RCW 28A.300.444
Integration of environmental and sustainability content.
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide state leadership for the integration of environmental and sustainability content with curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
(2)(a) Subject to funds appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall contract on a competitive basis with a Washington state-based qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit community-based organization to integrate the state learning standards in English language arts, mathematics, and science with outdoor field studies and project-based and work-based learning opportunities aligned with the environmental, natural resources, and agricultural sectors.
(b) The selected Washington state nonprofit organization must work collaboratively with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and educational service districts to:
(i) Build systemic programming that connects administrators, school boards, and communities to support teacher practice and student opportunities for the strengthened delivery of environmental and sustainability education;
(ii) Support K-12 educators to teach students integrated, equitable, locally relevant, real-world environmental science and engineering outdoors, aligned to Washington science and environmental and sustainability education standards, and provide opportunities to engage students in renewable natural resource career awareness; and
(iii) Deliver learning materials, opportunities, and resources including, but not limited to:
(A) Providing opportunities outside the classroom to connect transdisciplinary content, concepts, and skills in the context of the local community;
(B) Encouraging application of critical and creative thinking skills to identify and analyze issues, seek answers, and engineer solutions;
(C) Creating community-connected, local opportunities to engage students in stewardship projects that enhance their interest in sustaining the ecosystem and respecting natural resources;
(D) Providing work-based learning opportunities for careers in the environmental science and engineering, natural resources, sustainability, renewable energy, agriculture, and outdoor recreation sectors and build skills for completion of industry recognized certifications; and
(E) Providing models for integrating the John McCoy (lulilaš) since time immemorial curriculum in teaching materials so that students learn the unique heritage, history, culture, and government of the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe or tribes.
(c) Priority focus must be given to schools that have been identified for improvement through the Washington school improvement framework and communities historically underserved by science education. These communities can include, but are not limited to, tribal nations including tribal compact schools, migrant students, schools with high free and reduced-price lunch populations, rural and remote schools, students in alternative learning environments, students of color, English language learner students, and students receiving special education services.
(3) For the purposes of this section, a "qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit community-based organization" means a nonprofit organization physically located in Washington state:
(a) That has multiple years of experience collaborating with school districts across the state to provide high quality professional development to kindergarten through twelfth grade educators to teach students real-world environmental science and engineering outside the classroom;
(b) Whose materials and instructional practices align with Washington's environmental and sustainability learning standards and the Washington state learning standards, including the common core standards for mathematics and English language arts;
(c) Whose materials and instructional practices emphasize the next generation science standards to support local, relevant, and field-based learning experiences; and
(d) That delivers project-based learning materials and resources that incorporate career connections to local businesses and community-based organizations, contain professional development support for classroom teachers, have measurable assessment objectives, and have demonstrated community support.
[
2024 c 200 s 3
;
2020 c 292 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
2020 c 292:
"The legislature finds that environmental and sustainability education offers a rich and meaningful context for integrated learning and teaching. The legislature also finds that nonprofit community-based organizations are uniquely positioned to strengthen classroom learning by partnering and collaborating with schools and local employers to offer K-12 educators work-integrated learning experiences that address the Washington state science learning standards including next generation science standards. Close collaboration with educational service district's regional science coordinators can optimize learning by helping align next generation science standards implementation with community-based organization initiatives to ensure all students have access to engaging field experiences allowing them to understand the scientific, social, and economic impacts of healthy community resources such as gardens, watersheds and water systems, energy systems, or forests so they can participate in solutions to problems such as ocean acidification, rural economic development, or ecosystems impacted by megafires." [
2020 c 292 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.450
Financial education public-private partnership
—
Established.
(1) A financial education public-private partnership is established, composed of the following members:
(a) Four members of the legislature, with one member from each caucus of the house of representatives appointed for a two-year term of service by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member from each caucus of the senate appointed for a two-year term of service by the president of the senate;
(b) Four representatives from the private for-profit and nonprofit financial services sector, including at least one representative from the jumpstart coalition, to be appointed for a staggered two-year term of service by the governor;
(c) Four teachers to be appointed for a staggered two-year term of service by the superintendent of public instruction, with one each representing the elementary, middle, secondary, and postsecondary education sectors;
(d) A representative from the department of financial institutions to be appointed for a two-year term of service by the director;
(e) Two representatives from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, with one involved in curriculum development and one involved in teacher professional development, to be appointed for a staggered two-year term of service by the superintendent; and
(f) The state treasurer or the state treasurer's designee.
(2) The chair of the partnership shall be selected by the members of the partnership from among the legislative members.
(3) One-half of the members appointed under subsection (1)(b), (c), and (e) of this section shall be appointed for a one-year term beginning August 1, 2011, and a two-year term thereafter.
(4) To the extent funds are appropriated or are available for this purpose, the partnership may hire a staff person who shall reside in the office of the superintendent of public instruction for administrative purposes. Additional technical and logistical support may be provided by the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the department of financial institutions, the organizations composing the partnership, and other participants in the financial education public-private partnership.
(5) The initial members of the partnership shall be appointed by August 1, 2011.
(6) Legislative members of the partnership shall receive per diem and travel under RCW 44.04.120
.
(7) Travel and other expenses of members of the partnership shall be provided by the agency, association, or organization that member represents. Teachers appointed as members by the superintendent of public instruction may be paid their travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050
and
43.03.060
from funds available in the Washington financial education public-private partnership account. If the attendance of a teacher member at an official meeting of the partnership results in a need for a school district to employ a substitute, payment for the substitute may be made by the superintendent of public instruction from funds available in the Washington financial education public-private partnership account. A school district must release a teacher member to attend an official meeting of the partnership if the partnership pays the district for a substitute or pays the travel expenses of the teacher member.
(8) This section shall be implemented to the extent funds are available.
[
2015 c 211 s 1
;
2011 c 262 s 1
;
2009 c 443 s 1
;
2004 c 247 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2004 c 247:
"The legislature recognizes that the average high school student lacks a basic knowledge of personal finance. In addition, the legislature recognizes the damaging effects of not properly preparing youth for the financial challenges of modern life, including bankruptcy, poor retirement planning, unmanageable debt, and a lower standard of living for Washington families.
The legislature finds that the purpose of the state's system of public education is to help students acquire the skills and knowledge they will need to be productive and responsible 21st century citizens. The legislature further finds that responsible citizenship includes an ability to make wise financial decisions. The legislature further finds that financial literacy could easily be included in lessons, courses, and projects that demonstrate each student's understanding of the state's four learning goals, including goal four: Understanding the importance of work and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future opportunities.
The legislature intends to assist school districts in their efforts to ensure that students are financially literate through identifying critical financial literacy skills and knowledge, providing information on instructional materials, and creating a public-private partnership to help provide instructional tools and professional development to school districts that wish to increase the financial literacy of their students." [
2004 c 247 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.460
Financial education public-private partnership responsibilities
—
Annual report.
(1) The task of the financial education public-private partnership is to seek out and determine the best methods of equipping students with the knowledge and skills they need, before they become self-supporting, in order for them to make critical decisions regarding their personal finances. The components of personal financial education shall include the achievement of skills and knowledge necessary to make informed judgments and effective decisions regarding earning, spending, and the management of money and credit.
(2) In carrying out its task, and to the extent funds are available, the partnership shall:
(a) Communicate to school districts the financial education standards adopted under RCW 28A.300.462, other important financial education skills and content knowledge, and strategies for expanding the provision and increasing the quality of financial education instruction;
(b) Review on an ongoing basis financial education curriculum that is available to school districts, including instructional materials and programs, online instructional materials and resources, and school-wide programs that include the important financial skills and content knowledge;
(c) Develop evaluation standards and a procedure for endorsing financial education curriculum that the partnership determines should be recommended for use in school districts;
(d) Work with the office of the superintendent of public instruction to integrate financial education skills and content knowledge into the state learning standards;
(e) Monitor and provide guidance for professional development for educators regarding financial education, including ways that teachers at different grade levels may integrate financial skills and content knowledge into mathematics, social studies, and other course content areas;
(f) Work with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the professional educator standards board to create professional development in financial education;
(g) Develop academic guidelines and standards-based protocols for use by classroom volunteers who participate in delivering financial education to students in the public schools;
(h) Provide an annual report beginning December 1, 2009, as provided in RCW 28A.300.464, to the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, and the committees of the legislature with oversight over K-12 education and higher education; and
(i) Administer grant programs including, but not limited to, the program established in RCW 28A.300.466
or related programs established in the omnibus operating appropriations act.
