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SB6260 • 2026
Implementing efficiencies and programming changes in public education.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Public education funding
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
0 • Appropriations
Plain English: 6260-S.E AMH APP H3825.1 ESSB 6260 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Appropriations ADOPTED AS AMENDED 03/11/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "Sec.
Plain English: 6260-S.E AMH ENGR H3825.E ESSB 6260 - H COMM AMD ADOPTED AND ENGROSSED 03/11/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "Sec.
2626 • Ybarra
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH YBAR CLAJ 358 1 - Official Print By Representative Ybarra EFFECT: Changes student prioritization language for the Transition to Kindergarten program in the striking amendment (which requires prioritization for students who are low-income and also do not have access to the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), Head Start, or licensed child care) and instead requires prioritization for students who are low-income, multilingual, or do not have access to ECEAP, Head Start, or licensed child care.
2627 • Walsh
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH WALJ MACK 451 1 - Official Print By Representative Walsh 6260-S.E AMH WALJ MACK 451 ESSB 6260 - H AMD TO APP COMM AMD (H-3825.1/26) 2627 NOT ADOPTED 03/11/2026 On page 11 of the striking amendment, after line 15, insert the following: "Sec.
2628 • Walsh
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH WALJ CLAJ 360 1 - Official Print By Representative Walsh EFFECT: Allows the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to reserve up to $5,000,000 of basic education, special education, and transportation allocations to use for increased costs directly attributable to defending lawsuits related to the state funding of basic education.
2631 • Pollet
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH POLL CLAJ 361 1 - Official Print By Representative Pollet EFFECT: Changes student prioritization language for the Transition to Kindergarten program in the striking amendment (which requires prioritization for students who are low-income and also do not have access to the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), Head Start, or licensed child care) and instead requires prioritization for students who are low-income, eligible for special education services, multilingual, or do not have access to ECEAP, Head Start, or licensed child care.
2632 • Couture
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH COUT MACK 450 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture EFFECT: Limits the annual salary of any school district superintendent to no greater than $250,000 annually for contracts entered into after June 30, 2026.
2633 • Couture
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH COUT MACK 449 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture EFFECT: Removes the limits on enrollment in alternative learning experience (ALE) programs that may count in local effort assistance (LEA) formulas, allowing all ALE enrollments to be counted for LEA.
2634 • Couture
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH COUT MACK 448 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture 6260-S.E AMH COUT MACK 448 ESSB 6260 - H AMD TO APP COMM AMD (H-3825.1/26) 2634 NOT ADOPTED 03/11/2026 On page 11 of the striking amendment, after line 15, insert the following: "Sec.
2636 • Couture
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH COUT PRIN 780 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture 6260-S.E AMH COUT PRIN 780 ESSB 6260 - H AMD TO APP COMM AMD (H-3825.1/26) 2636 NOT ADOPTED 03/11/2026 On page 11, after line 15 of the striking amendment, insert the following: "Sec.
2637 • Rude
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH RUDE CLAJ 357 1 - Official Print By Representative Rude 6260-S.E AMH RUDE CLAJ 357 ESSB 6260 - H AMD TO APP COMM AMD (H-3825.1/26) 2637 NOT ADOPTED 03/11/2026 On page 2, beginning on line 28 of the striking amendment, strike all of section 2 and insert: "Sec.
2653 • Dufault
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH DUFA CLAJ 365 1 - Official Print By Representative Dufault EFFECT: Provides that legislative privilege does not apply to internal deliberations concerning this act.
2654 • Callan
Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 6260-S.E AMH CALL CLAJ 364 1 - Official Print By Representative Callan EFFECT: Makes the following changes to the Transition to Kindergarten (TTK) program related to the striking amendment: Adds students who are eligible for or receiving special education services and students who are English learners or multilingual learners to the list of student groups that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction must prioritize for TTK funding; and Removes reference to tuition and instead authorizes districts to charge sliding scale fees for TTK students, except for students who are eligible for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program or the Head Start program and students with disabilities.
844 • Wellman
Plain English: 6260-S AMS WELL S5897.1 SSB 6260 - S AMD 844 By Senator Wellman ADOPTED 03/03/2026 On page 2, line 2, after " of" strike "180 months" and insert "120 1 months for category A buses and 180 months for category C and D 2 buses" 3 On page 2, after line 30, insert the following:4 "(4) If a school district is awarded a federal grant or rebate to 5 purchase a student transportation vehicle, the superintendent shall 6 adjust the district's reimbursement payments generated by that 7 purchase by reducing the quote for that category of vehicles by the 8 amount of the grant or rebate." 9 EFFECT: (1) Directs OSPI to use an expected lifetime of 120 months (10 years) for category A buses and 180 months (15 years) for category C and D buses when calculating depreciation payments.
