The bill, known as the Building Opportunities for Student Success (BOSS) Act, aims to improve student performance in Washington, particularly in literacy and mathematics, by implementing evidence-based practices and accountability measures. It emphasizes the critical role of early literacy and proposes various strategies, including additional funding for school districts to support struggling students, bonuses for educators based on student performance, and a requirement for students to demonstrate reading proficiency before advancing to fourth grade. The legislation also introduces the READ grant program to enhance early literacy in schools with high percentages of underperforming students and mandates the monitoring of literacy programs by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

Additionally, the bill establishes a structured literacy program for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, prohibiting the use of the three-cueing system and requiring updates to teacher endorsements related to reading and writing. It includes provisions for a comprehensive handbook on dyslexia services, mandates screening and interventions for students showing signs of dyslexia, and outlines intensive reading improvement strategies for third graders who do not meet promotion requirements. The bill also addresses the needs of students with disabilities and those in transitional bilingual programs, allowing for exemptions under certain conditions, and sets a timeline for the implementation of these strategies, with educator training required by September 2027.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28A.150.010, 28A.400.200, 28A.320.202, 28A.300.530, 28A.300.570, 28A.150.220, 28A.300.720, 28A.320.260, 28A.415.265, 28A.405.100, 28A.655.235, 28B.10.033