(3) In addition to the duties in subsection (2) of this section and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the partnership may perform other tasks in support of financial literacy, including, but not limited to:
(a) Hiring support staff;
(b) Contracting with educational service districts;
(c) Facilitating the creation and implementation of professional development for certificated educational staff relating to financial literacy and education, in particular the professional development utilized as part of the grant program created in RCW 28A.300.466
;
(d) Working to facilitate, and confirm receipt of, specific outreach for financial literacy training to foster students and homeless youth, students receiving special education services, and tribal communities; and
(e) Coordinating with providers in the early childhood education and assistance program established under chapter
43.216
RCW for the purpose of providing a curriculum on financial literacy that can be shared with the parents or legal guardians of participants in the early childhood education and assistance program.
(4) The partnership may seek federal and private funds to support the school districts in providing access to the materials listed pursuant to RCW 28A.300.468
(1), as well as related professional development opportunities for certificated staff.
[
2022 c 238 s 2
;
2015 c 211 s 2
;
2009 c 443 s 2
;
2007 c 459 s 2
;
2004 c 247 s 5
.]
NOTES:
Effective date
—
2007 c 459:
"This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [May 14, 2007]." [
2007 c 459 s 5
.]
Findings
—
Intent
—
2004 c 247:
See note following RCW 28A.300.450
.
RCW 28A.300.462
Financial education public-private partnership
—
Jumpstart coalition national standards
—
Financial education learning standards
—
Technical assistance and grants for demonstration projects
—
Report.
(1) School districts are encouraged to voluntarily adopt the jumpstart coalition national standards in K-12 personal finance education and provide students with an opportunity to master the standards.
(2) Subject to funds appropriated specifically for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the financial education public-private partnership shall provide technical assistance and grants to support demonstration projects for district-wide adoption and implementation of the financial education learning standards under this section.
(3) School districts may apply on a competitive basis to participate as a demonstration project. The office and the partnership shall select up to four school districts as demonstration projects, with two districts located in eastern Washington and two districts located in western Washington, if possible.
(4) Selected districts must:
(a) Adopt the jumpstart coalition national standards in K-12 personal finance education as the essential academic learning requirements for financial education and provide students with an opportunity to master the standards;
(b) Make a commitment to integrate financial education into instruction at all grade levels and in all schools in the district;
(c) Establish local partnerships within the community to promote financial education in the schools; and
(d) Conduct pre and posttesting of students' financial literacy.
(5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, with the advice of the financial education public-private partnership, shall provide assistance to the demonstration projects regarding curriculum, professional development, and innovative instructional programs to implement the financial education standards.
(6) The selected districts must report findings and results of the demonstration project to the office of the superintendent of public instruction and appropriate committees of the legislature annually.
[
2011 c 262 s 2
;
2009 c 443 s 3
.]
RCW 28A.300.464
Financial education public-private partnership
—
Contents of report.
The annual report from the financial education public-private partnership, provided funds are available, shall include:
(1) Results from the jumpstart survey of personal financial literacy;
(2) Progress toward statewide adoption of financial education standards by school districts;
(3) Professional development activities related to equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills to teach financial education;
(4) Activities related to financial education curriculum development; and
(5) Any recommendations for policies or other activities to support financial education instruction in public schools.
[
2009 c 443 s 4
.]
RCW 28A.300.465
Financial education public-private partnership account.
The Washington financial education public-private partnership account is hereby created in the custody of the state treasurer. The purpose of the account is to support the financial education public-private partnership, and to provide financial education opportunities for students and financial education professional development opportunities for the teachers providing those educational opportunities. Revenues to the account may include gifts from the private sector, federal funds, and any appropriations made by the legislature or other sources. Grants and their administration shall be paid from the account. Only the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee may authorize expenditures from the account, and only at the direction of the partnership. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter
43.88
RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
[
2009 c 443 s 5
;
2004 c 247 s 6
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2004 c 247:
See note following RCW 28A.300.450
.
RCW 28A.300.466
Financial education public-private partnership
—
Grant program.
(Expires August 1, 2026.)
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the financial education public-private partnership shall establish a grant program to provide assistance to school districts for the purpose of integrating financial literacy education into professional development for certificated staff.
(2) Grants provided under this section shall be made available for the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 school years, and shall be funded at the amount of $7.50 per enrolled student in the school district, as determined by the annual average full-time equivalent student enrollment reported to the office of the superintendent of public instruction. A school district that receives a grant under this section may only receive a grant for one school year and is prohibited from receiving a grant in subsequent grant cycles.
(3) For a school district to qualify for a grant under this section, the grant proposal must provide that the grantee integrate financial literacy education into at least seven hours of its current in-person professional development schedule over the course of the entire school year for which the school district receives the grant.
(4) Additional activities permitted for the use of these grants include, but are not limited to:
(a) Coordinating teachers from across a school district to develop new instructional strategies and to share successful strategies;
(b) Sharing successful practices across a group of school districts; and
(c) Facilitating coordination between educational service districts and school districts to provide training.
(5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in coordination with the financial education public-private partnership, may adopt rules for the effective implementation of this section.
(6) This section expires August 1, 2026.
[
2022 c 238 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.467
Financial education public-private partnership
—
Model goals.
(1) Each school district, by March 1, 2023, shall adopt one or more goals for expanding financial education instruction to students in their district. Examples of goals that school districts may adopt include:
(a) Increasing the number of financial education courses available to students in grades nine through 12;
(b) Increasing the number of grades, schools, or both that provide students with instruction in, or access to instruction in, financial education; and
(c) Expanding the amount financial education professional development training available to certificated staff.
(2) The financial education public-private partnership, by September 1, 2022, shall develop a nonexhaustive menu of model goals that school districts may consider when complying with this section. The model goals must be published on the website of the office of the superintendent of public instruction by September 10, 2022.
(3) Subsection (1) of this section governs school operation and management under RCW 28A.710.040
and
28A.715.020, and applies to charter schools established under chapter
28A.710
RCW and state-tribal education compact schools established under chapter
28A.715
RCW to the same extent as it applies to school districts.
[
2022 c 238 s 3
.]
RCW 28A.300.468
Financial education standards
—
Availability of materials.
(1) After consulting with the financial education public-private partnership, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall make available to all school districts a list of materials that align with the financial education standards integrated into the state learning standards pursuant to RCW 28A.300.460
(2)(d).
(2) School districts shall provide all students in grades nine through twelve the opportunity to access the financial education standards, whether through a regularly scheduled class period; before or after school; during lunch periods; at library and study time; at home; via online learning opportunities; through career and technical education course equivalencies; or other opportunities. School districts shall publicize the availability of financial education opportunities to students and their families. School districts are encouraged to grant credit toward high school graduation to students who successfully complete financial education courses.
[
2015 c 211 s 4
.]
RCW 28A.300.469
State financial education learning standards.
Standards in K-12 personal finance education developed by a national coalition for personal financial literacy that includes partners from business, finance, government, academia, education, and state affiliates are adopted as the state financial education learning standards.
[
2015 c 211 s 5
.]
RCW 28A.300.471
Medical emergency response and automated external defibrillator program.
(1) An automated external defibrillator is often a critical component in the chain of survival for a cardiac arrest victim.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with school districts and stakeholder groups, shall develop guidance for a medical emergency response and automated external defibrillator program for high schools.
(3) The medical emergency response and automated external defibrillator program must comply with current evidence-based guidance from the American heart association or other national science organization.
(4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the department of health, shall assist districts in carrying out a program under this section, including providing guidelines and advice for seeking grants for the purchase of automated external defibrillators or seeking donations of automated external defibrillators. The superintendent may coordinate with local health districts or other organizations in seeking grants and donations for this purpose.
[
2013 c 181 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2013 c 181:
See note following RCW 28A.230.179
.
RCW 28A.300.473
Medical use of cannabis-infused products
—
Suspension of policies that authorize student use on school grounds.
