State Rep. Marcie Maxwell of Renton has praised the passage by the state Legislature of the most significant changes to Washington’s basic education system in 30 years.

Maxwell, a freshman legislator who represents the 41st District, was a major supporter of the legislation. She was a longtime member of the Renton School Board.

House Bill 2261 redefines the concept of “basic education” and provides for several sweeping changes in the areas of kindergarten, middle school and high school, early learning, as well as accountability and transparency in programs and funding.

“I’m proud to support the 53,000 children in the 41st District’s five school districts as well as the one million students in Washington’s public schools,” Maxwell said.

Highlights of the bill include expanding the state’s funding for the class day of middle schools and high schools to include six periods of instruction rather than the current five; phasing in the expansion of existing half-day kindergartens to full-day; establishing equity and transparency in funding; supporting effective teaching; and providing specialized programs, among others.

“This is a historic bill that requires the state to live up to our duty to provide basic education for all children, which the state constitution designates as our paramount duty,” Maxwell said. “The bill isn’t perfect —we still must find the necessary funding. But we’ve established a framework and a clear set of objectives.”

A co-sponsor of the bill, Maxwell was instrumental in rallying her eight fellow freshmen House Democrats to ask their entire caucus to make the bill a priority when it appeared the bill’s fate was in doubt.

Maxwell’s district includes parts of Renton, Bellevue, Issaquah, Mercer Island and Newcastle.