1st substitute bill substituted.
Public education funding
AN ACT Relating to efficiencies and programming changes in public 1 education; amending RCW 28A.160.200, 28A.230.215, and 28A.600.402; 2 and declaring an emergency. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4 Sec. 1. RCW 28A.160.200 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 10 s 2 are each 5 amended to read as follows: 6 (1) The superintendent shall develop a reimbursement schedule to 7 pay districts for the cost of student transportation vehicles 8 purchased after September 1, 1982. While it is the responsibility of 9 each district to select and pay for each student transportation 10 vehicle purchased by the district, each district shall be paid a sum 11 based on the category of vehicle, anticipated lifetime of vehicles of 12 this category, and state reimbursement rate for the category plus 13 inflation as recognized by the reimbursement schedule established in 14 this section as set by the superintendent. Categories and 15 reimbursement rates of vehicles shall be those established under RCW 16 28A.160.195. The accumulated value of the payments and the potential 17 investment return thereon shall be designed to be equal to the 18 replacement cost of the vehicle less its salvage value at the end of 19 its anticipated lifetime. Beginning with buses that are scheduled for 20 depreciation payments as of September 2025 and those qualifying for 21 Z-0613.1 SENATE BILL 6260 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senators Wellman and C. Wilson; by request of Office of Financial Management Read first time 01/21/26. Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education. p. 1 SB 6260 payments after that date, the superintendent shall use a minimum 1 anticipated lifetime of 180 months. The superintendent shall revise 2 at least annually the reimbursement payments based on the current and 3 anticipated future cost of comparable categories of transportation 4 equipment. Reimbursements to school districts for approved 5 transportation equipment shall be placed in a separate transportation 6 vehicle fund established for each school district under RCW 7 28A.160.130. However, educational service districts providing student 8 transportation services pursuant to RCW 28A.310.180(4) and receiving 9 moneys generated pursuant to this section shall establish and 10 maintain a separate transportation vehicle account in the educational 11 service district's general expense fund for the purposes and subject 12 to the conditions under RCW 28A.160.130 and 28A.320.300.13 (2) To the extent possible, districts shall operate vehicles 14 acquired under this section not less than the number of years or 15 useful lifetime now, or hereafter, assigned to the category of 16 vehicles by the superintendent. School districts shall properly 17 maintain the transportation equipment acquired under the provisions 18 of this section, in accordance with rules established by the office 19 of the superintendent of public instruction. If a district fails to 20 follow generally accepted standards of maintenance and operation, the 21 superintendent of public instruction shall penalize the district by 22 deducting from future reimbursements under this section an amount 23 equal to the original cost of the vehicle multiplied by the fraction 24 of the useful lifetime or miles the vehicle failed to operate.25 (3) The superintendent shall annually develop a depreciation 26 schedule to recognize the cost of depreciation to districts 27 contracting with private carriers for student transportation. 28 Payments on this schedule shall be a straight line depreciation based 29 on the original cost of the appropriate category of vehicle.30 Sec. 2. RCW 28A.230.215 and 2023 c 271 s 4 are each amended to 31 read as follows: 32 (1) The legislature finds that fully realizing the potential of 33 high school and beyond plans as meaningful tools for articulating and 34 revising pathways for graduation will require additional school 35 counselors and family coordinators. The legislature further finds 36 that the development and implementation of an online electronic 37 platform for high school and beyond plans will be an appropriate and 38 supportive action that will assist students, parents and guardians, 39 p. 2 SB 6260 educators, school counselors, and other staff who support students' 1 career and college preparation as the legislature explores options 2 for funding additional school counselors. 3 (2) Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, each school district 4 must ensure that an electronic high school and beyond plan platform 5 is available to all students who are required to have a high school 6 and beyond plan. 7 (3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall 8 facilitate the transition to a universal online high school and 9 beyond plan platform that will ensure consistent and equitable access 10 to the needed information and support to guide students' educational 11 experience and ensure preparation for their postsecondary plans.12 (a) By January 1, 2024, the office of the superintendent of 13 public instruction must develop a preliminary list of existing 14 vendors who can provide or build a platform that meets the criteria 15 outlined in subsection (4) of this section and that supports the high 16 school and beyond plan elements identified in RCW 28A.230.212 and has 17 the capabilities to support the new elements identified in section 5, 18 chapter 271, Laws of 2023. The office of the superintendent of public 19 instruction must submit the list of existing vendors and estimated 20 costs associated with statewide implementation of the universal 21 platform to the governor and the education policy and fiscal 22 committees of the legislature. 