(1) The superintendent of public instruction and school districts must suspend implementation of RCW 28A.210.325
and
69.51A.225
if:
(a) The federal government issues a communication after July 28, 2019, that suggests that federal education funding will be withheld if the state continues to implement RCW 28A.210.325
and
69.51A.225
;
(b) The superintendent of public instruction requests a formal opinion by the state attorney general on the federal communication; and
(c) The state attorney general provides a formal opinion that the federal communication has reasonably demonstrated that continued implementation of RCW 28A.210.325
and
69.51A.225
reasonably jeopardizes future federal funding.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must provide the state attorney general opinion to the education and fiscal committees of the legislature within thirty days of the issuance of the opinion.
[
2019 c 204 s 4
.]
RCW 28A.300.474
Substance use prevention and awareness materials
—
Distribution.
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall collaborate with the department of health, the health care authority, other state agencies, and educational service districts to develop age-appropriate substance use prevention and awareness materials for school and classroom uses. These materials must be periodically updated to align with substance use prevention and awareness campaigns implemented by the department of health and the health care authority.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall actively distribute the materials developed under subsection (1) of this section to school districts, public schools, educational service districts, and community-based organizations that provide extended learning opportunities, and strongly encourage the incorporation of age-appropriate materials in classrooms, as well as in family and community communications.
[
2024 c 201 s 3
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
Effective date
—
Short title
—
2024 c 201:
See notes following RCW 43.70.775
.
RCW 28A.300.475
Comprehensive sexual health education.
(1)(a)(i) In accordance with the requirements of this section, every public school shall provide comprehensive sexual health education to each student by the 2022-23 school year. The curriculum, instruction, and materials used to provide the comprehensive sexual health education must be medically and scientifically accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive of all students, regardless of their protected class status under chapter
49.60
RCW, and must include information about abstinence and other methods of preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Abstinence may not be taught to the exclusion of other materials and instruction on contraceptives and disease prevention.
(ii)(A) Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, any public school that provides comprehensive sexual health education must ensure that the curriculum, instruction, and materials include information about affirmative consent and bystander training.
(B) The school district boards of directors of one or more public schools that are not providing comprehensive sexual health education in either the 2019-20 school year, the 2020-21 school year, or both, must prepare for incorporating information about affirmative consent and bystander training into the comprehensive sexual health education curriculum, instruction, and materials required by this section. In satisfying the requirements of this subsection (1)(a)(ii)(B), school district boards of directors must also, no later than the 2020-21 school year, consult with parents and guardians of students, local communities, and the Washington state school directors' association.
(b) A public school may choose to use separate, outside speakers or prepared curriculum to teach different content areas or units within its comprehensive sexual health education program if all speakers, curriculum, and materials used are in compliance with this section.
(c) Comprehensive sexual health education must be consistent with the Washington state health and physical education K-12 learning standards and the January 2005 guidelines for sexual health information and disease prevention developed by the department of health and the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
(2)(a) Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, comprehensive sexual health education must be provided to all public school students in grades six through twelve.
(b) Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, comprehensive sexual health education must be provided to all public school students.
(c) The provision of comprehensive sexual health education to public school students as required by (a) and (b) of this subsection (2) must be provided no less than:
(i) Once to students in kindergarten through grade three;
(ii) Once to students in grades four through five;
(iii) Twice to students in grades six through eight; and
(iv) Twice to students in grades nine through twelve.
(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of health shall make the Washington state health and physical education K-12 learning standards and the January 2005 guidelines for sexual health information and disease prevention available to public schools, teachers, and guest speakers on their websites. Within available resources, the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of health shall also, and to the extent permitted by applicable federal law, make any related information, model policies, curricula, or other resources available on their websites.
(4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the department of health, shall develop a list of comprehensive sexual health education curricula that are consistent with the 2005 guidelines for sexual health information and disease prevention, the Washington state health and physical education K-12 learning standards, and this section. This list, which may serve as a resource for schools, teachers, or any other organization or community group, must be updated at least annually, and must be made available on the websites of the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of health.
(5) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall periodically review and revise, as necessary, training materials, which may be in an electronic format, for classroom teachers and principals to implement the applicable requirements of this section. The initial review required by this subsection (5) must be completed by March 1, 2021.
(6)(a) Public schools are encouraged to review their comprehensive sexual health education curricula and choose a curriculum from the list developed under subsection (4) of this section. Any public school may identify, choose, or develop any other curriculum if it complies with the requirements of this section.
(b) If a public school chooses a curriculum that is not from the list developed under subsection (4) of this section, the public school or applicable school district, in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, must conduct a review of the selected or developed curriculum to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section using a comprehensive sexual health education curriculum analysis tool of the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
(c) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide technical assistance to public schools and school districts that is consistent with the curricula review, selection, and development provisions in (a) and (b) of this subsection (6).
(7)(a) Any parent or legal guardian who wishes to have his or her child excused from any planned instruction in comprehensive sexual health education may do so upon filing a written request with the school district board of directors or its designee, or the principal of the school his or her child attends, or the principal's designee. The person or entity to whom the request is directed must grant the written request to have the student excused from this instruction in accordance with this subsection. In addition, any parent or legal guardian may review the comprehensive sexual health education curriculum provided in his or her child's school by filing a written request with the school district board of directors, the principal of the school his or her child attends, or the principal's designee.
(b) At the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, each school providing comprehensive sexual health education must notify parents and guardians, in writing or in accordance with the methods the school finds most effective in communicating with parents, that the school will be providing comprehensive sexual health education during the school year. The notice must include, or provide a means for electronic access to, all course materials, by grade, that will be used at the school during the instruction.
(8)(a) Public schools shall annually, by September 1st, identify to the office of the superintendent of public instruction any curricula used by the school to provide comprehensive sexual health education as required by this section. Materials provided by schools under this subsection (8)(a) must also describe how the provided classroom instruction aligns with the requirements of this section.
(b) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall summarize and, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, report the results provided under (a) of this subsection (8) to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate biennially, beginning after the 2022-23 school year.
(9) RCW 28A.600.480
(2), which encourages school employees, students, and volunteers to report harassment, intimidation, or bullying, applies to this section.
(10) Nothing in this section expresses legislative intent to require that comprehensive sexual health education, or components of comprehensive sexual health education, be integrated into curriculum, materials, or instruction in unrelated subject matters or courses.
(11) For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Affirmative consent" means a conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity as a requirement before sexual activity;
(b) "Comprehensive sexual health education" means recurring instruction in human development and reproduction that is age-appropriate and inclusive of all students, regardless of their protected class status under chapter
49.60
RCW. All curriculum, instruction, and materials used in providing comprehensive sexual health education must be medically and scientifically accurate and must use language and strategies that recognize all members of protected classes under chapter
49.60
RCW. Comprehensive sexual health education for students in kindergarten through grade three must be instruction in social-emotional learning that is consistent with learning standards and benchmarks adopted by the office of the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.300.478
. Comprehensive sexual health education for students in grades four through twelve must include information about:
(i) The physiological, psychological, and sociological developmental processes experienced by an individual;
(ii) The development of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to communicate, respectfully and effectively, to reduce health risks, and choose healthy behaviors and relationships that are based on mutual respect and affection, and are free from violence, coercion, and intimidation;
(iii) Health care and prevention resources;
(iv) The development of meaningful relationships and avoidance of exploitative relationships;
(v) Understanding the influences of family, peers, community, and the media throughout life on healthy sexual relationships; and
(vi) Affirmative consent and recognizing and responding safely and effectively when violence, or a risk of violence, is or may be present with strategies that include bystander training;
(c) "Medically and scientifically accurate" means information that is verified or supported by research in compliance with scientific methods, is published in peer-reviewed journals, where appropriate, and is recognized as accurate and objective by professional organizations and agencies with expertise in the field of sexual health including but not limited to the American college of obstetricians and gynecologists, the Washington state department of health, and the federal centers for disease control and prevention; and
(d) "Public schools" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.150.010
.
[
2020 c 188 s 1
(Referendum Measure No. 90, approved November 3, 2020);
2007 c 265 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2007 c 265:
"(1) The legislature finds that young people should have the knowledge and skills necessary to build healthy relationships, and to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection. The primary responsibility for sexual health education is with parents and guardians. However, this responsibility also extends to schools and other community groups. It is in the public's best interest to ensure that young people are equipped with medically and scientifically accurate, age-appropriate information that will help them avoid unintended pregnancies, remain free of sexually transmitted diseases, and make informed, responsible decisions throughout their lives.
