The 2024-25 school year allocations are provided because of the increase in staffing ratios between the 2022-23 and 2024-25 school years for paraeducators, including any aspect of education instructional services provided by classified employees, and office support and other noninstructional aides. Such allocations for the 2024-25 school year must be spent on one of the following purposes as defined below:
(1) Increased staffing as demonstrated by having a combined student-to-staff ratio across paraeducators, office support, and noninstructional aides that is less in the 2024-25 school year than in the 2023-24 school year.
(2) Preventing layoffs as demonstrated by having a combined student-to-staff ratio across paraeducators, office support, and noninstructional aides that is equal to or less in the 2024-25 school year than in the 2023-24 school year.
(3) Increased salaries in the 2024-25 school year demonstrated by new contract language that articulates a pay increase beyond the state-funded cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and beyond previously agreed-to salary steps or advancements.
Local education agencies must report no later than November 15, 2025, the use of the additional funds in alignment with one of the three purposes above in a format prescribed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The total revenue for increased staffing allocation for program 01 shall be identified in a separate apportionment report starting in school year 2024-25. Local education agencies are expected to report to the office of the superintendent of public instruction all expenditures of revenues identified in this apportionment report in the prescribed format.
[Statutory Authority: 2024 c 191 and RCW 28A.150.260. WSR 25-10-102, s 392-122-305, filed 5/7/25, effective 6/7/25.]