Reading and math instruction

AN ACT Relating to instruction and intervention in reading and 1
mathematics; amending RCW 28A.320.202 and 28A.655.235; adding a new 2
section to chapter 28A.310 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 3
28A.320 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.410 RCW; and adding 4
new sections to chapter 28A.655 RCW. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.310 7
RCW to read as follows: 8
(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for 9
this specific purpose, each educational service district shall 10
annually select from within the educational service district's 11
boundaries three teachers in mathematics and three teachers in 12
English language arts to receive a star teacher award, as follows:13
(i) One math teacher must be selected based on improvement in 14
kindergarten to sixth grade student scores over the previous two 15
years; 16
(ii) One math teacher must be selected based on improvement in 17
seventh to 12th grade student scores over the previous two years;18
(iii) One math teacher must be selected at the educational 19
service district's discretion, incorporating consideration of the 20
teacher's engagement with students, knowledge of the teaching 21
S-3838.1
SENATE BILL 6192
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Braun, Boehnke, Harris, and McCune
Read first time 01/16/26. Referred to Committee on Early Learning &
K-12 Education.
p. 1 SB 6192
materials, ability to implement best practices for teaching, and 1
student outcomes; 2
(iv) One English language arts teacher must be selected based on 3
improvement in kindergarten to sixth grade student scores over the 4
previous two years; 5
(v) One English language arts teacher must be selected based on 6
improvement in seventh to 12th grade student scores over the previous 7
two years; and 8
(vi) One English language arts teacher must be selected at the 9
educational service district's discretion, incorporating 10
consideration of the teacher's engagement with students, knowledge of 11
the teaching materials, ability to implement best practices for 12
teaching, and student outcomes. 13
(b) When assessing student improvement under (a)(i), (ii), (iv), 14
and (v) of this subsection, the educational service district shall 15
make a reasonable assessment of improvement that accounts for the 16
difficulty level of the courses taught. 17
(2) Beginning in the year in which the teacher is selected as a 18
star teacher, the star teacher will receive a $10,000 bonus for each 19
year that he or she is a full-time educator teaching in his or her 20
awarded subject area. 21
(3) Beginning in the year in which the teacher is selected as a 22
star teacher, the star teacher will receive an additional $10,000 23
bonus for each year that he or she is a full-time educator teaching 24
in his or her awarded subject area in a school that:25
(a) Meets the definition of high poverty school, as defined in 26
rule by the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in 27
the school year immediately preceding the school's participating in 28
the United States department of agriculture's community eligibility 29
provision; or 30
(b) Has at least 70 percent of the student body qualify for the 31
free and reduced-price lunch program. 32
(4) No teacher may hold more than one star teacher designation 33
simultaneously. 34
(5) The bonuses provided under this section are in addition to 35
compensation received under a school district's salary schedule 36
adopted in accordance with RCW 28A.405.200 and may not be included in 37
calculations of a school district's average salary and associated 38
salary limitations under RCW 28A.400.200. 39
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Sec. 2. RCW 28A.320.202 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 102 are each 1
amended to read as follows: 2
(1) School districts ((are responsible for providing a 3
comprehensive system of instruction and services in reading and early 4
literacy to kindergarten through fourth grade students that is based 5
on the degree of student need for additional support. Reading and 6
early literacy systems provided by school districts must include:7
(1) Annual use of)) shall implement a structured literacy program 8
that uses evidence-based instructional practices to promote the early 9
literacy of students in kindergarten through fourth grade and reading 10
and writing literacy of students in kindergarten through 12th grade. 11
School districts are encouraged to phase in use of the program 12
elements beginning with the 2026-27 school year and shall fully 13
implement all program elements by the beginning of the 2028-29 school 14
year.15
(2) A structured literacy program required by subsection (1) of 16
this section must:17
(a) Include at least the following essential components: 18
Semantics or comprehending written language; reading and writing 19
fluency; orthographic knowledge or phonics; phonology and phonemic 20
awareness; and vocabulary or oral language knowledge and proficiency;21
(b) Be systemic, sequential, and cumulative;22
(c) Provide direct, explicit, and rigorous instruction that is 23
high quality and knowledge rich;24
(d) Be diagnostic of and responsive to individual student needs, 25
including by being multisensory and multimodal;26
(e) Provide instruction and services, including literacy 27
interventions under RCW 28A.320.260 within a multitiered system of 28
supports;29
(f) Use screening assessments and other tools to identify at-risk 30
readers in kindergarten through ((fourth)) 12th grade, such as the 31
Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills, the 32
Washington state early learning and development guidelines for birth 33
through third grade, literacy screenings for students in kindergarten 34
through second grade under RCW 28A.320.260, the second grade reading 35
assessment under RCW 28A.300.310, and locally used assessments and 36
other tools((; and37
(2) Research-based));38
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(g) For students in third grade who are reading below grade 1