23 (b) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 24 specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public 25 instruction must select the vendor that will be responsible for 26 developing the universal platform by June 1, 2024.27 (c) By October 1, 2024, the office of the superintendent of 28 public instruction must develop an implementation plan including both 29 an estimated timeline and updated cost estimates, including the 30 technical assistance, technology updates, ongoing maintenance 31 requirements, and adjustments to the technology funding formula, and 32 statewide professional development that may be needed, for completing 33 full statewide implementation of the universal platform in all school 34 districts. In the implementation plan, the office of the 35 superintendent of public instruction may include a cost alternative 36 for educational service districts to host the universal platform for 37 school districts of the second class when such a district does not 38 have sufficient technology resources to implement and maintain the 39 universal platform. 40 p. 3 SB 6260 (4)(a) In addition to the requirements outlined in RCW 1 28A.230.212, the universal platform must have the capability to be 2 routinely updated and modified in order to include the following 3 elements and capabilities to ensure equity in high school and beyond 4 plans implementation and engagement across the state that:5 (i) Enable students to create, personalize, and revise their high 6 school and beyond plan; 7 (ii) Comply with all necessary state and federal requirements for 8 student privacy and allow for students to opt in or opt out of 9 portions of the universal platform related to third-party information 10 sharing; 11 (iii) Use technology that can quickly be adapted to include 12 future statutory changes, administrative changes, or both, as well as 13 integrate enhancements to improve the features and functionality;14 (iv) Facilitate the automatic import of academic course, credit, 15 and grade data at a regular interval from the most commonly used 16 district student information system platforms and manual import from 17 less commonly used systems so that students' progress towards 18 graduation in the high school (([and])) and beyond plan is accurately 19 reflected at any given time; 20 (v) Allow for translation into the most common non-English 21 languages across the state in accordance with the model language 22 access policy and procedures as required under chapter 28A.183 RCW;23 (vi) Include multiple and varied in-platform assessments with 24 viewable results that can inform career and postsecondary goals 25 including, but not limited to, personality, learning styles, 26 interests, aptitudes, and skills assessments; 27 (vii) Include a catalog containing meaningful, high quality 28 career exploration opportunities and resources beyond the traditional 29 college, career, and aptitude assessments that are submitted by 30 approved entities (community organizations, institutions of higher 31 education that are authorized to participate in state financial aid 32 programs under chapter 28B.92 RCW, and employers) and vetted by 33 state-selected approvers that allow students to register for or apply 34 to participate in the opportunities (programs, classes, internships, 35 preapprenticeships, online courses, etc.) or access the resources. 36 The universal platform should use completion data from these 37 opportunities to make recommendations to students to include in their 38 high school (([and])) and beyond plans; 39 p. 4 SB 6260 (viii) A dedicated space in which to build a direct connection to 1 potential employers, including industry associations, trade 2 associations, labor unions, service branches of the military, 3 nonprofit organizations, and other state and local community 4 organizations so students can learn from experts in different 5 occupational fields about career opportunities and any necessary 6 education and training requirements; 7 (ix) A secure space for staff, parents or guardians, and approved 8 community partners who support students' academic progress and career 9 and college preparation, to make notes that can inform staff efforts 10 to connect students to academic and career connected learning 11 opportunities and develop support and credit recovery plans for 12 students, as needed; 13 (x) Accessibility options for students needing accommodations 14 including, but not limited to, visual aids and voice dictation for 15 students with limited literacy skills; 16 (xi) Indefinite access for students to their high school 17 (([and])) and beyond plan, regardless of current school affiliation 18 or lack thereof, in both mobile and desktop applications, that 19 includes the capability to download and print their plan in one 20 document, without requiring students to access multiple screens;21 (xii) Inclusion of in-state labor market, apprenticeship, and 22 postsecondary education performance data, including employment and 23 earning outcomes, certificate and degree completion outcomes, and 24 demographics of enrolled students or employees, to inform students' 25 exploration and consideration of postsecondary options;26 (xiii) A dedicated space where students can store additional 27 evidence of their learning and postsecondary preparation, such as 28 videos, essays, art, awards and recognitions, screencasts, letters of 29 recommendation, industry certifications, microcredentials or other 30 mastery-based learning recognitions, and work-integrated learning 31 experiences. The universal platform should include the ability for 32 students and staff to provide access to this portfolio in its 33 entirety or