Bill > HB1296

This bill establishes comprehensive provisions for protecting students' rights, enhancing educational access, and creating accountability mechanisms in Washington state's public education system. It introduces a new "statement of student rights" that explicitly outlines protections for students, including the right to access an unbiased education free from discrimination, receive historically accurate curriculum, and learn in a safe environment. The bill expands definitions of protected characteristics to include ethnicity, gender expression, gender identity, homelessness, immigration status, and neurodivergence. It creates a detailed complaint process for addressing potential violations of student rights, allowing students, parents, and community members to file complaints against school districts for willful noncompliance with state laws. The legislation also provides strong protections for educators who support students' rights, prohibiting adverse employment actions against teachers and staff who instruct consistently with state standards or use culturally representative materials. Additionally, the bill enhances parental rights by expanding notification requirements, access to student records, and opportunities to understand school policies and curricula. The bill applies not just to traditional school districts, but also to charter schools and state-tribal education compact schools, ensuring consistent implementation of these protections across different educational settings.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1296&Year=2025&Initiative=false