Senate Bill 5210, which would establish the 9th Grade Success Grant Program in statute, was presented and discussed at the Early Learning & K–12 Education Committee hearing.

Proponents said the program—which has existed as a pilot and through supplemental budget funding—uses multidisciplinary "success teams" to identify incoming high‑school students at risk of falling behind and deliver targeted supports. "The 9th grade experience is pivotal for young people," Senator Liias said, urging the committee to expand a program that, he said, is producing measurable gains.

The bill would require the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to establish and administer the grant program, prioritize grants to schools with low 9th‑grade on‑track scores and schools with graduation rates below the statewide average, and attempt to award funds across geographic regions. Grant funds may be used for staff compensation, professional development, substitute teachers and student supports. OSPI would report to the governor and Legislature by June 30, 2026 and annually thereafter until 2030 on implementation. A fiscal note had been requested but was not available at the hearing.

Testimony from coaches, district administrators and external evaluators described district results after implementing 9th grade success teams. Dr. Douglas Judge of the Center for High School Success said the program focuses on "prevention and its unmatched capacity to shift student trajectories." Doug Hostetter, director of schools for Tacoma Public Schools, cited school‑level results: at Mount Tahoma High School 9th‑grade passing rates rose from 49% to 59% after one year of the program; at Foss High School first‑semester pass rates rose from 48% to 67% across year one to year two. The University of Washington external evaluation team reported 5–7 percentage point increases in 9th‑grade on‑track rates in the first three years of implementation relative to comparison schools.

Committee members asked about family engagement, professional development models for success team members, and how the program serves students farthest from educational equity. Senator Liias and speakers said the program includes attention to attendance and behavior data and that individual districts and coaches vary in how they work with families and compose teams; advocates and the University of Washington evaluator were cited as sources for disaggregated outcome data.

Supporters urged codifying the program to sustain and scale results; no formal vote occurred in the hearing. The bill text and fiscal impact will be considered as the committee advances its work.