{"id":3291,"date":"2026-09-11T07:31:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T14:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/cortes\/?p=3291"},"modified":"2026-09-11T07:31:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T14:31:52","slug":"cortes-proposes-legislation-to-raise-school-district-leadership-standards-boost-abuse-reporting-transparency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedemocrats.wa.gov\/cortes\/2026\/09\/11\/cortes-proposes-legislation-to-raise-school-district-leadership-standards-boost-abuse-reporting-transparency\/","title":{"rendered":"Cortes proposes legislation to raise school district leadership standards, boost abuse reporting transparency"},"content":{"rendered":"

BATTLE GROUND\u00a0\u2014 Sen. Adrian Cortes (D-Battle Ground) has drafted two bills aimed at\u00a0improving requirements for\u00a0school\u00a0district leadership\u00a0and\u00a0promoting safe learning\u00a0environments\u00a0for students.\u00a0The legislation would\u00a0increase certification qualifications for\u00a0public school administrators\u00a0and require them to\u00a0submit\u00a0annual declarations about whether they have\u00a0received reports of student abuse by\u00a0staff.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first bill would\u00a0establish\u00a0certification requirements for superintendents to ensure they\u00a0have training in teaching\u00a0and\u00a0are prepared to lead school districts. Beginning July 1, 2029, school district and Educational Service District (ESD) superintendents, assistant superintendents, and\u00a0deputy superintendents would\u00a0be required\u00a0to hold a superintendent administrator certificate or conditional certificate. Candidates for administrator certificates would also need to complete specific coursework, including enhanced school finance training, hold\u00a0\u2014\u00a0or have previously held\u00a0\u2014\u00a0a valid teaching certificate or comparable out-of-state certificate for at least three years, and satisfy other requirements.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cRight now, you can become a superintendent, assistant superintendent, special education director, or other district-level administrator who oversees teachers and programming in Washington state without having ever set foot in a classroom,\u201d\u00a0Cortes said. \u201cWe need to set higher standards for the people we trust to run our schools, including requiring classroom experience, certification, and education in school finance. At a time when more schools are in binding condition than ever before, it\u2019s critical our district-level administrators understand school finances.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cortes has also drafted legislation to increase transparency in public schools and help protect students from abuse and neglect. The bill would require public school superintendents and human resources directors to\u00a0submit\u00a0an annual declaration to\u00a0the\u00a0Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), under penalty of perjury, stating whether they are aware of student misconduct involving a school employee. They would\u00a0be required\u00a0to attest that they:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n