Welcome to the weekly Washington STEM Advocacy Coalition update. Invite a colleague, changemaker, or leader to join the 2026 Washington STEM Advocacy Coalition, receive notifications and information about upcoming policy calls, and stay up to date on advocacy efforts. Sign up here.
Our 2026 Legislative Priorities are grounded in the near-term goals of our strategic plan. They reflect our response to a short 60-day session and acknowledge the challenging budget landscape.
Updates from Olympia
From Orlando Cano, Washington STEM Legislative Liaison
- Week one for the session is complete. Many hearings, including on the Governor’s proposed supplemental budgets. Officially kicks off the budget deliberation process for the House and Senate.
- Early action bills this week passed off the floor.
- Press conferences from Democratic and Republican leadership.
- Week of January 19: MLK Jr Day is on Monday, and the legislature is in session. A big advocacy day for many folks who come to Olympia. Committee hearings continue next week with many executive sessions. Meaning bills may or may not make it out of committee. Bills have to pass out of committee by Feb 4.
Bill Alerts & Priority Updates
SB 2159/ HB 2159: Establishing the Pre-KPromise account
- Take action on the bills below. Hearing on SB 5872 on Monday (1/19) in Senate Ways and Means at 4 PM. House companion, HB 2159, will be heard in House Appropriations on Tuesday (1/20) at 4 pm. We recommend signing in PRO
- Bills are in response to the Ballmer Group gift and allow the state to set up a mechanism to accept and administer the funds.
- The Ballmer Group Philanthropy announced a commitment to fund over 10,000 ECEAP slots over the next 10 years, with 2,000 of those expected this year.
- ECEAP = Washington Early Childhood Education and Assistance program and offers preschool to low-income 3 and 4-year-olds in Washington. ECEAP is a critical part of the childcare mixed delivery system. While early care and education faces significant reductions and delays, gifts like this are bright spots in an incredibly challenging budget environment.
SB 6052: Establishing a statewide digital transcript data-sharing environment.
- Public hearing on SB 6052 on Tuesday 1/20 in the Senate Early Learning & K12 Committee at 8:00am. We recommend signing in PRO
- Washington School Information Processing Cooperative (WSIPC) has been working on a pilot to develop streamlined data sharing for the purpose of digital transcripts.
- The bill would allow WSIPC to develop, maintain, and govern a statewide digital transcript file standard. Additionally, create a secure,platform-independent environment for the exchange of transcript data between secondary and postsecondary institutions. School districts, charter schools, state tribal education compact schools, and public institutions of higher education must participate in the statewide digital transcript data sharing environment, with independent, not-for-profit colleges as an option to participate.
- Public hearing on SB 6052 on Tuesday, 1/20
- About WSIPC: is a public, nonprofit cooperative that provides K-12 public and private schools with services including data reporting, technology services, a purchasing program, and software support
Note: Two additional bills were discussed
- SB 5931/2311: Concerning workforce education investment accountability and oversight board administrative changes. We recommend signing in PRO
- Request legislation from WSAC. Technical bill that puts in statute some process-oriented items for the WEIA Board that have been developed over the last year.
- Public hearing on Monday (1/19)( Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development at 10:30 and on Tuesday 1/20 in the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee at 1:30pm
- SB 5978: Establishing the Washington guaranteed admissions program and requiring student notifications
- Scheduled for Public Hearing on Monday, 1/19 in Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development at 10:30 AM.
- A similar bill to years past that would establish a requirement for public institutions to participate in the WA GAP program with an opt-out function. Colleges receive student data directly from K–12 systems (via WSIPC) and can proactively notify eligible students of guaranteed admission rather than waiting for applications.
- There is a question about how SB 5978 and the SB 6052 around digital transcripts are aligned or duplicating efforts.
If you have any feedback on the bills listed or ones you are tracking, reach out!
Partner Updates:
SB 6089: Increasing coordination and alignment throughout the P20W system.
Jake Vela, Chief Policy Officer at the League of Education Voters (LEV)
jake@educationvoters.org
- Public hearing for SB 6089 will be held on Thursday (1/22) in the Senate Early Learning & K12 Education Committee at 10:30 AM. We recommend signing in PRO
- LEV is leading a bill that would establish a public-private partnership in service of a P20W vision for Washington.
