Public testimony splits as committee hears bill to expand competency-based funding and update transcripts

Summary

House Education Committee heard testimony for and against Senate Bill 5189, which would allow competency-based programs to report FTE under OSPI rules, direct the State Board to recommend designation processes and require updates to the standardized high school transcript to accommodate competency-based records.

The House Education Committee held a public hearing March 13 on Senate Bill 5189, a measure that would update Washington education law to recognize competency-based (mastery-based) education for funding and transcripts.

Ethan Moreno, nonpartisan committee staff, summarized the bill and said it would require OSPI to adopt rules by Sept. 1, 2025, permitting districts to report full-time-equivalent (FTE) enrollment for students in competency-based programs that meet State Board–approved criteria. The bill also directs the State Board of Education to design a recommended process for identifying and designating schools and districts implementing competency-based education, and it directs the Superintendent to update the standardized high school transcript to offer a competency-based format.

Supporters included the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, which said expanded competency-based transcripts would support adult high school completion and the High School Plus program; Troy Grama of…

Public testimony splits as committee hears bill to expand competency-based funding and update transcripts

Summary

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