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Board hears legislative update: special education, MSOC and transportation bills gain traction; chronic‑absence bill includes funding language
Summary
District legislative staff briefed the Clover Park board on bills in the state legislature affecting school funding — the so‑called Big 3 (MSOC, special education, transportation) — and highlighted bills on chronic absence, SEBB/PEBB consolidation, cell‑phone limits in schools and proposals to lower bond passage thresholds.
District staff presented a legislative update to the Clover Park School District board, summarizing bills shaping funding priorities for the 2025 session and highlighting likely areas of traction.
The update focused on the three high‑priority funding areas the district and many Washington school associations identify as the 'Big 3': maintenance, supplies and operating costs (MSOC); special education funding; and transportation. Staff said both house and senate proposals include measures to increase special education multipliers and to add an implicit price deflator (IPD) adjustment; staff named House Bill 1310 and Senate Bill 5307 as companion bills addressing cost multipliers for special education.
The update also noted a Senate bill (identified in the meeting as Senate Bill 5007) that would address chronically absent students and — importantly — ties new requirements to appropriated funding (language in the draft reads “subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose”), which staff described as effectively a funded mandate. Staff said that linkage is critical to districts because unfunded mandates create unfunded workload and costs.
Other bills and items noted
- Transportation: One bill calls for a study of transportation funding and points toward potential changes in formulas in 2029–30 rather than immediate funding increases. Staff characterized it as a multi‑year glide path rather than immediate relief.
- SEBB/PEBB consolidation: A proposal to consolidate the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) and the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) was introduced; staff noted materials they reviewed show little cost savings and potential complications for educational employees.
- Chronically absent students: Senate Bill 5007 (as discussed in the meeting) proposes supports for chronically absent students with funding language; staff said the inclusion of appropriations language is important because it avoids an immediate unfunded mandate.
- Cell phone restrictions: House Bill 1122 was identified as a bill to limit student cell-phone use during the school day.
- Bond passage rate: A proposal was mentioned to reduce the bond approval threshold from 60% to 55%, which would affect local capital funding prospects.
What staff said about traction and next steps
District staff told the board the Big 3 topics have traction among legislators and education associations, but they cautioned that initial dollar figures often fall during bargaining and final budget negotiations. Staff advised the board that the district and its association partners will continue to press for funding increases, and to watch committee calendars closely because bill hearings are frequent and timelines are compressed.
Ending: staff encouraged board members to follow bill hearings and reported the district will continue to monitor and provide updates as bills move through committees.
