(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.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "inflationary adjustment index" means:

(a) For the 2023-24 school year, 3.7 percent; and

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

Finding—Intent—2018 c 266: See note following RCW 28A.150.410.

Effective date—2017 3rd sp.s. c 13 ss 102, 505, and 801: "Sections 102, 505, and 801 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and take effect immediately [July 6, 2017]." [ 2017 3rd sp.s. c 13 s 1006.]

Intent—2017 3rd sp.s. c 13: See note following RCW 28A.150.410.

Effective date—2013 2nd sp.s. c 5: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2013." [ 2013 2nd sp.s. c 5 s 5.]

Effective date—2011 1st sp.s. c 18: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2011." [ 2011 1st sp.s. c 18 s 7.]

Effective date—2009 c 573: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2009." [ 2009 c 573 s 4.]

Severability—2001 c 4 (Initiative Measure No. 732): "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 2001 c 4 s 5 (Initiative Measure No. 732, approved November 7, 2000).]