wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2636 > Engrossed Second Substitute
The legislature finds that Washington's system of public education is foundational to the state's economic vitality, civic health, and long-term prosperity. Over time, the legislature has enacted numerous policy requirements affecting public schools and school districts, many of which have imposed operational, administrative, and instructional obligations.
The legislature further finds that not all policy requirements have been accompanied by sufficient or sustainable funding, and that cumulative mandates, particularly those enacted without full fiscal consideration, divert resources away from core educational priorities and student learning.
The legislature, therefore, intends to require independent, balanced, and objective reviews of the performance, operations, and funding of the state's K-12 public education system. The purpose of the reviews is to evaluate whether existing statutory requirements are achieving their intended outcomes, are improving student success, remain relevant and effective, and represent an efficient use of public resources.
The legislature also intends that the reviews required by this act inform future legislative decision making by identifying requirements that should be maintained, modified, consolidated, or eliminated, and by highlighting instances where obligations imposed on schools and school districts were enacted without appropriate or sufficient funding. These ongoing reviews are intended to support alignment between policy, performance, and funding in Washington's public education system.
The public education review steering committee is established.
The steering committee has 15 members as follows:
The state auditor or the auditor's designee, who is a nonvoting member;
A chair of the joint legislative audit and review committee or a chair's designee, who is a nonvoting member;
The chairs of each of the two largest caucuses of the senate and the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives shall each appoint a member. None of these appointees may be members of the legislature;
The superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee;
The chair of the state board of education or the chair's designee;
The executive director of the Washington state charter school commission or the executive director's designee;
One school principal, selected by an organization representing public school principals;
One school director, selected by an organization representing public school directors;
One representative selected by an organization representing public school business professionals; and
One representative selected by an organization representing public school administrators.
Persons appointed by the caucus chairs should be individuals who represent a balance of perspectives and constituencies and have an understanding of education policy, the funding of public schools, and the delivery of elementary and secondary education to public school students. These appointees should have knowledge and expertise in pedagogical practices, performance management, fiscal analysis, and other fields relevant to public education.
The steering committee shall elect a chair from among its members to serve for a term of two years. Chairs may be reappointed to serve more than one term.
Members appointed under subsection (2)(c) of this section serve for terms of four years, with the terms expiring on June 30th on the fourth year of the term. However, in the case of the initial terms, the members appointed by the chairs of senate caucuses shall serve four-year terms, and the members appointed by the chairs of house of representatives caucuses shall serve three-year terms, with each of the terms expiring on June 30th of the applicable year. Appointees may be reappointed to serve more than one term.
Members selected under subsections (2)(g) through (k) of this section serve on the steering committee for durations determined by the organizations they represent.
The joint legislative audit and review committee shall provide staff support to the steering committee. The state board of education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide necessary support and information to the joint legislative audit and review committee. Staff support must include administrative assistance for the chair and the steering committee as a body, but does not include individualized administrative assistance to steering committee members.
[Empty]
On or before October 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the steering committee shall make recommendations to the joint legislative audit and review committee for the examination of specific policy requirements and funding provisions for public schools enacted by the Washington state legislature. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide information and assistance to the steering committee for making recommendations required by this section as the steering committee may reasonably request. The recommendations, for purposes of guiding the review work performed by the joint legislative audit and review committee, must be in a prioritized order.
Questions of the joint legislative audit and review committee about implementing the recommendations provided under this subsection (8), including questions about the scope or sequencing of recommendations, must be submitted to the steering committee for its resolution and response.
Subject to its approved work plan and available resources, the joint legislative audit and review committee shall determine the timing and scope of any evaluations of policy requirements or funding provisions recommended by the steering committee for review. In making this determination, the joint legislative audit and review committee shall consider its overall workload, other legislative assignments, and the priorities identified by the steering committee.
The joint legislative audit and review committee may also determine that its available capacity is insufficient to undertake new reviews recommended by the steering committee in a particular year. If this occurs, the joint legislative audit and review committee must notify the steering committee and provide information regarding when capacity may become available for future reviews.
In performing reviews under this section, the joint legislative audit and review committee must evaluate whether the policy requirement or provided funding:
Achieves the goal or outcome expressed or reasonably inferred by the applicable legislation;
Improves student outcomes or performance;
Has a positive cost-benefit result;
Has ongoing relevance and education value; and
Should be maintained, modified, or repealed.
The steering committee shall meet at least annually and may hold additional meetings at the call of the chair or by a majority vote of the voting members of the steering committee. The members of the steering committee must be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.220 and reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. Steering committee meetings occurring before July 1, 2027, must be held remotely.
Beginning November 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the joint legislative audit and review committee shall, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, issue a report to the governor and the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the legislature on examinations conducted in accordance with this section during the preceding year.