The bill amends Washington's public education laws to improve efficiencies and implement programming changes, particularly in student transportation and early childhood education. It establishes a new reimbursement schedule for student transportation vehicles, requiring the superintendent to set a minimum anticipated lifetime of 120 months for category A buses and 180 months for categories C and D, with depreciation payments starting in September 2025. For zero-emission school buses, reimbursement payments will be adjusted to 33 percent of the vehicle's quote during the 2025-26 through 2027-28 school years. The bill also introduces penalties for school districts that do not meet maintenance standards for transportation equipment. Additionally, it renames the transitional kindergarten program to the "transition to kindergarten program," outlines its administration, and prioritizes funding for schools in areas with limited child care access and for low-income students.

In terms of education funding and teacher bonuses, the bill defines "maximum local effort assistance" and adjusts the alternative learning experience adjustment percentage from 33% to 25%. It specifies eligibility criteria for certificated instructional staff to receive a $5,000 annual bonus for maintaining national board certification, which will increase with inflation through the 2025-26 school year. The funding structure for students in running start programs is modified, reducing the maximum combined enrollment from 1.4 to 1.2 full-time equivalents, with a temporary adjustment to 1.3 for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years. The bill also mandates tracking and reporting on enrollment and course loads in running start programs, and includes new sections detailing effective dates for certain provisions.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 28A.160.200, 28A.230.215, 28A.600.402
Substitute bill: 28A.160.200, 28A.600.402, 28A.300.072
Engrossed substitute: 28A.160.200, 28A.600.402, 28A.300.072
Bill as passed Legislature: 28A.160.200, 28A.300.072, 28A.405.415, 28A.600.402
Session law: 28A.160.200, 28A.300.072, 28A.405.415, 28A.600.402