level, implement intensive reading improvement strategies under RCW 2
28A.655.230 and 28A.655.235; and3
(h) Use research-based family involvement and engagement 4
strategies, including strategies to help families and guardians 5
assist in improving students' reading and early literacy skills at 6
home. 7
(3) A structured literacy program must offer the parents of a 8
student who performs below grade level on any reading assessments a 9
reading improvement strategy that may include small group reading 10
instruction, a summer program, or other options developed to meet the 11
needs of the student.12
(4) This section governs school operation and management under 13
RCW 28A.710.040 and 28A.715.020 and applies to charter schools 14
established under chapter 28A.710 RCW and state-tribal education 15
compact schools subject to chapter 28A.715 RCW to the same extent as 16
the section applies to school districts.17
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 18
RCW to read as follows: 19
(1) School districts shall implement a structured numeracy 20
program that uses evidence-based instructional practices to promote 21
the early mathematics skills of students in kindergarten through 22
fourth grade and mathematics skills of students in kindergarten 23
through 12th grade. School districts are encouraged to phase in use 24
of the program elements beginning with the 2026-27 school year and 25
shall fully implement all program elements by the beginning of the 26
2028-29 school year. 27
(2) A structured numeracy program required by subsection (1) of 28
this section must: 29
(a) Include instruction aligned to achieve age and 30
developmentally appropriate mathematical proficiency. Mathematical 31
proficiency includes, but is not limited to, conceptual 32
understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive 33
reasoning, and a productive disposition; 34
(b) Use high quality instructional materials. High quality 35
instructional materials are rigorous, standards-aligned, evidence-36
based teaching resources that promote deep conceptual understanding 37
of mathematics and provide clear guidance and support for diverse 38
learners; 39
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(c) Be systematic, sequential, and cumulative; 1
(d) Provide direct, explicit, and rigorous instruction that is 2
high quality and knowledge rich; 3
(e) Provide instruction and services, including numeracy 4
interventions with a multitiered system of supports;5
(f) Use screening assessments and other tools to identify 6
students who are at risk of not achieving age and developmentally 7
appropriate mathematical proficiency; 8
(i) Screening assessments must include evidence-based screening 9
methods for dyscalculia. If a student is identified as being at risk, 10
the student's parent or guardian must be notified. After 11
notification, schools must consult with the parent or guardian to 12
develop a personalized intervention plan to help the student achieve 13
age and developmentally appropriate mathematical proficiency;14
(ii) Screening assessments may be administered at any grade 15
level, but must include assessment at the end of kindergarten and 16
third grade; 17
(g) Implement intensive mathematic improvement strategies 18
described in sections 5 and 6 of this act for students in third grade 19
who are not mathematically proficient; and 20
(h) Use research-based family involvement and engagement 21
strategies, including strategies to help parents and guardians 22
improve students' numeracy and mathematical proficiency skills at 23
home. 24
(3) A structured numeracy program must offer all students who 25
perform below grade level on any state mathematics assessment 26
administered under RCW 28A.655.070(3) a math improvement strategy.27
(a) A math improvement strategy must use reasonable 28
interventions, which may include, but are not limited to, small class 29
sizes, access to on-site tutoring, small group instruction, a summer 30
program, technology-based tutoring, or other options designed to meet 31
the individual needs of the student. 32
(b) The student's parent or guardian may decline the student's 33
participation in the math improvement strategy. 34
(4) Students with disabilities whose individualized education 35
program includes specially designed instruction in mathematics are 36
exempt from subsections (2)(f) and (g) and (3) of this section. 37
Communication and consultation with parents or guardians must occur 38
through the individualized education program process required under 39
chapter 28A.155 RCW and associated administrative rules.40
p. 5 SB 6192
(5) This section governs school operation and management under 1
RCW 28A.710.040 and 28A.715.020 and applies to charter schools 2
established under chapter 28A.710 RCW and state-tribal education 3
compact schools subject to chapter 28A.715 RCW to the same extent as 4
the section applies to school districts. 5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28A.410 6
RCW to read as follows: 7
(1) Within existing resources and by September 1, 2027, the 8
Washington professional educator standards board shall adopt revised 9
standards for teacher endorsements with reading and writing literacy 10
competencies. The revised standards must include those competencies 11
necessary to participate in the delivery of a structured literacy 12
program under RCW 28A.320.202, which, among other requirements, 13
includes the essential components of phonemic awareness, phonics, 14
fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. 15
(2) The Washington professional educator standards board shall 16
require approved educator preparation programs offering teacher 17
endorsements with reading and writing literacy competencies to 18
incorporate the revised standards into their programs by the 19
beginning of the 2028-29 school year. 20
(3) For the purposes of this section "teacher endorsements with 21
reading and writing literacy competencies" includes early childhood 22
education, early childhood special education, elementary education, 23
