Students, OSPI and sponsor urge broader training and clearer reporting in bill to support K–12 survivors of sexual assault

The Early Learning & K–12 Education Committee heard in‑person and remote testimony on Senate Bill 5,386, legislation that would require trauma‑informed, survivor‑centered training for school staff, direct the Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC) to review mandatory‑reporting laws, and direct OSPI and partners to develop a student and family guide about reporting and supports.

Committee staff described the bill’s three main components: (1) a LYAC‑led collaborative review, due to OSPI, WASDA and the legislature by Dec. 1, of mandatory reporting requirements and recommendations for trauma‑informed, survivor‑centered practices; (2) required staff training that incorporates trauma‑informed and survivor‑centered responses and bystander intervention beginning in 2027; and (3) OSPI‑led development and periodic update of a student and family guide to…