Liias’ inclusive LGBTQ+ learning bill signed into law
OLYMPIA—Legislation to ensure the stories of LGBTQ+ Washingtonians are taught in schools was signed into law Monday, March 18, by Governor Jay Inslee. Senate Bill 5462, sponsored by Senator Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), requires school districts to adopt curriculum that covers inclusive, age-appropriate materials that tell the histories, contributions and perspectives of LGBTQ+ Washingtonians. “The contributions […]
WA high schools to observe Temperance and Good Citizenship Day
OLYMPIA—On Tuesday, January 16, public high schools throughout Washington will observe Temperance and Good Citizenship Day, an annual event created in 1923 to educate future voters about the importance of civic engagement. In partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Office of the Secretary of State offers resources to support K–12 educators […]
Washington public school enrollment climbs by nearly 2,000 students
OLYMPIA, Wash., December 6, 2023—Today, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) announced that enrollment in the Washington public school system this fall has climbed by nearly 2,000 students when compared to fall of last school year. Approximately 1,092,977 students were enrolled at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. The largest increases over […]
State Superintendent Chris Reykdal announces 2024 supplemental budget
OLYMPIA, Wash., September 28, 2023—Today, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal announces his 2024 supplemental budget priorities. Reykdal’s office will submit the proposals to Governor Inslee and the Office of Financial Management, and then the Legislature will consider the requests during the 2024 Legislative Session. As the school year gets underway across Washington, State Superintendent Reykdal is […]
State Supreme Court rules school funding is shared responsibility of state and local jurisdictions
OLYMPIA, Wash., September 9, 2023—The Washington Supreme Court ruled Thursday, September 7, the state is not required to fully cover school construction costs, dealing a blow to districts unable to raise the local tax dollars they need for new buildings and other facility upgrades. In its unanimous decision, the court said Washington’s constitutional mandate for […]
OSPI submits $6.5 billion biennial budget for 2023 Legislative Session
OLYMPIA, Wash., September 23, 2022 — At the center of Superintendent Reykdal’s budget priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session is an unwavering commitment to supporting all of Washington’s learners with a K–12 public education that is geared toward their interests, prepares them to serve as tomorrow’s leaders, and allows them to thrive as themselves. “Over the past […]
OSPI shares its 2023 Legislative Priorities for education
OLYMPIA, Wash., July 29, 2022 – The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) held a webinar Tuesday, July 26, to update the public on pandemic recovery funding, initial thoughts on its 2023 legislative priorities, and to create opportunities for future partnerships and shared messaging. The goal of the Washington Office of Superintendent of […]
Snohomish County Schools: How the pandemic affected student achievement
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, July 25, 2022 – The first round of test scores since the pandemic is in for Snohomish County schools. Almost entirely across the board, fewer students met standards for English, Math, and Science, indicating how the last two years have affected public education. However, this decrease in the number of students that met […]
Reykdal unveils plan to equitably distribute timber revenue for schools
OLYMPIA, Wash., July 20, 2022—In a media briefing yesterday, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal described his plan to change the connection between revenue from timber harvesting on state trust lands and K–12 urban school construction. Reykdal laid out his plan for reallocating funding from the K–12 Common School Trust, which currently provides a small percentage of […]
State’s Education Superintendent calls on DOH to remove state mask mandate for students
Below is a statement by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal on his recommendation to the Department of Health and Governor to make masks a local health department decision for students in K–12 schools. OLYMPIA—February 9, 2022—Throughout the pandemic, the Department of Health and Governor Inslee have set essential health and safety requirements for our schools using […]