(2) The legislature intends to support and advance the standards established in the January 2005 guidelines for sexual health information and disease prevention developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of health. These guidelines are a fundamental tool to help school districts, teachers, guest speakers, health and counseling providers, community groups, parents, and guardians choose, develop, and evaluate sexual health curricula to better meet the health and safety needs of adolescents and young adults in their communities." [
2007 c 265 s 1
.]
Short title
—
2007 c 265:
"This act may be known and cited as the healthy youth act." [
2007 c 265 s 3
.]
RCW 28A.300.476
Physical, social, and emotional support staff
—
Report.
(Expires June 30, 2030.)
(1) By February 1, 2023, and by February 1st every odd-numbered year thereafter, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall submit, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, to the appropriate committees of the legislature a report analyzing the implementation of RCW 28A.150.260
(5)(b), related to physical, social, and emotional support staff.
(2) For the analysis, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must use personnel data reported on or around October 1st of the report year and the prior year, and any other relevant data.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, the report must:
(a) Compare the staffing units provided for nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, classified staff providing student and staff safety, and parent involvement coordinators under RCW 28A.150.260
(5) to the actual school district staffing levels for physical, social, and emotional support staff, disaggregate by school district; and
(b) Analyze trends with respect to: (i) Employed staff and contract staff; and (ii) the percentage of staff with a valid educational staff associate certificate. These trends must be disaggregated by assignment duty code, as well as analyzed year over year and by school district size and geography.
(4) For the report due February 1, 2023, the office of the superintendent of public instruction is required to complete the analysis described in subsection (3) of this section only to the extent that relevant data are available.
(5) For the purposes of this section, "physical, social, and emotional support staff" or "staff" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.150.260
(5)(b).
(6) This section expires June 30, 2030.
[
2022 c 109 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Intent
—
2022 c 109:
"The legislature recognizes that school nurses, social workers, psychologists, and school counselors are uniquely qualified to provide essential supports that address the physical, social, and emotional needs of students. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the health and well-being of students, the need for comprehensive student supports has grown beyond what is currently funded in the prototypical school model. Therefore, the legislature intends to provide increased allocations to school districts that demonstrate they have hired staff for these roles. The legislature hopes that this enhanced state funding will allow school districts to redirect local levy dollars previously spent on these positions to address learning loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic or to hire additional physical, social, and emotional support staff." [
2022 c 109 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.477
Social-emotional learning committee.
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the social-emotional learning committee is created to promote and expand social-emotional learning. Social-emotional learning will help students build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and life.
(2) At a minimum, the committee shall:
(a) Develop and implement a statewide framework for social-emotional learning that is trauma-informed, culturally sustaining, and developmentally appropriate;
(b) Review and update as needed the standards and benchmarks for social-emotional learning and the developmental indicators for grades kindergarten through twelve and confirm they are evidence-based;
(c) Align the standards and benchmarks for social-emotional learning with other relevant standards and guidelines including the health and physical education K-12 learning standards and the early learning and development guidelines;
(d) Advise the office of the superintendent of public instruction's duty under RCW 28A.300.478
;
(e) Identify best practices or guidance for schools implementing the standards, benchmarks, and developmental indicators for social-emotional learning;
(f) Identify professional development opportunities for teachers and educational staff and review, update, and align as needed the social-emotional learning online education module;
(g) Consider systems for collecting data about social-emotional learning and monitoring implementation efforts;
(h) Identify strategies to improve coordination between early learning, K-12 education, youth-serving community partners and culturally-based providers, and higher education regarding social-emotional learning; and
(i) Engage with stakeholders and seek feedback.
(3) The committee must consist of the following members:
(a) Four members appointed by the governor in consultation with the state ethnic commissions, who represent the following populations: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islander Americans; and
(b) One representative from the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee created in RCW 28A.300.136
.
(4) The governor and the tribes are encouraged to jointly designate a total of two members to serve on the committee who have experience working in and with schools: One member from east of the crest of the Cascade mountains; and one member from west of the crest of the Cascade mountains.
(5) Additional members of the committee must be appointed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction to serve on the committee. Additional members must include:
(a) One representative from the department of children, youth, and families;
(b) Two representatives from the office of the superintendent of public instruction: One with expertise in student support services; and one with expertise in curriculum and instruction;
(c) One representative from the office of the education ombuds;
(d) One representative from the state board of education;
(e) One representative from the health care authority's division of behavioral health and recovery;
(f) One higher educational faculty member with expertise in social-emotional learning;
(g) One currently employed K-12 educator;
(h) One currently employed K-12 administrator;
(i) One school psychologist;
(j) One school social worker;
(k) One school counselor;
(l) One school nurse;
(m) One mental health counselor;
(n) One representative from a school parent organization;
(o) One member from a rural school district;
(p) One representative from the educational service districts;
(q) One representative from a coalition of members who educate about and advocate for access to social-emotional learning and skill development;
(r) One representative from a statewide expanded learning opportunities intermediary;
(s) One representative from a nonprofit organization with expertise in developing social-emotional curricula;
(t) One representative from a foundation that supports social-emotional learning; and
(u) One representative from a coalition of youth-serving organizations working together to improve outcomes for young people.
(6) The members of the committee shall select the chairs or cochairs of the committee.
(7) In addition to other meetings, the committee shall have a joint meeting once a year with the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee created in RCW 28A.300.136
.
(8) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide staff support for the committee.
(9) Members of the committee shall serve without compensation but must be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050
and
43.03.060
.
(10) Beginning June 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the committee shall provide a progress report, in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature. The report must include accomplishments, state-level data regarding implementation of social-emotional learning, identification of systemic barriers or policy changes necessary to promote and expand social-emotional learning, and recommendations.
[
2019 c 386 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.478
Social-emotional learning standards and benchmarks.
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall review the recommendations of the social-emotional learning work group convened as directed in the 2017 omnibus appropriations act and the recommendations of the social-emotional learning committee created in RCW 28A.300.477
. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt social-emotional learning standards and benchmarks by January 1, 2020, and revise the social-emotional learning standards and benchmarks as appropriate.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall align the programs it oversees with the standards for social-emotional learning and integrate the standards where appropriate.
[
2019 c 386 s 2
.]
RCW 28A.300.479
Social-emotional learning resources.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must create and publish on its website a list of resources available for professional development of school district staff on the following topics: Social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, recognition and response to emotional or behavioral distress, consideration of adverse childhood experiences, mental health literacy, antibullying strategies, and culturally sustaining practices. The office of the superintendent of public instruction must include in the list the professional development opportunities and resources identified by the social-emotional learning committee created under RCW 28A.300.477
.
[
2019 c 386 s 6
.]
RCW 28A.300.480
Civic education travel grant program.
(1) The civic education travel grant program is created to provide travel grants to students participating in statewide, regional, national, or international civic education competitions or events.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants under the program established in this section from private donations or with amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. The grants shall be awarded on a competitive basis.
(3) The superintendent of public instruction may contract with independent review panelists and establish an advisory panel to evaluate and make recommendations to the superintendent of public instruction based on grant applications.
(4) The superintendent of public instruction shall select grant recipients from student applicants that meet all of the following criteria:
(a) Students must be residents of the state of Washington;
(b) Students must use the grants to fund travel to civic education-based competitions or events;
(c) Students must be participants in the civic education competition or event; and
(d) Students must be under the age of twenty-one and not yet have received their high school diploma.
(5) Students are encouraged to seek matching funds, in-kind contributions, or other sources of support to supplement their travel expenses.
(6) Applicants must include in the grant application the following:
(a) A brief description of the civic education competition or event;
(b) A brief description of what the applicant expects to learn from the competition or event;
(c) The total travel costs and how much the applicant is requesting from the program; and
(d) The total amount of matching funds the applicant has already secured or expects to secure.
(7) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt other criteria as appropriate for the review of grant proposals. In reviewing student applications for funding, scoring shall be based on an evaluation of all application materials that may be requested of applicants. The superintendent of public instruction shall consider the overall breadth and variety of the field of applicants to determine the projects that would best fulfill the program's goal. Final grant awards may be for the full amount of the grant request or for a portion of the grant request.
(8) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may accept gifts, grants, or endowments from public or private sources for the program and may spend any gifts, grants, or endowments or income from public or private sources according to their terms.
[
2007 c 291 s 3
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Effective date
—
2007 c 291:
See notes following RCW 43.15.095
.
