SB 5769 — Addressing transition to kindergarten programs.

S-1576.1ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5769 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senators Wellman, C.

andcreating reenactinga andnew amendingsection; RCW 43.88C.010.

and providing an expiration date.

Initial rules, which include expectations for school districts, charter schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state- tribal education compact schools transitioning existing programs to the new requirements established in this section must be adopted in p.

1 SBESB 5769 the new requirements established in this section must be adopted in time for the 2023-24 school year, and permanent rules must be adopted by the beginning of the 2024-25 school year)) in accordance with this section.

(c) A requirement that all eligible children enrolled in a transition to kindergarten program be assigned a statewide student identifier and that the transition to kindergarten program be consideredp. a separate class or course for the purposes of data reporting requirements in RCW 28A.320.175.

p.2 ESB 5769 considered a separate class or course for the purposes of data reporting requirements in RCW 28A.320.175.

2 SB 5769 (d) A requirement that a local child care and early learning needs assessment is conducted before beginning or expanding a transition to kindergarten program that considers the existing availability and affordability of early learning providers, such as the early childhood education and assistance programs, head start programs, and licensed child care centers and family home providers in the region.

(b) School districts, charter schools as allowed by subsection (7) of this section, and state-tribal education compact schools must consider the best practices developed under this subsection (4) when p.

3 SBESB 5769 consider the best practices developed under this subsection (4) when adopting the policies required under subsection (2)(b) of this section.

(b) Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, the annual average full-time equivalent eligible children enrolled in the program funded in (a) of this subsection may not exceed the state-funded annual average full-time equivalent children enrolled in the program in the 2024-25 school year as specified in the omnibus appropriations act.

NEW SECTION.

RCW(1) 43.88C.010The andoffice 2023of cthe 420superintendent sof 4,public 2023instruction cshall 345collaborate swith 1,the department of children, youth, and 2023families cto 244develop sa 1recommended areplan eachfor reenactedphasing andin amendedthe transition to readkindergarten asprogram. follows:

(1) The caseloadrecommended forecastplan councilmust isp. hereby created.

The4 councilESB shall5769 consistconsider plans for expansion of twoother individualsstate-funded appointedearly bylearning theprograms governorincluding, andbut fournot individuals,limited oneto, ofthe whomearly ischildhood appointededucation byand theassistance chairpersonprogram, ofand eachprioritize ofexpansion p.for:

4(a) SBCommunities 5769with the twohighest largestpercentage political caucuses in the senate and house of representatives.unmet needs;

The(b) chairChild ofcare thesupply counciland shalldemand; be selected from among the four caucus appointees.

The(c) councilSchool maydistricts, selectcharter suchschools, otherand officersstate-tribal aseducation compact schools with the membershighest deempercentages necessary.of students qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch;

(2)(d) TheSchool councildistricts, shallcharter employschools, aand caseloadstate-tribal forecasteducation supervisorcompact toschools supervisewith thehigh preparationpercentages of allstudents caseloadwith forecasts.disabilities;

Asand used(e) inSchool thisdistricts, chapter,charter "supervisor"schools, meansand state-tribal education compact schools with the caseloadlowest forecastkindergarten supervisor.readiness results on the Washington kindergarten inventory of developing skills.

(3)(2) ApprovalThe byplan anmust affirmativeinclude votea ofphased-in atapproach leastfor fiveexpansion membersthat ofdoes thenot councilexceed isfive requiredpercent forgrowth anyin decisionsstatewide regardingannual employmentaverage offull- thetime supervisor.enrolled students each year.

Employment(3) The office of the supervisorsuperintendent of public instruction shall terminatesubmit aftera eachreport termto the legislature and the office of threethe years.governor by December 1, 2027, outlining a proposed plan and recommendations for phasing in future transition to kindergarten programs beginning with communities with the highest need.

At(4) theThis endsection ofexpires theJuly first1, year2028. of each three-year term the council shall consider extension of the supervisor's term by one year.

The council may fix the compensation of the supervisor.

The supervisor shall employ staff sufficient to accomplish the purposes of this section.

(4) The caseload forecast council shall oversee the preparation of and approve, by an affirmative vote of at least four members, the official state caseload forecasts prepared under RCW 43.88C.020.

If the council is unable to approve a forecast before a date required in RCW 43.88C.020, the supervisor shall submit the forecast without approval and the forecast shall have the same effect as if approved by the council.

(5) A councilmember who does not cast an affirmative vote for approval of the official caseload forecast may request, and the supervisor shall provide, an alternative forecast based on assumptions specified by the member.

(6) Members of the caseload forecast council shall serve without additional compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120 while attending sessions of the council or on official business authorized by the council.

Nonlegislative members of the council shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

(7) "Caseload," as used in this chapter, means:

(a) The number of persons expected to meet entitlement requirements and require the services of public assistance programs, state correctional institutions, state correctional noninstitutional supervision, state institutions for juvenile offenders, the common school system, long-term care, medical assistance, foster care, and adoption support;

p.

5 SB 5769 (b) The number of students who are eligible for the Washington college bound scholarship program and are expected to attend an institution of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.92.030;

(c) The number of students who are eligible for the Washington college grant program under RCW 28B.92.200 and 28B.92.205 and are expected to attend an institution of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.92.030;

(d) The number of children who are eligible, as defined in RCW 43.216.505, to participate in, and the number of children actually served by, the early childhood education and assistance program;

and (e) Beginning with the first official forecast after July 23, 2023, the number of people eligible for the working families' tax credit under RCW 82.08.0206.

The total number of people eligible for the working families' tax credit should include:

(i) The number of eligible people with no qualifying children;

(ii) The number of eligible people with one qualifying child;