SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6260
As of January 25, 2026
Title: An act relating to efficiencies and programming changes in public education.
Brief Description: Implementing efficiencies and programming changes in public education.
Sponsors: Senators Wellman and Wilson, C.; by request of Office of Financial Management.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 1/27/26.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to use a minimum anticipated lifetime of 180 months for school bus depreciation schedules.
  • Requires OSPI to withhold up to 1.9 percent of 9-12 grade materials, supplies, and operating cost allocations for the provision of licenses to the universal online high school and beyond plan platform, and prohibits such allocations from being used for OSPI staff salaries or benefits.
  • Reduces the funded maximum enrollment for Running Start students to 1.2 full-time equivalents (FTE), rather than 1.4 FTE.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION
Staff: Alex Fairfortune (786-7416)
Background:

School Bus Purchasing and Reimbursement. School districts are responsible for selecting, paying for, and maintaining student transportation vehicles purchased by the district. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is responsible for developing categories and competitive specifications for school bus acquisitions as well as a corresponding list of school bus dealers with the lowest purchase price quotes. School districts and educational service districts that purchase buses through this competitive quote process or through a separate lowest-price competitive bid process are eligible for certain state funds based on the category of vehicle, the anticipated lifetime of vehicles of this category, and a state reimbursement rate. The accumulated value of the state payments received by the district and the potential investment return is designed to be equal to the replacement cost of the vehicle, less its salvage value, at the end of its anticipated lifetime.

 

The anticipated lifetime of vehicles is determined by OSPI, and is currently eight years for vehicles in category A, and 13 years for vehicles in categories C and D.

 

High School and Beyond Plans—Online Platform. All students must have a high school and beyond plan (HSBP) to graduate from high school. HSBPs utilize career interest and skills inventories, assessment results, information about graduation pathway options, and other tools to inform course-taking that aligns with the student's postsecondary goals. HSBPs must be updated annually, involve parents and guardians to the greatest extent feasible, and include required elements related to postsecondary planning such as financial aid information and a current resume or activity log.

 

With the passage of SB 5243 in 2023, OSPI began preparing to transition all public schools serving students in grades 7-12 to a universal, statewide platform for HSBP. In May 2024, SchooLinks was introduced as the new universal platform for Washington State. SchooLinks will begin serving all students by the 2026-27 school year.

 

Running Start Enrollment. The Running Start (RS) Program allows students in grades 11 and 12 to enroll in participating public institutions of higher education and to simultaneously earn both high school and college credit.  Students choosing to participate in the RS Program are responsible for applying for admission to the institution of higher education.

 

Students participating in RS programs may be funded up to a combined maximum enrollment of 1.4 full-time equivalents (FTEs), including high school and institution of higher education enrollment.
Summary of Bill:

School Bus Purchasing and Reimbursement. Beginning with school buses that are scheduled for depreciation payments as of September 2025, and those qualifying for payments after that date, OSPI must use a minimum anticipated lifetime of 180 months—15 years.

 

High School and Beyond Plans—Online Platform. OSPI must withhold up to 1.9 percent of school district allocations generated for materials, supplies, and operating costs, to be used solely for the central provision of licenses to the HSBP universal online platform. The withheld funds may not be used for salaries or benefits for OSPI employees.

 

Running Start Enrollment. After the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year, students participating in RS programs may be funded up to a combined maximum enrollment of 1.2 FTEs, rather than 1.4 FTEs.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 21, 2026.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.