SB 5517
In CommitteeSenate
School staff salary alloc.
Determining state allocations for school staff salaries.
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 raises the minimum state funding levels for school staff salaries across three categories—certificated instructional staff, certificated administrative staff, and classified staff—with increases phased in starting in 2018–19 and continuing through 2027–28, all adjusted for inflation and regional cost differences. It also updates how salary allocations are calculated and reviewed over time.
- Sets new minimum state salary allocations for certificated instructional staff ($64,000 in 2018–19, adjusted for inflation), certificated administrative staff ($95,000 in 2018–19, adjusted for inflation), and classified staff ($67,325 in 2025–26, rising to $73,384 in 2026–27).
- Adds new minimum allocations for classified administrative staff ($99,164) and other classified staff ($79,988) beginning in 2027–28, with definitions for each category.
- Requires regional cost-of-living adjustments to salary allocations starting in 2018–19, based on local housing values, and mandates a full review and rebasing of all allocations every four years beginning in 2023–24.
- Clarifies that inflation adjustments use the official inflationary adjustment index defined in RCW 28A.400.205.
- Maintains existing rules limiting college credits (beyond a bachelor’s degree) to 90 quarter hours for salary allocation purposes, unless the employee holds a master’s degree or credits were used before 1992.
Who is affected
- School districts — School districts across Washington will receive new minimum state funding levels for staff salaries, with increases phased in over time and adjusted for local cost-of-living differences.
- Certificated instructional and administrative staff — Certificated staff (e.g., teachers, counselors, administrators with teaching credentials) will benefit from higher minimum state salary allocations starting in 2018–19, with further increases for administrative staff in later years.
- Classified staff — Classified staff (e.g., clerical workers, maintenance, bus drivers, paraprofessionals) will see significant increases in minimum state salary allocations beginning in 2025–26, with further increases in 2026–27 and beyond.
- State education agencies — Superintendent of Public Instruction and state agencies will be responsible for calculating and adjusting salary allocations annually, including regional cost adjustments and inflation updates.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The bill establishes a $67,325 minimum state salary allocation for classified staff in 2025–26 (rising to $79,988 for other classified staff by 2027–28), directly improving earnings for low- and middle-income school employees who are disproportionately women, people of color, and unionized — many of whom earn near minimum wage and rely on these positions for full-time employment.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3), effective 2025–26Raising the minimum for certificated instructional staff to $64,000 (inflation-adjusted) helps retain and attract qualified teachers, especially in high-need rural and urban districts where competition with higher-paying private-sector jobs has driven turnover.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2), effective 2018–19The new minimum for classified administrative staff ($99,164) and other classified staff ($79,988) recognizes the rising cost of school operations and supports skilled support staff (e.g., IT, curriculum coordinators, maintenance supervisors) who are critical to school functionality but have historically been underpaid relative to their responsibilities.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(a), effective 2027–28The regional cost-of-living adjustment, tied to local housing values, helps districts in high-cost areas (e.g., Seattle, Spokane) attract staff without requiring them to raise local property taxes beyond their capacity — reducing pressure on local voters to approve bond and levy elections.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(6), effective 2018–19The quadrennial review and rebasing of salary allocations ensures long-term alignment with actual staffing costs, preventing erosion of real wages due to inflation or market shifts — a stability measure that benefits districts and staff alike over time.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(7), effective 2023–24 onward
Potential Concerns (5)
The bill raises state salary allocation minimums for classified staff (e.g., bus drivers, maintenance, clerical workers), but does not require districts to pass the full increase through to workers — districts may absorb the increase in other budget areas or use it to offset rising benefit costs, limiting direct wage gains for many classified staff.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3), effective 2025–26While the bill sets new minimum state allocations, it does not increase the overall basic education funding formula — districts must reallocate existing funds or increase local levies to meet the new salary floors, potentially straining district budgets and increasing pressure on property taxes.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(a), effective 2027–28The regional cost-of-living adjustment uses median single-family home values, which may overstate actual housing costs for classified staff (many of whom rent or live in lower-cost areas), leading to misaligned adjustments that benefit districts in high-value areas more than staff in those areas.
EducationLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(6), effective 2018–19 onwardThe inflation adjustment uses the state’s official index, which may understate actual education cost inflation (e.g., health insurance, pensions), reducing the real purchasing power of the salary increases over time.
EducationLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(8), referencing RCW 28A.400.205The bill does not include funding for increased benefits (e.g., retirement, health insurance) that accompany higher salaries — many classified staff, especially part-timers, may not qualify for full benefits, meaning the net compensation increase is smaller than the headline salary numbers suggest.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3), effective 2025–26
Who Is Most Affected
Classified staff (e.g., bus drivers, custodians, paraprofessionals, clerical workers) will see the largest direct wage gains — especially those in the new $79,988 and $99,164 categories — improving household income stability and reducing turnover in critical support roles.
Teachers and counselors with credentials benefit from higher minimums ($64K), but gains are modest relative to rising housing and healthcare costs — many still rely on second jobs or district supplements to reach competitive wages.
Superintendents and central office administrators (certificated) gain from the $95K minimum, but this may widen the pay gap between them and classroom teachers and classified staff, potentially straining labor relations.
School districts in high-cost regions (e.g., Puget Sound) will receive more state funding due to regional adjustments, but still face pressure to meet new floors without proportional increases in overall funding — some may cut non-salary programs or delay maintenance.
Local governments (county treasurers, tax assessors) may see increased pressure to approve property tax levies if districts cannot fully fund new salary floors from state allocations alone — indirectly affecting voter-approved levy cycles.