RCW 28A.300.485
Enhanced civics education demonstration sites.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall select two school districts that are diverse in size and in geographic and demographic makeup to serve as demonstration sites for enhanced civics education. These demonstration sites will:
(1) Implement and assess an in-depth civics education program that includes the six proven instructional practices for enhancing civic education in kindergarten through twelfth grade classrooms;
(2) Collaborate with programs and agencies in the local community in order to expand after-school and summer civics education opportunities;
(3) Monitor and report the level of penetration of civics education in school and out-of-school programs;
(4) Ensure that underserved students including rural, low-income, immigrant, and refugee students are prioritized in the implementation of programs;
(5) Develop evaluation standards and a procedure for endorsing civics education curriculum that can be recommended for use in other school districts and out-of-school programs; and
(6) Provide an annual report on the demonstration sites by December 1st each year to the governor and the committees of the legislature with oversight over K-12 education.
[
2018 c 127 s 4
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2018 c 127:
See note following RCW 28A.230.094
.
RCW 28A.300.490
Task force on gangs in schools
—
Reports.
(1) A task force on gangs in schools is created to examine current adult and youth gang activities that are affecting school safety. The task force shall work under the guidance of the office of the superintendent of public instruction's school safety center, the school safety and student well-being advisory committee established in RCW 28A.300.635, and the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs.
(2) The task force shall be comprised of representatives, selected by the superintendent of public instruction, who possess expertise relevant to gang activity in schools. The task force shall outline methods for preventing new gangs, eliminating existing gangs, gathering intelligence, and sharing information about gang activities.
(3) Beginning December 1, 2007, the task force shall annually report its findings and recommendations to the education committees of the legislature.
[
2019 c 333 s 15
;
2007 c 406 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.300.630
.
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.320.124
.
RCW 28A.300.500
Longitudinal student data system.
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction is authorized to establish a longitudinal student data system for and on behalf of school districts in the state. The primary purpose of the data system is to better aid research into programs and interventions that are most effective in improving student performance, better understand the state's public educator workforce, and provide information on areas within the educational system that need improvement.
(2) The confidentiality of personally identifiable student data shall be safeguarded consistent with the requirements of the federal family educational rights privacy act and applicable state laws. Consistent with the provisions of these federal and state laws, data may be disclosed for educational purposes and studies, including but not limited to:
(a) Educational studies authorized or mandated by the state legislature;
(b) Studies initiated by other state educational authorities and authorized by the office of the superintendent of public instruction, including analysis conducted by the education data center established under RCW 43.41.400
; and
(c) Studies initiated by other public or private agencies and organizations and authorized by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
(3) Any agency or organization that is authorized by the office of the superintendent of public instruction to access student-level data shall adhere to all federal and state laws protecting student data and safeguarding the confidentiality and privacy of student records.
(4) Nothing in this section precludes the office of the superintendent of public instruction from collecting and distributing aggregate data about students or student-level data without personally identifiable information.
[
2007 c 401 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
2007 c 401:
"The legislature finds that:
(1) Reliable data on student progress, characteristics of students and schools, and teacher qualifications and mobility is critical for accountability to the state and to the public;
(2) Educational data should be made available as widely as possible while appropriately protecting the privacy of individuals as provided by law;
(3) Having a single, comprehensive, and technically compatible student and school-level data system will streamline data collection for school districts, reduce inefficiencies caused by the lack of connectivity, and minimize or eliminate multiple data entry; and
(4) Schools and districts should be supported in their management of educational data and should have access to user-friendly programs and reports that can be readily used by classroom teachers and building principals to improve instruction." [
2007 c 401 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.505
School data systems
—
Standards
—
Reporting format.
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop standards for school data systems that focus on validation and verification of data entered into the systems to ensure accuracy and compatibility of data. The standards shall address but are not limited to the following topics:
(a) Date validation;
(b) Code validation, which includes gender, race or ethnicity, and other code elements;
(c) Decimal and integer validation; and
(d) Required field validation as defined by state and federal requirements.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall develop a reporting format and instructions for school districts to collect and submit data that must include:
(a) Data on student demographics that is disaggregated as required by RCW 28A.300.042
; and
(b) Starting no later than the 2016-17 school year, data on students from military families. The K-12 data governance group established in RCW 28A.300.507
must develop best practice guidelines for the collection and regular updating of this data on students from military families. Collection and updating of this data must use the United States department of education 2007 race and ethnicity reporting guidelines, including the subracial and subethnic categories within those guidelines, with the following modifications:
(i) Further disaggregation of the Black category to differentiate students of African origin and students native to the United States with African ancestors;
(ii) Further disaggregation of countries of origin for Asian students;
(iii) Further disaggregation of the White category to include subethnic categories for Eastern European nationalities that have significant populations in Washington; and
(iv) For students who report as multiracial, collection of their racial and ethnic combination of categories.
(3) For the purposes of this section, "students from military families" means the following categories of students, with data to be collected and submitted separately for each category:
(a) Students with a parent or guardian who is a member of the active duty United States armed forces; and
(b) Students with a parent or guardian who is a member of the reserves of the United States armed forces or a member of the Washington national guard.
[
2016 c 72 s 503
;
2015 c 210 s 2
;
2007 c 401 s 5
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2016 c 72:
See note following RCW 28A.600.015
.
Findings
—
2015 c 210:
"(1) The legislature finds that, nationally, nearly two million students are from military families, where one or more parent or guardian serves in the United States armed forces, reserves, or national guard. There are approximately one hundred thirty-six thousand military families in Washington state.
(2) The legislature further finds that a United States government accountability office study in 2011 identified that it is not possible to monitor educational outcomes for students from military families due to the lack of a student identifier in state educational data systems. Such an identifier is needed to allow educators and policymakers to monitor critical elements of education success, including academic progress and proficiency, special and advanced program participation, mobility and dropout rates, and patterns over time across states and school districts. Reliable information about student performance will assist educators in more effectively transitioning students to a new school and enable school districts to discover and implement best practices." [
2015 c 210 s 1
.]
Findings
—
2007 c 401:
See note following RCW 28A.300.500
.
RCW 28A.300.507
K-12 data governance group
—
Duties
—
Reports.
(1) A K-12 data governance group shall be established within the office of the superintendent of public instruction to assist in the design and implementation of a K-12 education data improvement system for financial, student, and educator data. It is the intent that the data system reporting specifically serve requirements for teachers, parents, superintendents, school boards, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the legislature, and the public.
(2) The K-12 data governance group shall include representatives of the education data center, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee, the professional educator standards board, the state board of education, and school district staff, including information technology staff. Additional entities with expertise in education data may be included in the K-12 data governance group.
(3) The K-12 data governance group shall:
(a) Identify the critical research and policy questions that need to be addressed by the K-12 education data improvement system;
(b) Identify reports and other information that should be made available on the internet in addition to the reports identified in subsection (5) of this section;
(c) Create a comprehensive needs requirement document detailing the specific information and technical capacity needed by school districts and the state to meet the legislature's expectations for a comprehensive K-12 education data improvement system as described under RCW 28A.655.210
;
(d) Conduct a gap analysis of current and planned information compared to the needs requirement document, including an analysis of the strengths and limitations of an education data system and programs currently used by school districts and the state, and specifically the gap analysis must look at the extent to which the existing data can be transformed into canonical form and where existing software can be used to meet the needs requirement document;
(e) Focus on financial and cost data necessary to support the new K-12 financial models and funding formulas, including any necessary changes to school district budgeting and accounting, and on assuring the capacity to link data across financial, student, and educator systems; and
(f) Define the operating rules and governance structure for K-12 data collections, ensuring that data systems are flexible and able to adapt to evolving needs for information, within an objective and orderly data governance process for determining when changes are needed and how to implement them. Strong consideration must be made to the current practice and cost of migration to new requirements. The operating rules should delineate the coordination, delegation, and escalation authority for data collection issues, business rules, and performance goals for each K-12 data collection system, including:
(i) Defining and maintaining standards for privacy and confidentiality;
(ii) Setting data collection priorities;
(iii) Defining and updating a standard data dictionary;
(iv) Ensuring data compliance with the data dictionary;
(v) Ensuring data accuracy; and
(vi) Establishing minimum standards for school, student, financial, and teacher data systems. Data elements may be specified "to the extent feasible" or "to the extent available" to collect more and better data sets from districts with more flexible software. Nothing in RCW 43.41.400, this section, or RCW 28A.655.210
should be construed to require that a data dictionary or reporting should be hobbled to the lowest common set. The work of the K-12 data governance group must specify which data are desirable. Districts that can meet these requirements shall report the desirable data. Funding from the legislature must establish which subset data are absolutely required.
