathway option. A 15
student may choose to pursue one or more of the graduation pathway 16
options under subsection (2) of this section, but any graduation 17
pathway option used by a student to demonstrate career and college 18
readiness must be in alignment with the student's high school and 19
beyond plan. 20
S-3548.1
SENATE BILL 5859
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Wellman, Cortes, Hasegawa, Krishnadasan, Nobles, Slatter,
and C. Wilson
Prefiled 12/09/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Early Learning & K-12 Education.
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(2) The following graduation pathway options may be used to 1
demonstrate career and college readiness: 2
(a) Meet or exceed the graduation standard established by the 3
state board of education under RCW 28A.305.130 on the statewide high 4
school assessments in English language arts and mathematics as 5
provided for under RCW 28A.655.070; 6
(b) Complete and qualify for college credit in dual credit 7
courses in English language arts and mathematics. For the purposes of 8
this subsection, "dual credit course" means a course in which a 9
student qualifies for college and high school credit in English 10
language arts or mathematics upon successfully completing the course;11
(c) Earn high school credit in a high school transition course in 12
English language arts and mathematics, an example of which includes a 13
bridge to college course. For the purposes of this subsection (2)(c), 14
"high school transition course" means an English language arts ((or)) 15
course, mathematics course, or competency-based assessment offered in 16
high school where successful completion by a high school student 17
ensures the student college-level placement at participating 18
institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016. High 19
school transition courses must satisfy core or elective credit 20
graduation requirements established by the state board of education. 21
A student's successful completion of a high school transition course 22
does not entitle the student to be admitted to an institution of 23
higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016; 24
(d) Earn high school credit, with a C+ grade or higher in AP, 25
international baccalaureate, or Cambridge international courses , or 26
in competency-based assessments in English language arts and 27
mathematics; or earn at least the minimum scores outlined in RCW 28
28B.10.054(1) on the corresponding exams. The state board of 29
education shall establish by rule the list of AP, international 30
baccalaureate, and Cambridge international courses , and competency-31
based assessments of which successful completion meets the standard 32
in this subsection for English language arts and for mathematics;33
(e) Meet or exceed the scores established by the state board of 34
education for the mathematics portion and the reading, English, or 35
writing portion of the SAT or ACT; 36
(f)(i) Complete a performance-based learning experience through 37
which the student demonstrates knowledge and skills in a real-world 38
context, providing evidence that the student meets or exceeds state 39
learning standards in English language arts and mathematics. The 40
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performance-based learning experience may take a variety of forms, 1
such as a project, practicum, work-related experience, community 2
service, or cultural activity, and may result in a variety of 3
products that can be evaluated, such as a performance, presentation, 4
portfolio, report, film, or exhibit. 5
(ii) The performance-based learning experience must conform to 6
state requirements established in rule by the state board of 7
education addressing the safety and quality of the performance-based 8
learning experience and the authentic performance-based assessment 9
criteria for determining the student has demonstrated the applicable 10
learning standards. The rules adopted by the state board of education 11
to implement the graduation pathway option established in this 12
subsection (2)(f) may allow external parties, including community 13
leaders and professionals, to participate in the evaluation of the 14
student's performance and must include at least one certificated 15
teacher with an endorsement in each relevant subject area or with 16
other applicable qualifications as permitted by the professional 17
educator standards board. 18
(iii) To support implementation of the performance-based learning 19
experience graduation pathway option, the state board of education, 20
in collaboration with the office of the superintendent of public 21
instruction, shall establish graduation proficiency targets and 22
associated rubrics aligned with state learning standards in English 23
language arts and mathematics. 24
(iv) Prior to offering the performance-based learning experience 25
graduation pathway option in this subsection (2)(f) to students, the 26
school district board of directors shall adopt a written policy in 27
conformity with applicable state requirements; 28
(g) Meet any combination of at least one English language arts 29
option and at least one mathematics option established in (a) through 30
(f) of this subsection; 31
(h) Meet standard in the armed services vocational aptitude 32
battery; and 33
(i) Complete a sequence of career and technical education courses 34
that are relevant to a student's postsecondary pathway, including 35
those leading to workforce entry, state or nationally approved 36
apprenticeships, or postsecondary education, and that meet either: 37
The curriculum requirements of core plus programs for aerospace, 38
maritime, health care, information technology, or construction and 39
manufacturing; or the minimum criteria identified in RCW 28A.700.030. 40
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Nothing in this subsection (2)(i) requires a student to enroll in a 1
preparatory course that is approved under RCW 28A.700.030 for the 2
purposes of demonstrating career and college readiness under this 3
section. 4
(3) While the legislature encourages school districts to make all 5
graduation pathway options established in this section available to 6
their high school students, and to expand their graduation pathway 7
options until that goal is met, school districts have discretion in 8
determining which options under this section they will offer to 9
students. 10
(4) School districts must annually provide students in grades 11
eight through 12 and their parents or legal guardians with 12
comprehensive information about the graduation pathway options 13
offered by the school district and are strongly encouraged to begin 14
providing this information to students in grade six. School districts 15
must provide this information in a manner that conforms with the 16
school district's language access policy and procedures as required 17
under RCW 28A.183.040. 18
(5) The state board of education shall adopt rules to implement 19
the graduation pathway options established in this section.20
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