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Welcome to the January edition of the SBE monthly up newsletter! The 2025 Legislative Session is upon us and the Board has been busy advocating for students across the State. Here's a recap of what the Board has been up to this month:
Applications are open until March 28, 2025.
Student Representatives will:
- Represent over one million students statewide.
- Influence policies that shape K–12 education in Washington.
- Collaborate with state leaders and expand your network.
- Receive a $100/day stipend during official meetings and reimbursement for travel.
- Must reside and attend school in Washington State.
- Current sophomore (rising junior) in the 2025–2027 school years.
- Passionate about improving education and ready to dedicate time to Board responsibilities.
- Applications are open until March 28, 2025.
Student Representatives Alex and Castulo meet with Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self, the House's Majority Caucus Chair, during the Board's Student Advocacy Day in Jan. 20, 2025.
On January 20, Student Members Alex and Castulo met with legislators and testified before the House Education Committee at the State Capitol. During their time at the Capitol, the students advocated for FutureReady — the Board’s initiative to update graduation requirements — and funding for the Mastery-based Learning Collaborative. Along the way, they provided powerful insights from their peers.
Thank you to Representatives Lilian Ortiz-Self and Skyler Rude and Senators Lisa Wellman, Claire Wilson, and T’wina Nobles for taking the time to meet with our students!
⇓ Watch a video of the day's highlights! ⇓
SBE staff and student board members recently presented at legislative work sessions for the House Education Committee and Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee.
On January 14, Executive Director Randy Spaulding presented to the House Education Committee on the Board’s roles and statutory authority. This is a great presentation for those wanting to learn more about the Board’s work.
On January 20, Randy Spaulding and J. Lee Schultz, the Board’s Deputy Executive Director, were joined by Student Members Alex Henriksson and Castulo Gonzalez to present at the House Education Committee’s work session on FutureReady. During the presentation, Alex and Castulo gave a first-hand perspective about the importance of giving students flexibility and choice in their education.
On January 27, the Board's Director of Policy, Alissa Muller, and Randy Spaulding presented at a House Education Committee work session on instructional time requirements, graduation requirements, and mastery-based learning.
Finally, on January 28, J. Lee and Randy presented at the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education to discuss FutureReady.
In the latest edition of the NASBE Standard, SBE Chair Bill Kallappa highlights how a decades-long government-to-government partnership between the Nisqually Indian Tribe and North Thurston Public Schools has cultivated student learning and community.
"When tribes are invited to work side by side with the district, outcomes improve for all students. We found that the best way to improve outcomes for Nisqually students is to improve the entire system," Kallappa writes.
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Private school approval applications for the 2025–2026 school year open on March 3, 2025. To support applicants, the Board’s private schools manager will host weekly Zoom Q&A sessions.
Sessions will be held every Tuesday in February and every Wednesday in March from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. No registration is required—simply join using the links below:
A sample application for new private schools is available on the Private School Approval webpage. A sample for renewing schools will be available in February.
The Board wanted to take a moment to thank former board member Patty Wood for her incredible years of service. She was elected to the State Board of Education in 2016 after serving over 13 years on her local School Board in Kelso. Patty's term expired on January 2025. Her dedication to the Board's work unmatched and we're grateful for her dedication.
Patty Wood poses with a plaque the Board presented her for her service.
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