HB 2142
In CommitteeHouse
Remote and hybrid learning
Replacing statutory references to alternative learning experiences with remote and hybrid learning.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill renames and reorganizes Washington’s existing 'alternative learning experience' framework as 'remote and hybrid learning' and updates laws governing how these programs operate, fund, and are tracked. It tightens accountability, clarifies attendance and truancy rules, restricts financial incentives, and revises how student enrollment affects state funding—especially for school construction and local levy support.
- Replaces all statutory references to 'alternative learning experience' with 'remote and hybrid learning' across 13 Revised Code of Washington (RCW) sections.
- Defines new terms: 'remote course' (no in-person requirement), 'site-based course' (requires in-person contact), and 'online course' (a type of remote/hybrid course).
- Prohibits school districts from paying students, parents, or guardians for participation in remote/hybrid courses—including for materials, supplies, or technology—and bans incentives for staff to recruit out-of-district students.
- Requires districts to report annually on remote/hybrid course offerings, student participation, and expenditures; and to document student residency for each enrolled student.
- Excludes out-of-district students enrolled in remote/hybrid courses from enrollment counts used for state capital funding (e.g., school construction grants) unless the district submits an alternative calculation showing facility use.
- Adds a 'remote and hybrid learning adjustment' to state local effort assistance funding: districts with more than 33% of students in remote/hybrid courses will have their state assistance reduced by the number of students exceeding that threshold.
Who is affected
- Public school districts — School districts that offer remote and hybrid learning courses must now follow new rules about student enrollment reporting, funding calculations, and prohibitions on paying incentives for student recruitment. Districts must also monitor contracted providers for compliance.
- Students in remote and hybrid learning programs — Students enrolled in remote or hybrid learning courses may face new assessment and attendance requirements, and their enrollment in out-of-district programs will be tracked more closely for funding and truancy purposes.
- Parents and guardians of students in remote/hybrid programs — Families of students in remote and hybrid learning may no longer receive payments, gifts, or reimbursements for course-related expenses from districts, and must comply with new attendance and assessment expectations.
- Students who transfer between districts — Students who move between districts while enrolled in remote/hybrid programs will have their truancy records transferred, and districts must coordinate on funding and attendance reporting.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (5)
The ban on paying students, parents, or guardians for course participation prevents exploitative practices where districts or third-party providers paid families to enroll in courses solely to inflate enrollment and secure state funding. This protects low-income families from being incentivized to enroll in courses they may not need or benefit from, and reduces fraud in funding claims.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: RCW 28A.232.010(3)Mandating annual reporting on course offerings, student participation, and residency documentation improves transparency and accountability, helping identify disparities in access and outcomes. This data can inform targeted interventions for underserved groups (e.g., students in rural areas, foster youth) and ensure equitable distribution of remote/hybrid resources.
EducationPeopleRef: RCW 28A.232.010(4)(a) and (b)The requirement to inform parents of rights to free evaluations for suspected disabilities (including emotional/behavioral issues) when absences occur in remote/hybrid settings helps early identification of mental health needs. This supports timely access to special education services, reducing long-term costs and improving student well-being.
HealthcarePeopleRef: RCW 28A.225.020(1)(c)(iii)The requirement to report truancy data disaggregated by student group—including placements in alternative settings and court dispositions—enables better oversight of disciplinary disparities and program effectiveness. This supports data-driven reforms to reduce overuse of juvenile court for truancy, especially for marginalized student groups.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: RCW 28A.225.151(2)(d)Requiring districts to designate remote/hybrid courses in state reporting improves data accuracy and allows the state to better track enrollment trends, funding impacts, and program quality. This supports evidence-based policy adjustments and ensures accountability for student outcomes in nontraditional settings.
EducationLean peopleRef: RCW 28A.232.010(7)
Potential Concerns (5)
The ban on paying students, parents, or guardians for participation in remote/hybrid courses—including for materials, supplies, or technology—eliminates a source of income support for low-income families who rely on such reimbursements to offset education-related costs. While districts may still purchase equipment, the requirement that items remain district property reduces flexibility for families who need to use equipment at home. This disproportionately affects families without reliable home internet or devices, who previously received support to participate.
Business & EmploymentIndustryRef: RCW 28A.232.010(3)The new 'remote and hybrid learning adjustment' reduces state local effort assistance funding for districts where more than 33% of students are enrolled in remote/hybrid courses. This creates a financial penalty for districts that serve vulnerable students (e.g., foster youth, incarcerated youth, or students in rural areas) who often rely on remote/hybrid learning. Districts with high concentrations of at-risk students may lose critical local levy-matching funds, forcing them to cut programs or raise local taxes further.
Local GovernmentIndustryRef: RCW 28A.500.015(4)(f)(ii)The prohibition on incentives for staff to recruit out-of-district students may reduce outreach to students who would benefit most from remote/hybrid options—such as pregnant teens, students with anxiety, or those in juvenile detention—because districts can no longer offer modest recruitment bonuses to counselors or social workers. This could limit access for students who need flexible learning environments but lack internal district capacity to identify and recruit them.
Public SafetyIndustryRef: RCW 28A.232.010(3)Excluding out-of-district students enrolled in remote/hybrid courses from capital funding enrollment counts (unless a district submits an alternative calculation showing facility use) reduces state construction funding for districts that serve students from multiple districts via remote/hybrid programs. This disincentivizes interdistrict collaboration and may prevent districts from expanding facilities to serve more students, especially in regions with high remote/hybrid demand.
EducationIndustryRef: RCW 28A.525.162(3)(d) and RCW 28A.525.166(4)The bill expands the definition of 'unexcused absence' to include failure to comply with remote/hybrid attendance requirements, potentially criminalizing truancy for students who face barriers like lack of reliable internet, unstable housing, or caregiving responsibilities. This could increase juvenile court involvement for students already at risk, without addressing root causes like poverty or mental health needs.
Public SafetyLean industryRef: RCW 28A.225.020(2)(b)
Who Is Most Affected
Districts with high remote/hybrid enrollment (>33%) face reduced state local effort assistance funding, which could force cuts to local programs or increased property taxes to maintain levy rates. Rural and small districts—often with higher remote/hybrid reliance due to teacher shortages or geographic isolation—are most affected.
Low-income students and those in foster care, juvenile justice, or rural areas may lose access to flexible learning options if districts reduce remote/hybrid programs due to funding penalties. However, the ban on payments to families protects against exploitation and ensures course quality.
Families may lose small reimbursements for course materials or technology, but are protected from being incentivized to enroll in unnecessary courses. The truancy expansion may increase court involvement for students facing structural barriers to attendance.
Students transferring between districts may face more rigorous truancy tracking and enrollment coordination, potentially disrupting access to remote/hybrid programs. However, standardized forms and data sharing improve continuity of services.