(4)(a) The K-12 data governance group shall provide updates on its work as requested by the education data center and the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee.
(b) The work of the K-12 data governance group shall be periodically reviewed and monitored by the educational data center and the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee.
(5) To the extent data is available, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall make the following minimum reports available on the internet. The reports must either be run on demand against current data, or, if a static report, must have been run against the most recent data:
(a) The per-pupil expenditures of federal, state, and local funds including actual personnel expenditures and actual nonpersonnel expenditures of federal, state, and local funds disaggregated by source of funds, for each local educational agency and each school in the state for the preceding fiscal year;
(b) Number of K-12 students per classroom teacher on a per teacher basis;
(c) Percentage of classroom teachers per school district and per school disaggregated as described in RCW 28A.300.042
(1) for student-level data;
(d) Average length of service of classroom teachers per school district and per school disaggregated as described in RCW 28A.300.042
(1) for student-level data;
(e) The cost of K-12 education per student by school district sorted by federal, state, and local dollars; and
(f) Data on student growth to align with the every student succeeds act (129 Stat. 1802; 20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.).
(6) The superintendent of public instruction shall submit a preliminary report to the legislature by November 15, 2009, including the analyses by the K-12 data governance group under subsection (3) of this section and preliminary options for addressing identified gaps. A final report, including a proposed phase-in plan and preliminary cost estimates for implementation of a comprehensive data improvement system for financial, student, and educator data shall be submitted to the legislature by September 1, 2010.
(7) All reports and data referenced in this section and RCW 43.41.400
and
28A.655.210
shall be made available in a manner consistent with the technical requirements of the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee and the education data center so that selected data can be provided to the legislature, governor, school districts, and the public.
(8) Reports shall contain data to the extent it is available. All reports must include documentation of which data are not available or are estimated. Reports must not be suppressed because of poor data accuracy or completeness. Reports may be accompanied with documentation to inform the reader of why some data are missing or inaccurate or estimated.
[
2020 c 61 s 3
;
2016 c 72 s 601
;
2009 c 548 s 203
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2016 c 72:
See note following RCW 28A.600.015
.
Intent
—
2009 c 548:
See RCW 28A.150.1981
.
Finding
—
2009 c 548:
See note following RCW 28A.410.270
.
Intent
—
Finding
—
2009 c 548:
See note following RCW 28A.305.130
.
RCW 28A.300.510
After-school mathematics support program
—
Reports.
(1) The after-school mathematics support program is created to study the effects of intentional, skilled mathematics support included as part of an existing after-school activity program.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide grants to selected community-based, nonprofit organizations that provide after-school programs and include support for students to learn mathematics.
(3) Grant applicants must demonstrate the capacity to provide assistance in mathematics learning in the following ways:
(a) Identifying the mathematics content and instructional skill of the staff or volunteers assisting students;
(b) Identifying proposed learning strategies to be used, which could include computer-based instructional and skill practice programs and tutoring by adults or other students;
(c) Articulating the plan for connection with school mathematics teachers to coordinate student assistance; and
(d) Articulating the plan for assessing student and program success.
(4) Priority will be given to applicants that propose programs to serve middle school and junior high school students.
(5) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall evaluate program outcomes and report to the governor and the education committees of the legislature on the outcomes of the grants and make recommendations related to program continuation, program modification, and issues related to program sustainability and possible program expansion. An interim report is due November 1, 2008. The final report is due December 1, 2009.
[
2007 c 396 s 3
.]
NOTES:
Captions not law
—
2007 c 396:
See note following RCW 28A.305.215
.
Finding
—
Intent
—
2007 c 396:
See note following RCW 28A.188.020
.
RCW 28A.300.520
Policies to support children of incarcerated parents.
(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall review current policies and assess the adequacy and availability of programs targeted at children who have a parent who is incarcerated in a department of corrections facility. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt policies that support the children of incarcerated parents and meet their needs with the goal of facilitating normal child development, including maintaining adequate academic progress, while reducing intergenerational incarceration.
(2) To the extent funds are available, the superintendent shall conduct the following activities to assist in implementing the requirements of subsection (1) of this section:
(a) Gather information and data on the students who are the children of inmates incarcerated in department of corrections facilities; and
(b) Participate in the children of incarcerated parents advisory committee and report information obtained under this section to the advisory committee.
[
2009 c 578 s 9
;
2007 c 384 s 5
.]
NOTES:
Intent
—
Finding
—
2007 c 384:
See note following RCW 72.09.495
.
RCW 28A.300.525
Students in department of children, youth, and families out-of-home care
—
Report on educational experiences.
The education data center shall include in its reporting as part of the P-20 education data project the educational experiences and progress of students in out-of-home care with the department of children, youth, and families. This data should be disaggregated in the smallest units allowable by law that do not identify an individual student, in order to learn which school districts are experiencing the greatest success and challenges in achieving quality educational outcomes with students in out-of-home care with the department of children, youth, and families.
[
2018 c 58 s 50
;
2012 c 163 s 11
;
2008 c 297 s 2
; (2009 c 556 s 11 expired July 1, 2011).]
NOTES:
Effective date
—
2018 c 58:
See note following RCW 28A.655.080
.
Findings
—
Effective date
—
2012 c 163:
See notes following RCW 28B.117.010
.
Expiration date
—
2009 c 556 ss 11, 13, and 15:
"Sections 11, 13, and 15 of this act expire July 1, 2011." [
2009 c 556 s 21
.]
RCW 28A.300.530
Individuals with dyslexia
—
Identification and instruction
—
Handbook
—
Reports.
(1) Within available resources, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the school districts that participated in the Lorraine Wojahn dyslexia pilot program, and with an international nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting efforts to provide appropriate identification of and instruction for individuals with dyslexia, shall:
(a) Develop an educator training program to enhance the reading, writing, and spelling skills of students with dyslexia. The training program must provide research-based, multisensory literacy intervention professional development in the areas of dyslexia and intervention implementation. The program shall be posted on the website of the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The training program may be regionally delivered through the educational service districts. The educational service districts may seek assistance from the international nonprofit organization to deliver the training; and
(b) Develop a dyslexia handbook to be used as a reference for teachers and parents of students with dyslexia. The handbook shall be modeled after other state dyslexia handbooks, and shall include guidelines for school districts to follow as they identify and provide services for students with dyslexia. Additionally, the handbook shall provide school districts, and parents and guardians with information regarding the state's relevant statutes and their relation to federal special education laws. The handbook shall be posted on the website of the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
(2) Beginning September 1, 2009, and annually thereafter, each educational service district shall report to the office of the superintendent of public instruction the number of individuals who participate in the training developed and offered by the educational service district. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall report that information to the legislative education committees.
[
2009 c 546 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2009 c 546:
"Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that affects individuals throughout their lives. Washington state has a long-standing tradition of working to serve its students with dyslexia. Since 2005, the legislature has provided funding for five pilot projects to implement research-based, multisensory literacy intervention for students with dyslexia. Participating schools were required to have a three-tiered reading structure in place, provide professional development training to teachers, assess students, and collect and maintain data on student progress.
The legislature finds that the students receiving intervention support through the dyslexia pilot projects have made substantial and steady academic gains. The legislature intends to sustain this work and expand the implementation to a level of statewide support for students with dyslexia by developing and providing information and training, including a handbook to continue to improve the skills of our students with dyslexia." [
2009 c 546 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.535
Transgender student policy and procedure
—
Healthy youth survey.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with the health care authority, the department of health, and the liquor and cannabis board, must review and align the healthy youth survey with the model transgender student policy and procedure developed under RCW 28A.642.080
.
[
2019 c 194 s 3
.]
RCW 28A.300.537
Adverse childhood experiences
—
Healthy youth survey.
(1)(a) The health care authority, in collaboration with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the department of health, and the liquor and cannabis board, must incorporate questions related to adverse childhood experiences into the healthy youth survey that are validated for children and would allow reporting of adverse childhood experiences during childhood to be included in frequency reports. The questions must be administered for two cycles of the healthy youth survey and then evaluated by the agencies for any needed changes.
