Committee hears bill to clarify and support competency‑based education, transcripts and funding rules

Senate Bill 5189, presented to the Early Learning & K–12 Education Committee, would clarify that the term "competency‑based education" (CBE) is interchangeable with mastery‑based learning and specify seven elements of CBE, including that student progress is based on evidence of mastery rather than seat time. The bill directs OSPI to adopt rules to authorize full‑time enrollment funding for CBE programs, asks OSPI and the State Board of Education to recommend a process for aligning competencies with state learning standards, directs the State Board to design a process to identify CBE schools/districts, requires the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association to consider barriers to student participation, and asks the State Board to work with stakeholders to develop a competency‑based high‑school transcript format for OSPI adoption.