reading, special education, and other endorsements related to reading 24
and writing literacy as determined by the Washington professional 25
educator standards board. 26
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 28A.655 27
RCW to read as follows: 28
(1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this 29
section and section 6 of this act unless the context clearly requires 30
otherwise. 31
(a) "Basic" means a score on the statewide student assessment at 32
a level two in a four-level scoring system. 33
(b) "Below basic" means a score on the statewide student 34
assessment at a level one in a four-level scoring system.35
(2) Prior to the return of the results of the statewide student 36
assessment in mathematics, elementary schools shall require meetings 37
between teachers and parents of students in third grade who are 38
p. 6 SB 6192
performing below grade level or who, based on formative or diagnostic 1
assessment, and other indicators, are likely to score in the below 2
basic level on the third grade statewide student assessment in 3
mathematics. At the meeting, the teacher shall inform the parents or 4
guardians of the requirements of this section and the intensive 5
mathematics improvement strategies that will be available to students 6
before fourth grade. The teacher shall also inform the parents and 7
guardians of the school district's grade placement policy for the 8
following year. Schools that have regularly scheduled parent-teacher 9
conferences may use those meetings to comply with this section.10
(3) For students identified in subsection (2) of this section to 11
be placed in fourth grade, the strategies provided by the school 12
district must include an intensive improvement strategy provided, 13
supported, or contracted by the school district that includes a 14
summer program or other options developed to meet the needs of 15
students to prepare for fourth grade. 16
(4) If a student in third grade scores below grade level on the 17
third grade statewide student assessment in mathematics, and there 18
was no meeting under subsection (2) of this section, the principal or 19
his or her designee shall notify the student's parents or guardians 20
of the following: 21
(a) The below basic score; 22
(b) An explanation of the requirements of this section;23
(c) The intensive improvement strategy options that are 24
available; 25
(d) The school district's grade placement policy;26
(e) Contact information for a school district employee who can 27
respond to questions and provide additional information; and28
(f) A reasonable deadline for obtaining the parent's consent 29
regarding the student's intensive improvement strategies that will be 30
implemented and the student's grade placement. 31
(5) The parent's or guardian's consent must be obtained regarding 32
the appropriate grade placement and the intensive improvement 33
strategy to be implemented. The school district must implement the 34
strategy selected in consultation with the student's parents or 35
guardians. If the school district does not receive a response from a 36
parent by the deadline or a reasonable time thereafter, the principal 37
or his or her designee shall make a decision on the student's grade 38
placement for the following year and the intensive improvement 39
strategies that will be implemented during the following school year.40
p. 7 SB 6192
(6) If the school principal and parent cannot agree on the 1
appropriate grade placement and improvement strategies from the list 2
of available options, the parent's request will be honored.3
(7) If a student does not have a score in mathematics on the 4
third grade statewide student assessment but the district determines, 5
or is able to anticipate, using district or classroom-based formative 6
or diagnostic assessments or another standardized assessment, that 7
the student's performance is equivalent to below basic in 8
mathematics, the policy in subsections (2) through (6) of this 9
section applies. 10
(8) Students with disabilities whose individualized education 11
program includes specially designed instruction in mathematics are 12
exempt from subsections (2) through (7) of this section. 13
Communication and consultation with parents or guardians of such 14
students must occur through the individualized education program 15
process required under chapter 28A.155 RCW and associated 16
administrative rules. 17
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 28A.655 18
RCW to read as follows: 19
(1)(a) Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, except as otherwise 20
provided in this subsection (1), for any student who received a score 21
of basic or below basic on the third grade statewide student 22
assessment in mathematics in the previous school year, the school 23
district must implement an intensive mathematics improvement strategy 24
from a state menu of best practices established in accordance with 25
subsection (3) of this section or an alternative strategy in 26
accordance with subsection (4) of this section. 27
(b) Mathematics improvement strategies for students with 28
disabilities whose individualized education program includes 29
specially designed instruction in mathematics are provided in the 30
individualized education program. 31
(2)(a) Also beginning in the 2026-27 school year, in any school 32
where more than 40 percent of the tested students received a score of 33
basic or below basic on the third grade statewide student assessment 34
in mathematics in the previous school year, as calculated under this 35
subsection (2), the school district must implement an intensive 36
mathematics improvement strategy from a state menu of best practices 37
established in accordance with subsection (3) of this section or an 38
alternative strategy in accordance with subsection (4) of this 39
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section for all students in grades kindergarten through four at the 1
school. 2
(b) For the purposes of this subsection (2), the office of the 3
superintendent of public instruction shall exclude the following from 4
