AN ACT Relating to changing the inflation adjustment index for state salary allocations to schools; and amending RCW 28A.400.205.

(1) School district employees shall be provided an annual salary inflationary increase in accordance with this section.

(a) The inflationary increase shall be calculated by applying the rate of the yearly increase in the inflationary adjustment index to any state-funded salary base used in state funding formulas for teachers and other school district employees. Beginning with the 2019-20 school year, each school district shall be provided an inflationary adjustment allocation sufficient to grant this inflationary increase.

(b) A school district shall distribute its inflationary adjustment allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance with the district's collective bargaining agreements and compensation policies. No later than the end of the school year, each school district shall certify to the superintendent of public instruction that it has spent funds provided for inflationary increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.

(c) Any funded inflationary increase shall be included in the salary base used to determine inflationary increases for school employees in subsequent years. For teachers and other certificated instructional staff, the rate of the annual inflationary increase funded for certificated instructional staff shall be applied to the base salary used with the statewide salary allocation methodology established under RCW 28A.150.410 and to any other salary allocation methodologies used to recognize school district personnel costs.

(b) Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the implicit price deflator for ((that fiscal))the calendar year prior to the beginning of the school year, using the official current base, compiled by the bureau of economic analysis, United States department of commerce.