2025-2027 Biennial Budget Proposal Side-By-Side

All amounts are per biennium unless noted

All amounts are per biennium unless noted

Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)

Working Connections Child Care (WCCC)

Net -$216 million

Increases to funding include:

• ECEAP rate increase (5% in 2026 and 5% in 2027)
• Converting 250 ECEAP slots from part-day to full-day
• Rate enhancements to Family Childcare providers

Decreases to funding include:

• Eliminating 2,350 part-day ECEAP slots
• Eliminating Early ECEAP funding
• Delaying Fair Start for Kids Act (FSK) commitments, like expansion of ECEAP and WCCC, as well as WCCC rate increases
• Changing WCCC co-payment structure

Net -$301 million

Increases to funding include:

• ECEAP rate increase (10%)
• Additional 1,200 full-day ECEAP slots
• Rate enhancements to Family Childcare providers

Decreases to funding include (SB 5752):

• Eliminating 3,245 part-day ECEAP slots
• Eliminating Early ECEAP funding
• Delaying FSK Act commitments, like expansion of ECEAP and WCCC, as well as WCCC rate increases
• Changing WCCC co-payment structure

+$15 million

To increase the funding formula for ESIT (HB 1357)

+$48 million

To increase the funding formula for ESIT (SB 5263)

-$77 million

To cap enrollment levels at 2024-25 levels and stop investments in program growth (HB 2012)

-$75 million

To cap enrollment levels at 2024-25 levels and stop investments in program growth (SB 5769)

K-12: Funding

To increase special education funding and fund a pilot program to implement school-wide inclusive practices (HB 1357)

To increase funding for special education, including removal of the funded enrollment cap (SB 5263)

To increase funding for school materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC), such as insurance, utilities, and educational materials (SB 5192)

(Additional state funding provided to districts that can raise fewer local levy funds due to lower property wealth)

Increases per student LEA funding levels by a total of $500 over the next two years (HB 2049)

(Charter public schools are unable to access enrichment levy funds of up to $3,249 per student in 2025)

Continues the current funding level of $1,500 per student for charter public schools in 2025-26 to address their inability to access levy resources totaling $7.7 million in funding

K-12: Student Supports

(Provides professional development to support teachers in adopting and implementing inclusionary practices & includes funding pilot projects to end the use of isolation in schools and reduce the use of restraint)

(Supports schools in implementing evidence-based practices that minimize the use of restraint and eliminate the use of isolation in classrooms)

To continue support of Reducing Restraint & Eliminating Isolation (RREI) Project demonstration and pilot sites

(A grant program to increase districts’ capacity to identify and support students experiencing homelessness)

To continue the program in a reduced capacity

To continue the program in a reduced capacity

(LAP provides additional funding to support the academic and well-being needs of students in high-poverty schools)

To expand behavioral health regional services grants to support school districts with the least access to services

Funding that supported the coordination of social worker associates in schools and for supervisors working with local mental health agencies and schools

To fund reimbursements for schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision

To fund reimbursements for schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision

K-12: Special Education

(Due to a 2024 court ruling, Washington state was required to extend eligibility for special education services until a student turns 22)

To extend eligibility for special education services through the school year a student turns 22 (SB 5253)

K-12: Other Program Areas

For the Washington state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination and gender-inclusive school requirements and policies (HB 1296)

To add protected classes to nondiscrimination provisions that impact public schools (SB 5123)

To provide resources to OSPI’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights to investigate discrimination complaints

To establish a complaint process to address willful noncompliance with state education laws (SB 5179)

(OEO works to reduce the opportunity gap by supporting families, students, educators, and communities in understanding the public K-12 education system and resolving concerns collaboratively)

Reduces funding reflecting currently vacant positions

Reduces funding reflecting currently vacant positions

(Including mentoring, afterschool, summer school, and expanded learning programs. Budget impacts include non-OSPI programs)

In reduced program funding

In reduced program funding

(A mentoring program that supports first and second-year teachers)

In reduced program funding

Reduced funding for coordination and program funding

Reduced funding for coordination and program funding

Eliminates funding for the Initiative

To expand the pilot program to include participating community and technical colleges located in the North Central Educational Service District

(The program that supports the creation and operation of a differentiated system of school improvement activities, as well as the operation of the Required Action District program)

To eliminate the program providing support to schools designated as needing the most improvement

(Schools and districts can receive a variety of grants that fund training, student supports and services, and adoption of new practices)

By eliminating all existing K-12 grant and pass-through programs starting in July 2025

By eliminating all existing K-12 grant programs starting in July 2026

A budget cut to OSPI base funding. OSPI will determine how to implement this funding reduction

A 6% budget cut to the agency. OSPI will determine how to implement this funding reduction

(ESDs aid in providing professional development, technical assistance, and other services to support the public school system)

Reduces funding for travel-related expenses. ESDs will determine how to adjust to the reduced funding

Reduces staffing and administrative funding. ESDs will determine how to adjust to the reduced funding

Higher Education

(The maximum tuition increase for public universities in 2025-26 under current law is expected to be 3.3%)

Allows for tuition increases of up to 3.3% for 2025-26

Funding is reduced by 2% for all institutions and the state suspends inflation adjustments

Funding is reduced by 1% for all institutions

(Only includes the impact of policy changes to the WCG program from current law)

Increases award amounts for students up to 60% of the median family income

Makes temporary increases to some award amounts in 2025-26 and reduces award amounts for students above 55% of the median family income starting in 2026-27

(Can be used to help cover the cost of books and other higher education expenses beyond tuition and fees for WCG recipients)

Eliminates Bridge Grants

Eliminates Bridge Grants starting in 2026-27

Reduces College Bound award amounts for the next two years

Requires College Bound recipients to use scholarship funds within six years and reduces the award amounts

To extend a pilot program to increase CTE dual credit participation and credit attainment (HB 1273)

New Revenue

Each budget proposal assumes these new revenue proposals will pass. These projected amounts were already used to calculate the proposed level of services included in these proposals

(Includes new revenue over the 4-year budget outlook)

Through a series of new revenue proposals

Through a series of new revenue proposals