This bill creates a new law by adding a section to chapter 28A.175 RCW to establish a "ninth grade success grant program" administered by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), subject to the availability of amounts specifically appropriated. OSPI may adopt rules for the program, must begin awarding grants to eligible public schools in the 2025-26 school year (as defined in RCW 28A.150.010), may contract with qualified nonprofit organizations to provide individualized coaching, and must give priority to schools with low ninth grade on-track scores under the Washington school improvement framework and to schools with graduation rates below the statewide average while attempting geographic distribution of awards. The grant funds may be used for additional compensation or stipends for success team members, professional development and training, hiring substitutes when team members perform program duties or training, and providing supports for ninth grade students. OSPI must report to the governor and the legislature’s education committees by June 30, 2026, and annually through 2030, with specified content including number and geographic distribution of grants, disaggregated student demographics served, comparisons of ninth grade on-track scores before and after implementation, longitudinal graduation data for recipients if available, and recommendations on statutory changes, resources, or scalability. Important details are not included in the provided text: the precise statutory definition of "eligible public schools" from RCW 28A.150.010, any appropriation amounts, application and selection procedures, formal statutory definitions of "ninth grade success team" or "ninth grade on-track scores," criteria from the Washington school improvement framework, qualifications for "qualified nonprofit organizations," grant duration or timelines, and monitoring or enforcement specifics.

If enacted, the state would create a grant program run by OSPI (starting in the 2025–26 school year if money is appropriated) to pay eligible public schools to form ninth grade success teams that identify and support incoming students at risk of not graduating. Schools that receive awards—prioritized for low ninth grade on-track rates and below-average graduation rates with an attempt at geographic spread—could use grant money for extra pay or stipends for team members, training, substitute teachers while staff do program work, and direct student supports; OSPI could also hire experienced nonprofits to coach teams. This would mean new funding and program responsibilities for participating schools, contracting opportunities for certain nonprofits, and added administrative and reporting duties for OSPI, which must report disaggregated student data and outcome comparisons to the governor and legislature starting June 30, 2026 and annually through 2030. Important details are missing here, so the real size and cost of the program are unclear: the bill does not specify how much money will be appropriated, the exact definition of eligible schools, application or award procedures, grant duration, or precise definitions for terms like “ninth grade on-track” and “qualified nonprofit.” Those gaps mean costs, the number of schools served, and administrative burden will depend on future funding decisions and rulemaking.