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Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction
| Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $161,905 |
| 2024-25 FY Budget: | $20,285,236,000 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Washington Constitution, Article 3, Section 2 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction
Chris Reykdal | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 7, 2028 |
| Last election: | November 5, 2024 |
| Other Washington Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education• • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner• Natural Resources Commissioner• Labor Commissioner• Public Service Commissioner | |
The Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction is an elected state executive position in the Washington state government. The Office of Superintendent of Public instruction is the primary agency charged with overseeing K-12 public education in the state.
Current officeholder
The current Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction is Chris Reykdal (nonpartisan). Reykdal assumed office in 2017.
Authority
Article 3 of the state Constitution establishes the state's executive offices.
Article III, Section 2:
|
Executive Department. The executive department shall consist of a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, and a commissioner of public lands, who shall be severally chosen by the qualified electors of the state at the same time and place of voting as for the members of the legislature. |
Qualifications
Article 3, Section 25 of the state Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
- a citizen of the United States
- a qualified elector in Washington
| Qualifications, Compensation, Offices Which May Be Abolished. No person, except a citizen of the United States and a qualified elector of this state, shall be eligible to hold any state office... |
Elections
In Washington, the superintendent of public instruction is elected every four years. Elections are held in November and the winner assumes office the following January, serving until a successor is elected and qualified.
2024
General election candidates
- Chris Reykdal (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
- David Olson (Nonpartisan)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Primary candidates
- Chris Reykdal (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
- John Patterson Blair (Nonpartisan)
- David Olson (Nonpartisan) ✔
- Reid Saaris (Nonpartisan)
Did not make the ballot:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
2020
General election candidates
- Chris Reykdal (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
- Maia Espinoza (Nonpartisan)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Primary candidates
- Chris Reykdal (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
- Maia Espinoza (Nonpartisan) ✔
- Ronald Higgins (Nonpartisan)
- Stan Lippmann (Nonpartisan)
- David Spring (Nonpartisan)
- Dennis Wick (Nonpartisan)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Past elections
Vacancies
Article 3, Section 13 of the state constitution establishes the vacancy procedures for this office. In the event of a vacancy, the governor fills the vacancy by appointment. The term of the appointee expires when a successor has been elected.
| When, during a recess of the legislature, a vacancy shall happen in any office, the appointment to which is vested in the legislature, or when at any time a vacancy shall have occurred in any other state office, for the filling of which vacancy no provision is made elsewhere in this Constitution, the governor shall fill such vacancy by appointment, which shall expire when a successor shall have been elected and qualified. |
Duties
As of January 2021, the stated duties of the office were:[1]
| “ | OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K–12 education in Washington state. Working with the state's 295 public school districts and 6 state-tribal education compact schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education.[2] | ” |
Divisions
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
State budget
- See also: Washington state budget and finances
The budget for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in Fiscal Year 2024-2025 was $20,285,236,000.[3]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Article III, Section 22 of the state Constitution initially set the annual salary of the superintendent at $2,000 but allowed for the state legislature to increase it.
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $161,905, according to the Council of State Governments.[4]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $153,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]
2021
In 2021, the superintendent received a salary of $153,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2020
In 2020, the superintendent received a salary of $145,860 according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2019
In 2019, the superintendent received a salary of $134,212 according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2018
In 2018, the superintendent received a salary of $134,212 according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2017
In 2017, the superintendent received a salary of $134,212 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2016
In 2016, the superintendent received a salary of $132,883 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2015
In 2015, the superintendent received a salary of $127,772 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2014
In 2014, the superintendent was paid an estimated $121,618 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2013
In 2013, the superintendent was paid an estimated $121,618 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2010
In 2010, the superintendent was paid an estimated $121,618 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Old Capitol Building
P.O. Box 47200
600 Washington St. S.E.
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
Phone: (360) 725-6000
See also
| Washington | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, "About the Agency," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5187," December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 29, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 8, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 31, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed June 7, 2011
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