(b) Student responses to the healthy youth survey are voluntary and must remain anonymous.
(c) The aggregated student responses to the adverse childhood experiences questions must be made publicly available and disaggregated by state, educational service district, and county.
(d) School districts and school buildings must be provided the aggregated student responses of their students.
(e) The student response data specified in (c) and (d) of this subsection must comply with state and federal privacy laws.
(2) School districts are encouraged to use the information about adverse childhood experiences in their decision making and to help improve services for students.
[
2020 c 251 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Intent
—
2020 c 251:
"(1) The legislature stated in RCW 70.305.005
that "adverse childhood experiences are a powerful common determinant of a child's ability to be successful at school and, as an adult, to be successful at work, to avoid behavioral and chronic physical health conditions, and to build healthy relationships."
(2) The legislature recognizes that the healthy youth survey is a voluntary and anonymous survey administered every two years to students in sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades.
(3) The legislature intends to include questions related to adverse childhood experiences in the healthy youth survey to help assess the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences throughout the state. The legislature further intends for these data to help inform school district and community decision making and improve services for students." [
2020 c 251 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.540
Homeless students
—
Uniform process to track expenditures for transporting
—
Rules
—
Information to be posted on website
—
Reports
—
Video on identifying homeless students
—
Best practices.
(1) For the purposes of this section, "unaccompanied homeless student" means a student who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and is homeless as defined in RCW 43.330.702
(2).
(2) By December 31, 2010, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a uniform process designed to track the additional expenditures for transporting homeless students, including expenditures required under the McKinney Vento act, reauthorized as Title X, Part C, of the no child left behind act, P.L. 107-110, in January 2002. Once established, the superintendent shall adopt the necessary administrative rules to direct each school district to adopt and use the uniform process and track these expenditures. The superintendent shall post on the superintendent's website total expenditures related to the transportation of homeless students.
(3)(a) By January 10, 2015, and every year thereafter, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall post to the office's website the following data for homeless students:
(i) The number of identified homeless students enrolled in public schools;
(ii) The number of identified unaccompanied homeless students enrolled in public schools, which number shall be included for each district and the state under "student demographics" on the Washington state report card website;
(iii) The number of identified homeless students of color;
(iv) The number of students participating in the learning assistance program under chapter
28A.165
RCW, the highly capable program under chapter
28A.185
RCW, and the running start program under chapter
28A.600
RCW; and
(v) The academic performance and educational outcomes of homeless students and unaccompanied homeless students, including but not limited to the following performance and educational outcomes:
(A) Student scores on the statewide administered academic assessments;
(B) English language proficiency;
(C) Dropout rates;
(D) Four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate;
(E) Five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate;
(F) Absenteeism rates;
(G) Truancy rates, if available; and
(H) Suspension and expulsion data.
(b) The data reported under this subsection (3) must include state and district-level information and must be disaggregated by at least the following subgroups of students: White, Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Pacific Islander/Hawaiian Native, low income, transitional bilingual, migrant, special education, and gender.
(4) By July 1, 2014, the office of the superintendent of public instruction in collaboration with experts from community organizations on homelessness and homeless education policy, shall develop or acquire a short video that provides information on how to identify signs that indicate a student may be homeless, how to provide services and support to homeless students, and why this identification and support is critical to student success. The video must be posted on the superintendent of public instruction's website.
(5) By July 1, 2014, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt and distribute to each school district, best practices for choosing and training school district-designated homeless student liaisons.
[
2020 c 61 s 2
;
2016 c 157 s 4
;
2015 c 69 s 28
;
2014 c 212 s 2
;
2009 c 515 s 12
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2016 c 157:
"(1) The legislature finds that schools are places of academic as well as personal enrichment and that schools provide safety, stability, support, and relationships necessary to help students succeed. These resources are vitally necessary for tens of thousands of students in Washington with no permanent home who often struggle in school because they are worried about where their families are staying night after night.
(2) The legislature also recognizes the population of homeless students disproportionally includes students of color.
(3) The intent of the legislature is to start a competitive grant system for high-need school districts and to supplement federal McKinney-Vento Act dollars to ensure homeless students continue attending the same schools, maintain housing stability, and improve academic achievement." [
2016 c 157 s 1
.]
Short title
—
2016 c 157:
"This act may be known and cited as the homeless student stability and opportunity gap act." [
2016 c 157 s 8
.]
Short title
—
2015 c 69:
See RCW 43.330.911
.
Findings
—
Intent
—
2014 c 212:
"The legislature finds that since the 2005-06 school year, the number of homeless students identified in the K-12 public school system has been increasing. The legislature further finds that there are additional homeless students who are not identified by schools. The legislature intends to improve educational outcomes for homeless children by strengthening the ability of school districts to identify homeless students, establishing data reporting requirements, and distributing best practices and information regarding services and support for homeless students." [
2014 c 212 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.542
Students experiencing homelessness
—
Grant process to identify students and district capacity for support
—
Award criteria
—
Districts' responsibilities
—
Report.
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall create a competitive grant process to evaluate and award state-funded grants to school districts to increase identification of students experiencing homelessness and the capacity of the districts to provide support for students experiencing homelessness. The goals of the grant process are to:
(a) Provide educational stability for students experiencing homelessness by promoting housing stability; and
(b) Encourage the development of collaborative strategies between education and housing partners.
(2)(a) Funds may be used in a manner that is complementary to federal McKinney-Vento funds and consistent with allowable uses as determined by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The process must complement any similar federal grant program or programs in order to minimize agency overhead and administrative costs for the superintendent of public instruction and school districts.
(b) Examples of permitted student supports and activities include, but are not limited to:
(i) Direct academic supports, including tutoring and additional transportation costs;
(ii) Basic needs, including retail store cards, nutrition supports, and hygiene items;
(iii) Wraparound supports, including contracting with community-based providers, behavioral and physical health supports, and housing-related supports, such as bedding and short-term hotel or motel stays, that meet a student's emergent needs and allow the student to fully participate in school;
(iv) Employment supports for students and families; and
(v) Out-of-school enrichment activities, such as an academic tutor provided at a shelter.
(3) School districts may access both federal and state funding to identify and support students experiencing homelessness and are encouraged to use grant dollars to leverage community resources and strengthen relationships with community-based partners.
(4) Award criteria for the state grants must be based on the demonstrated need of the school district and may consider the number or overall percentage, or both, of homeless children and youths enrolled in preschool, elementary, and secondary schools in the school district, and the ability of the local school district to meet these needs. Award criteria for these must also be based on the quality of the applications submitted. Selected grantees must reflect geographic diversity across the state. Greater weight must be given to districts that demonstrate a commitment to:
(a) Partnering with local community-based organizations with experience in serving the needs of students experiencing homelessness or students of color, with a preference for organizations that focus on equitable housing and homeless strategies;
(b) Serving the needs of unaccompanied youth; and
(c) Implementing evidence-informed strategies to address the opportunity gap and other systemic inequities that negatively impact students experiencing homelessness and students of color. Specific strategies may include, but are not limited to:
(i) Enhancing the cultural responsiveness of current and future staff;
(ii) Ensuring all staff, faculty, and school employees are actively trained in trauma-informed care;
(iii) Providing inclusive programming by intentionally seeking and utilizing input from the population being served;
(iv) Using a multidisciplinary approach when serving students experiencing homelessness and their families;
(v) Intentionally seeking and utilizing input from the families and students experiencing homelessness about how district policies, services, and practices can be improved; and
(vi) Identifying data elements and systems needed to monitor progress in eliminating disparities in academic outcomes for students experiencing homelessness with their housed peers.
(5) At the end of each academic year, districts receiving grants shall monitor and report on the academic outcomes for students served by the grants. The academic outcomes are those recommended by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall review the reports submitted by the districts and assist school districts in using these data to identify gaps and needs, and develop sustainable strategies to improve academic outcomes for students experiencing homelessness.
(6) Students experiencing homelessness are defined as students without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence in accordance with the definition of homeless children and youths in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 11431 through 11435.
(7) School districts may not use funds allocated under this section to supplant existing federal, state, or local resources for supports for students experiencing homelessness, which may include education liaisons.
(8) Grants awarded to districts under this section may be for two years.
(9) The office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of commerce shall:
(a) Collaborate on shared goals and outcomes under the grant process established by this section and the grant program established in RCW 43.185C.340
; and
(b) Beginning in 2024, and every two years thereafter, jointly produce and make publicly available a report on the goals and outcomes of the grant process established by this section and the grant program established in RCW 43.185C.340
.