the calculation of a school's percentage of tested students receiving 5
a score of basic or below basic on the third grade statewide student 6
assessment: 7
(i) Students with disabilities whose individualized education 8
program specifies a different standard to measure mathematics 9
performance than is required for the statewide student assessment; 10
and 11
(ii) Schools with fewer than 10 students in third grade.12
(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall 13
convene a panel of experts to develop a state menu of best practices 14
and strategies for intensive mathematics improvement designed to 15
assist struggling students in reaching grade level in mathematics by 16
the end of fourth grade. The state menu must also include best 17
practices and strategies to improve the mathematics skills of 18
students who are English language learners and for system 19
improvements that schools and school districts can implement to 20
improve mathematics instruction for all students. The office of the 21
superintendent of public instruction shall publish the state menu by 22
July 1, 2026, and update the state menu by each July 1st thereafter.23
(4) School districts may use an alternative practice or strategy 24
that is not on a state menu developed under subsection (3) of this 25
section for two school years initially. If the district is able to 26
demonstrate improved outcomes for participating students over the 27
previous two school years at a level commensurate with the best 28
practices and strategies on the state menu, the office of the 29
superintendent of public instruction must approve use of the 30
alternative practice or strategy by the district for two additional 31
school years. Subsequent biannual approval by the superintendent of 32
public instruction to use the alternative practice or strategy is 33
dependent on the district continuing to demonstrate results that 34
equal or exceed those attained under the state menu.35
Sec. 7. RCW 28A.655.235 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 106 are each 36
amended to read as follows: 37
(1)(a) Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, except as otherwise 38
provided in this subsection (1), for any student who received a score 39
p. 9 SB 6192
of basic or below basic on the third grade statewide student 1
assessment in English language arts in the previous school year, the 2
school district must implement an intensive reading and literacy 3
improvement strategy from a state menu of best practices established 4
in accordance with subsection (3) of this section or an alternative 5
strategy in accordance with subsection (4) of this section.6
(b) Reading and literacy improvement strategies for students with 7
disabilities whose individualized education program includes 8
specially designed instruction in reading or English language arts 9
shall be as provided in the individualized education program.10
(2)(a) Also beginning in the 2015-16 school year, in any school 11
where more than forty percent of the tested students received a score 12
of basic or below basic on the third grade statewide student 13
assessment in English language arts in the previous school year, as 14
calculated under this subsection (2), the school district must 15
implement an intensive reading and literacy improvement strategy from 16
a state menu of best practices established in accordance with 17
subsection (3) of this section or an alternative strategy in 18
accordance with subsection (4) of this section for all students in 19
grades kindergarten through four at the school. 20
(b) For the purposes of this subsection (2), the office of the 21
superintendent of public instruction shall exclude the following from 22
the calculation of a school's percentage of tested students receiving 23
a score of basic or below basic on the third grade statewide student 24
assessment: 25
(i) Students enrolled in the transitional bilingual instruction 26
program unless the student has participated in the transitional 27
bilingual instruction program for three school years;28
(ii) Students with disabilities whose individualized education 29
program specifies a different standard to measure reading performance 30
than is required for the statewide student assessment; and31
(iii) Schools with fewer than ten students in third grade.32
(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall 33
convene a panel of experts, including the Washington state institute 34
for public policy, to develop a state menu of best practices and 35
strategies for intensive reading and literacy improvement designed to 36
assist struggling students in reaching grade level in reading by the 37
end of fourth grade. The state menu must also include best practices 38
and strategies to improve the reading and literacy of students who 39
are English language learners and for system improvements that 40
p. 10 SB 6192
schools and school districts can implement to improve reading 1
instruction for all students. The office of the superintendent of 2
public instruction shall publish the state menu by July 1, 2014, and 3
update the state menu by each July 1st thereafter. 4
(4) School districts may use an alternative practice or strategy 5
that is not on a state menu developed under subsection (3) of this 6
section for two school years initially. If the district is able to 7
demonstrate improved outcomes for participating students over the 8
previous two school years at a level commensurate with the best 9
practices and strategies on the state menu, the office of the 10
superintendent of public instruction must approve use of the 11
alternative practice or strategy by the district for ((one)) two 12
additional school year s. Subsequent ((annual)) biannual approval by 13
the superintendent of public instruction to use the alternative 14
practice or strategy is dependent on the district continuing to 15
demonstrate ((an increase in improved outcomes for participating 16
students)) results that equal or exceed those attained under the 17
state menu of best practices under section 6 of this act.18
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