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SB 5769

Addressing transition to kindergarten programs.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by T'wina Nobles and 2 co-sponsors

Codifies the Transition to Kindergarten program, caps TTK enrollment to funded AAFTE levels, and requires a phased, equity-focused expansion with 5% annual growth cap.

Effective date 7/27/2025.
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Bill Summary · SB 5769

SB 5769 — Summary (Chapter 342, 2025 Laws)

Status: Signed by Governor 5/17/2025; effective 7/27/2025 (90 days after adjournment).
Introduced: 2/21/2025. Sponsors: Sens. Wellman, C. Wilson, Nobles.

Purpose

To continue and codify the Transition to Kindergarten (TTK) program (formerly "transitional kindergarten"), limit near‑term enrollment growth to available state funding, and direct state agencies to develop an equitable, phased expansion plan for future TTK programs.

Key provisions

  • Enrollment cap tied to budget
    • Beginning in the 2025–26 school year, the annual average full‑time equivalent (AAFTE) of eligible children enrolled in TTK may not exceed the state‑funded AAFTE level specified in the omnibus appropriations act. The enacted language prioritizes maintaining funded levels for existing programs.
  • Short‑term funding priority
    • During the 2025–26 and 2026–27 school years, OSPI must prioritize TTK funding for programs that operated in 2024–25.
  • Phased expansion plan and growth limit
    • The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), in collaboration with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), must develop a recommended plan to phase in future TTK expansion that limits statewide AAFTE growth to no more than 5% per year.
    • OSPI must submit the recommended phasing plan to the Legislature and Governor (amendments set an earlier due date during the legislative process; the bill requires a report—check OSPI/Chapter 342 for the final statutory due date).
  • Prioritization criteria for expansion
    • Plan must consider alignment with other early learning programs (e.g., ECEAP) and prioritize communities/districts by: highest unmet needs, child care supply/demand, highest percentages of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, highest percentages of students with disabilities, and lowest kindergarten readiness scores on the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS).
  • Program standards and operations (statutory requirements)
    • OSPI must adopt rules establishing minimum standards, data/reporting requirements, and guidelines (site readiness, curricula, professional development).
    • Local providers must perform a local child care and early learning needs assessment before starting or expanding TTK and consider statewide best practices developed with DCYF.
    • Eligible children must be at least 4 years old by August 31 and determined to benefit from additional kindergarten preparation; prioritization for lowest‑income families is required “as practicable.”
    • WAKIDS assessments required at entry and at least once more during the year (unless excused by parent/guardian).
    • TTK students must be assigned statewide student identifiers and reported as a separate class/course; counted as kindergarten for funding calculations, but reported separately.
    • Prohibitions on charging tuition to state‑funded eligible children and on excluding a child solely for having a disability.
  • Funding mechanics
    • TTK funding is calculated using components of the prototypical school funding model (class size, staff, district supports, materials/supplies, Learning Assistance Program, Transitional Bilingual Instruction) and transportation formula (based on reported ridership).
    • Funding for TTK is not part of the state’s statutory basic education program and must be spent only for TTK operations.
  • No new appropriation included in the bill; fiscal note available.

Who is affected

  • OSPI and DCYF (planning, rulemaking, technical assistance).
  • School districts, charter schools (including state‑tribal compact schools), and Washington State Charter School Commission (timing restrictions apply to some charter schools).
  • Children eligible for TTK (age and need criteria), families (particularly low‑income), early learning providers, and local child care systems.

Timeline / Procedural notes

  • Governor signed 5/17/2025; law becomes effective 7/27/2025.
  • The law ties enrollment capacity to the omnibus appropriations act; future growth depends on legislative budget choices and the OSPI/DCYF phase‑in plan.

Potential impacts

  • Stabilizes funded program size in the near term while creating a structured, equity‑focused approach to any expansion.
  • May limit immediate local expansion where demand exceeds the capped, budgeted AAFTE.
  • Seeks to coordinate K‑entry supports with other early learning programs and prioritize highest‑need communities.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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