- Goal is to create a better aligned and cohesive P20W system. The bill would be funded through philanthropic partnerships
- It does two things: contracts with a nonprofit to establish the current landscape in the state and a statewide advisory committee for key stakeholders to come up with a vision of what our P20W system could look like. And work with a nonprofit on a dashboard for an early learning to workforce dashboard.
- Reach out to LEV for any questions- Jake’s email above.
Weekly Action Alerts:
Action alerts and bills to watch for the upcoming week. You can also refer to the attached bill tracker.
Take action on any legislation here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/
Monday
Establishing the preK promise account
Take action here.
Monday
Concerning workforce education investment accountability and oversight board administrative changes
Take action here.
Monday
Establishing the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program and requiring student notifications
Take action here.
Monday
Modifying funding for the Passport to Careers program and eligibility for the Washington College grant.
Take action here.
Tuesday
Establishing a statewide digital transcript data-sharing environment.
Take action here.
Tuesday
Expanding access to the early childhood education and assistance program for military families.
Take action here.
Tuesday
Concerning workforce education investment accountability and oversight board administrative changes.
Take action here.
Wednesday
Establishing the preK promise account.
Take action here.
Wednesday
Providing funding for school materials, supplies, and operating costs
Take action here.
Thursday
Increasing coordination and alignment throughout the P20W system.
Take action here.
Thursday
Expanding opportunities for competency-based assessments in graduation pathway options.
Take action here.
Committee Calendar
Standing committee calendars of relevant education and fiscal committees. Find all legislative committees here
Week of Jan 19-Jan 24 Highlights
- Senate and House will conduct a special floor session in honor of MLK Jr Day on Monday.
- MLK Jr. Day is typically a big day for advocacy groups in Olympia- the legislature will be in session.
- Floor action is already underway with more anticipated next week. Follow House Floor Calendars and Senate Floor Calendars
- Remember- bills that did not meet cutoffs last session are eligible for action this session.
MONDAY
10:30 AM
Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee (starting 1/19)
1:30 PM
Senate Human Services Committee
1:30 PM
House Education Committee
4:00 PM
Senate Ways and Means Committee
4:00 PM
House Appropriations Committee
TUESDAY
8:00 AM
Senate Early Learning & K12 Education Committee
8:00 AM
House Capital Budget Committee
1:30 PM
Senate Human Services Committee
1:30 PM
House Early Learning & Human Services Committee
1:30 PM
House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Development Committee
4:00 PM
House Education Committee
4:00 PM
Senate Ways and Means Committee
WEDNESDAY
8:00 AM
Senate Human Services Committee
10:30 AM
Senate Early Learning & K12 Education Committee
1:30 PM
Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee
1:30 PM
House Early Learning & Human Services Committee
1:30 PM
House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Development Committee
4:00 PM
House Appropriations Committee
THURSDAY
10:30 AM
Senate Early Learning & K12 Education Committee
8:00 AM
House Education Committee
1:30 PM
House Capital Budget Committee
4:00 PM
Senate Ways and Means Committee
4:00 PM
House Appropriations
FRIDAY
8:00 AM
House Early Learning & Human Services Committee
8:00 AM
House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Development Committee
(Draft) 2026 Legislative Session Cut-Off Calendar
Draft cut-off dates (must be adopted when session begins)
January 12
2026 Legislative Session Begins
February 4
Policy Committee Cutoff (House of Origin) Except House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.
February 9
Fiscal Committee Cutoff (House of Origin)
February 17
House of Origin Cutoff. Last day to consider bills in the house of origin (5 p.m.).
February 25
Policy Committee Cutoff - Opposite House. Except House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.
March 2
Fiscal Committee Cutoff - Opposite House
March 6
Opposite House Cutoff. Until 5 p.m., the last day to consider opposite house bills, with the exception of budgets
March 12
Sine Die
The WA STEM Advocacy Coalition exists to collect and disseminate information pertaining to statewide education policy. We exist to provide feedback and evidence-based recommendations to the Legislature. Joining our weekly informational sessions to hear updates on our policy and advocacy does not in itself constitute lobbying
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