wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5860 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that school director compensation has not changed in 40 years. The legislature recognizes it is the policy of the state to: (1) Ensure, for the sake of educational excellence, that the electorate has the broadest and most diverse possible field in which to choose qualified candidates for its school boards; (2) ensure that the opportunity to serve on school boards is open to all, regardless of financial circumstances; and (3) ensure that the time-consuming and demanding service as directors is not limited to those able or willing.
Each member of the board of directors of a school district may receive compensation of $100 per day or portion thereof for attending board meetings and for performing other services on behalf of the school district, not to exceed $13,750 per year. Compensation provided to a director under this section that is in excess of $3,000 per year must be authorized by the board of directors at a regularly scheduled meeting and may only be collected from levy funds available for this purpose.
Any director may waive all or any portion of his or her compensation under this section as to any month or months during his or her term of office, by a written waiver filed with the district as provided in this section. The waiver, to be effective, must be filed any time after the director's election and before the date on which the compensation would otherwise be paid. The waiver shall specify the month or period of months for which it is made.
The compensation provided under this section shall be in addition to any reimbursement for expenses paid to such directors by the school district.
Any adjustment in compensation made pursuant to this section applies to sitting school directors at the time such adjustment becomes effective.
The office of financial management shall, at intervals not to exceed five years, review and adjust the compensation provided to school directors. The adjustments must reflect cumulative changes in the cost of living, as measured by the consumer price index or a comparable index as determined by the office of financial management.
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The actual expenses, including costs for child care, of school directors in going to, returning from and attending upon directors' meetings or other meetings called or held pursuant to statute shall be paid.
Likewise, the expenses of school superintendents and other school representatives chosen by the directors to attend any conferences or meetings or to attend to any urgent business at the behest of the state superintendent of public instruction or the board of directors shall be paid.
The board of directors may pay the actual and necessary expenses for travel, lodging and meals a superintendent candidate incurs when he or she attends an employment interview in the school district.
The school directors, school superintendents, other school representatives or superintendent candidates may be advanced sufficient sums to cover their anticipated expenses in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the state auditor and which shall substantially conform to the procedures provided in RCW 43.03.150 through 43.03.210.
The Washington state school directors' association shall develop and provide a training program on school district funding and finance for all members of school district boards of directors.
The training program must enhance school directors' understanding of:
State and local funding structures;
Budgeting practices; and
Fiscal accountability requirements applicable to school districts.
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All individuals serving as school directors on the effective date of this section must complete the training within one year of the effective date of this section.
All individuals elected or appointed as school directors after the effective date of this section must complete the training at least once during the first year of the director's term of office.
School directors are strongly encouraged to renew or retake the training at least once during each term of office to remain current with changes in state and local funding laws and fiscal accountability standards.
School directors may not be charged any fee for attendance and must be compensated for participating in the training under this section.
Section 4 of this act takes effect January 1, 2027.
If specific funding for the purposes of section 4 of this act, referencing section 4 of this act by bill or chapter number and section number, is not provided by June 30, 2026, in the omnibus appropriations act, section 4 of this act is null and void.