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The State Board of Education met virtually for its regularly scheduled meeting on August 13-14. Here are some big topics the Board worked on during the meeting:
Find the complete agenda, supporting materials, and links to TVW’s video footage of the meeting on SBE’s
The Board elected new executive officers. These new officers will begin their term on September 1, 2025. Chair and Vice-Chair will serve a one-year term while At-Large members will serve a two-year term.
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At-Large Members: Dr. Susana Reyes & Dr. Angela Griffin
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Past Chair: Bill Kallappa
The Board received an update on the development of agency budget requests, which are due in September, and continued its work on the 2026 legislative platform. Board members discussed possible themes of “Protect” and “Restore”—protecting progress made for students in recent years and restoring some key supports that have been reduced or lost due to the challenging budget climate. In small group discussions, members shared ideas about priorities for the year ahead.
The Board will continue refining its platform in preparation for adoption in October.
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FutureReady is an initiative of the Board to re-examine and update graduation requirements for Washington’s high school diploma. The goal is to empower students with the essential knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a changing world.
At its August work session, the Board wrapped up Phase I of the FutureReady initiative. In this first phase, the Board and Task Force worked together to create a shared vision for the high school diploma, look at where current graduation requirements fall short, and identify areas that need more attention. With that groundwork in place, the initiative now moves into Phase II—starting the work of developing recommendations.
As part of preparing for Phase II, the Board also considered how to best organize the work ahead. The Board reviewed recommendations from the FutureReady Task Force and Board staff, and directed staff to move forward with launching subcommittees to bring in additional expertise on specific topics that need more detailed attention.
The Board expects to release draft recommendations for public input in 2026, with final recommendations ready for the 2027 Legislative Session. More information will be shared as the work progresses.
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134 public school districts and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) across the state were approved by the Board as being in compliance with basic education requirements for the 2025-26 school year.
Recommendations made in the report are grounded in extensive community engagement, including listening sessions, focus groups, and student-led conversations conducted in partnership with community-based organizations across the state.
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Washington state law requires that students receiving home-based instruction must have their academic progress assessed annually. Parents can demonstrate this progress either by obtaining a written academic evaluation from a currently certified teacher or having their student take a standardized achievement test approved by the Board. These responsibilities are outlined in WAC 180-52-070 and RCW 28A.200.010(1)(c).
At the end of the meeting, Board members took a moment to express their gratitude for Student Board member Alex Henriksson’s service.
Alex, who joined the Board in July 2024, graduated this year from Redmond High School (Lake Washington School District). During his time on the Board, he brought a strong student perspective to policy development and advocacy. He was a vocal advocate for students at the state legislature, lex also played an active role on the Board’s FutureReady Task Force, where his insights will continue to influence the future of Washington’s graduation requirements.
Alex’s position will be filled at the Board's September 4 meeting. Because he graduated a year early, the Board will fill the vacancy with a student from the same grade level, with preference given to finalists from the original student selection process, per Board policy. The newly appointed member will serve out the remainder of the term.
Alex Henriksson (center) is honored for his service to the Board during a celebratory lunch on Wednesday, July 30. Alex is joined, left to right, by Seema, SBE staff member; Mary Fertakis, Board member; Randy Spaulding, SBE Executive Director; and Bill Kallappa, Board Chair.
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