HOUSE BILL REPORT
SHB 1079
As Amended by the Senate
Title: An act relating to supporting remote testing options for students enrolled in online school programs.
Brief Description: Supporting remote testing options for students enrolled in online school programs.
Sponsors: House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Ortiz-Self, Rude, McEntire, Reed, Shavers, Callan, Simmons, Rule, Nance, Berg and Reeves).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Education: 1/27/25, 2/17/25 [DPS].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 3/5/25, 97-0.
Senate Amended.
Passed Senate: 4/7/25, 49-0.
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
  • Allows school districts to provide all students enrolled in online school programs the option to take statewide standardized tests remotely, beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
  • Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop, or review and update, test administration and security policies. 
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by 19 members:Representatives Santos, Chair; Shavers, Vice Chair; Rude, Ranking Minority Member; Keaton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bergquist, Callan, Chase, Couture, Donaghy, Eslick, Marshall, McEntire, Ortiz-Self, Pollet, Reeves, Rule, Scott, Steele and Stonier.
Staff:

Damian Morden-Snipper (786-7296) and Ethan Moreno (786-7386).
Background:

Public school students may enroll in online school programs available through their school district.  School districts must set policies and procedures for online learning addressing certain provisions, such as student eligibility, types of courses available, and the granting of high school credit.  

 

Washington public school students are required by either state or federal laws to take annual standardized, statewide tests to assess their learning growth and the performance of public schools.  Students enrolled in online school programs are required to take the annual tests, and school districts bear the same responsibilities for administering the tests to online school program students as for traditional, in-person students.  School districts administer the tests in varying locations, including at designated testing centers throughout the state.
Summary of Substitute Bill:

Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, school districts with online school programs may provide all students in those programs the ability to take statewide assessments remotely.

 

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must develop, or review and update, assessment administration and security policies by April 1, 2027, to support remote testing, such as testing personnel qualifications, the maximum student-to-proctor ratio, and device and network requirements.  The OSPI is also required to review and revise agency rules as necessary to implement the remote testing provisions and is encouraged to consider utilizing pilot rule making provisions when doing so.
EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):

In comparison to the substitute bill, the Senate amendment adds a definition of "statewide assessments" and "statewide academic assessments" for purposes of remote assessment provisions, specifying that the terms mean the general and alternate academic achievement assessments administered statewide for English language arts, mathematics, and science.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In Support) This bill will make testing more accessible and equitable for students with disabilities or medical issues and students who live in remote or rural areas—students for whom in-person testing presents significant challenges.  State testing already uses secure browsers and, in some cases, personal laptops, so home testing is feasible and equitable.  Other states do remote testing and show evidence of its benefits; there are ways to do safe and secure remote testing.

 

(Opposed) None.

 

(Other) This bill will provide significant benefits but the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) needs more time than the bill allows to implement remote testing effectively.  The OSPI would like to complete a pilot program to assess feasibility and improve final implementation.
Persons Testifying:

(In support) Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self, prime sponsor; Felicia Kern; and James Perry, Digital Public Schools Alliance—Washington (DPSA).

(Other) Becky Wallace, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying:

Matthew Kesler, Battle Ground PS; Wenting Zou, Lake Washington High School; Kiera O'Brien, Vancouver Education Association; and Myron Hammond, K12—Insight School of Washington.