in selected parts to relevant third parties, including 34 institutions of higher education that are authorized to participate 35 in state financial aid programs under chapter 28B.92 RCW, branches of 36 the military, potential employers, or preapprenticeship 37 opportunities; 38 (xiv) Access to data reporting features that allow schools, 39 districts, and state agencies to review data stored within the 40 p. 5 SB 6260 universal platform, and allow data to be broken down by demographic, 1 socioeconomic, and other identified characteristics, for the purposes 2 of analyzing student use of the universal platform, improving student 3 access to the information, guidance, and opportunities that can help 4 them maximize their secondary education experience and postsecondary 5 preparation, and informing state-level support for high school and 6 beyond plan implementation; 7 (xv) A space for the student to indicate the graduation pathway 8 option or options the student has selected to complete and how the 9 selected option or options align with the student's career and 10 postsecondary education goals; and 11 (xvi) The ability for school districts to customize or add 12 features unique to local needs and local graduation requirements, 13 including the capability to auto-align data with the local school 14 districts' graduation requirements or the ability to enter those 15 requirements manually. 16 (b) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must 17 also ensure that the universal platform will permit transition plans 18 required by RCW 28A.155.220 to be incorporated into the universal 19 platform in a manner that eliminates the need to create duplicate or 20 substantially similar transition plans in other electronic or 21 nonelectronic formats. 22 (5)(a) Within two years of completing the universal platform 23 development and alignment with the requirements in this section and 24 RCW 28A.230.212, school districts must provide students with access 25 to the adopted universal platform. 26 (b) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must 27 develop guidance and provide technical assistance and support for the 28 facilitation of statewide professional development for school 29 districts and partner organizations in using the universal platform.30 (c) The superintendent shall withhold up to 1.9 percent of school 31 district allocations generated under RCW 28A.150.260(8)(b) solely for 32 the central provision of licenses to the universal platform required 33 under this section. The withheld funds may not be used for salaries 34 or benefits for employees of the office of the superintendent of 35 public instruction.36 (6) In carrying out subsections (3)(b) and (4) of this section, 37 the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall seek 38 input from the state board of education, educators, school and 39 district administrators, school counselors, career counseling 40 p. 6 SB 6260 specialists, families, students, the Washington student achievement 1 council, institutions of higher education that are authorized to 2 participate in state financial aid programs under chapter 28B.92 RCW, 3 and community partners who support students' career and college 4 preparation. The office of the superintendent of public instruction 5 may partner with existing community and regional networks and 6 organizations who support students' career and college preparation in 7 the analysis, selection, and implementation of the universal 8 platform. 9 (7) As used in this section "universal platform" means the 10 universal online high school and beyond plan platform.11 (8) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may 12 adopt and revise rules as necessary to implement this section.13 Sec. 3. RCW 28A.600.402 and 2023 c 350 s 1 are each amended to 14 read as follows: 15 (1) Students participating in running start programs may be 16 funded up to a combined maximum enrollment of 1.4 full-time 17 equivalents in the 2025-26 school year and 1.2 full-time equivalents 18 in subsequent years , including school district and institution of 19 higher education enrollment. 20 (2) In calculating the combined full-time equivalents, the office 21 of the superintendent of public instruction: 22 (a) Must adopt rules to fund the participating student's 23 enrollment in running start courses provided by the institution of 24 higher education during the summer academic term, up to a maximum of 25 10 college credits per student per summer academic term; and26 (b) May average the participating student's September through 27 June enrollment to account for differences in the start and end dates 28 for courses provided by the high school and the institution of higher 29 education. 30 (3) Running start programs as a service delivery model and 31 associated funding levels beyond 1.0 full-time equivalent per student 32 are not part of the state's statutory program of basic education 33 under chapter 28A.150 RCW. 34 (4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in 35 consultation with the state board for community and technical 36 colleges, the participating institutions of higher education, the 37 student achievement council, and the education data center, must 38 annually track, and report to the fiscal committees of the 39 p. 7 SB 6260 legislature, the combined full-time equivalent experience of students 1 participating in running start programs, including course load 2 analyses and enrollments by high school and participating 3 institutions of higher education. 4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate 5 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of 6 the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes 7 effect immediately.8 --- END --- p. 8 SB 6260