[
2023 c 386 s 1
;
2019 c 412 s 1
;
2016 c 157 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
Short title
—
2016 c 157:
See notes following RCW 28A.300.540
.
RCW 28A.300.544
Students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or in or exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities
—
Work group
—
Report.
(Expires December 31, 2028.)
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with the department of children, youth, and families, the office of homeless youth prevention and protection programs of the department of commerce, and the student achievement council, shall convene a work group to address the needs of students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or in or exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities. Nothing in this section prevents the office of the superintendent of public instruction from using an existing work group created under the authority of section 223(1)(bb), chapter 299, Laws of 2018, with modifications to the membership and duties, to meet the requirements of this section. The work group, which shall seek to promote continuity with efforts resulting from section 223(1)(bb), chapter 299, Laws of 2018, must include representatives of nongovernmental agencies, representation from the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee, representation from the education data center, and meaningful consultation with youth and young adults who have lived experience in foster care, homelessness and juvenile rehabilitation. The work group must also include four legislative members who possess experience in issues of education, child welfare, homeless youth, and juvenile rehabilitation, appointed as follows:
(a) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.
(b) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.
(2) The work group shall develop recommendations to promote the following for students who are in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or in or exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities:
(a) The achievement of parity in education outcomes with the general student population; and
(b) The elimination of racial and ethnic disparities for education outcomes in comparison to the general student population.
(3) In developing the recommendations required by subsection (2) of this section, the work group shall:
(a) Review the education outcomes of students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or in or exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities, by examining data, disaggregated by race and ethnicity, on:
(i) Kindergarten readiness, early grade reading and math, ninth grade students on track to graduate, high school completion, postsecondary enrollment, postsecondary completion, and other outcomes of students after high school; and
(ii) School attendance, school mobility, special education and other student support programs, and school discipline;
(b) Evaluate the outcomes, needs, and service array for students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or in or exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities, and the specific needs of students of color and students with special education needs;
(c) Engage stakeholders, including students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or in or exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities, foster parents and relative caregivers, birth parents, caseworkers, school districts and educators, early learning providers, postsecondary institutions, and federally recognized tribes, to provide input on the development of recommendations; and
(d)(i) Submit a report to the governor, the appropriate committees of the legislature, and the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee by October 31, 2023, and annually thereafter until 2027, that identifies:
(A) Progress the state has made toward achieving education parity for students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or in or exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities; and
(B) Recommendations that can be implemented using existing resources, rules, and regulations, and those that would require policy, administrative, and resource allocation changes prior to implementation.
(ii) Reports required by (d) of this subsection may include findings and recommendations regarding the feasibility of developing a case study to examine or implement recommendations of the work group.
(4) The work group, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, must submit a final report to the governor, the appropriate committees of the legislature, and the educational opportunity gap oversight and accountability committee by July 1, 2028. The final report must include the recommendations required by subsection (2) of this section and may include a plan for achieving the recommendations specified in subsection (2) of this section.
(5) To assist the work group in the completion of its duties, the following apply:
(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, department of children, youth, and families, the student achievement council, and the office of homeless youth prevention and protection programs of the department of commerce shall provide updated education data and other necessary data to the education data center established under RCW 43.41.400
; and
(b) The education data center shall provide a report to the work group regarding education outcomes specified in subsection (3)(a)(i) and (ii) of this section by August 31, 2023, and annually thereafter until 2027. If state funds are not available to produce the reports, the work group may pursue supplemental private funds to fulfill the requirements of this subsection (5)(b).
(6) Nothing in this section permits disclosure of confidential information protected from disclosure under federal or state law, including but not limited to information protected under chapter
13.50
RCW. Confidential information received by the work group retains its confidentiality and may not be further disseminated except as permitted by federal and state law.
(7) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Students in foster care" means students who are the subject of a dependency proceeding as defined in RCW 28A.150.510
.
(b) "Students experiencing homelessness" means students without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence in accordance with the definition of homeless children and youths in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 11431 through 11435.
(c) "Students in or exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities" means youth and postresident youth as those terms are defined in RCW 28A.190.005
.
(8) This section expires December 31, 2028.
[
2023 c 300 s 1
;
2020 c 233 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2020 c 233:
See note following RCW 74.13.1051
.
RCW 28A.300.545
Condensed compliance report form
—
Audit of districts submitting condensed compliance report forms.
(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall develop a condensed compliance report form for second-class districts by August 1, 2011. The report form shall allow districts the option of indicating one of the following for each funded program:
(a) The district has complied or received a waiver approved by the state board of education or superintendent of public instruction;
(b) The district has not complied, accompanied by an explanation or the steps taken to comply; or
(c) The district has received a grant for less than half of a full-time equivalent instructional staff.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may conduct random audits of second-class districts that submit a condensed compliance report under RCW 28A.330.250
. The purpose of the audit is to determine whether documentation exists to support a school district superintendent's condensed compliance report.
[
2018 c 177 s 505
;
2011 c 45 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2018 c 177:
See note following RCW 28A.305.905
.
Conflict with federal requirements
—
2011 c 45:
See note following RCW 28A.330.250
.
RCW 28A.300.550
Innovation schools
—
Identification
—
Website
—
Publicity.
(1) The legislature finds that innovation schools accomplish the following objectives:
(a) Provide students and parents with a diverse array of educational options;
(b) Promote active and meaningful parent and community involvement and partnership with local schools;
(c) Serve as laboratories for educational experimentation and innovation;
(d) Respond and adapt to different styles, approaches, and objectives of learning;
(e) Hold students and educators to high expectations and standards; and
(f) Encourage and facilitate bold, creative, and innovative educational ideas.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop basic criteria and a streamlined review process for identifying Washington innovation schools. Any public school, including those with institution of higher education partners, may be nominated by a community, organization, school district, institution of higher education, or through self-nomination to be designated as a Washington innovation school. If the office of the superintendent of public instruction finds that the school meets the criteria, the school shall receive a designation as a Washington innovation school. Within available funds, the office shall develop a logo, certificate, and other recognition strategies to encourage and highlight the accomplishments of innovation schools.
(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall:
(a) Create a page on the office website to highlight examples of Washington innovation schools, including those with institution of higher education partners, that includes links to research literature and national best practices, as well as summary information and links to the websites of Washington innovation schools. The office is encouraged to offer an educational administrator intern the opportunity to create the web page as a project toward completion of his or her administrator certificate; and
(b) Publicize the Washington innovation school designation and encourage schools, communities, institutions of higher education, and school districts to access the website and create additional models of innovation.
[
2011 c 202 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2011 c 202:
"(1) The legislature finds that Washington has a long history of providing legal, financial, and political support for a wide range of innovative programs and initiatives and that these can and do operate successfully in public schools through the currently authorized governance structure of locally elected boards of directors of school districts.
(2) Examples of innovation schools can be found all across the state including, but not limited to:
(a) The Vancouver school of arts and academics that offers students beginning in sixth grade the opportunity to immerse themselves in the full range of the arts, including dance, music, theater, literary arts, visual arts, and moving image arts, as well as all levels of core academic courses;
(b) Thornton Creek elementary school in Seattle, an award-winning parent-initiated learning option based on the expeditionary learning outward bound model;
(c) The technology access foundation academy, a unique public-private partnership with the Federal Way school district that offers a rigorous and relevant curriculum through project-based learning, full integration of technology, and a small learning community intended to provide middle and high school students the opportunity for success in school and college;
(d) Talbot Hill elementary school in Renton, where students participate in a microsociety program that includes selecting a government, conducting business and encouraging entrepreneurialism, and providing community services such as banking, newspaper, post office, and courts;
(e) The Tacoma school of the arts, where sophomores through seniors form a cohesive, full-time learning community to study the full range of humanities, mathematics, science, and language as well as build a broad foundation in all forms of the arts, culminating with an in-depth senior arts project that showcases each student's talent and interest;
(f) The SPRINT program at Shaw middle school in Spokane, an alternative learning community for students in seventh and eighth grade proposed and created by a group of parents who wish to be very actively involved in their students' education;
(g) Puesta del sol elementary school in Bellevue, offering a diverse multicultural program and Spanish language immersion beginning in kindergarten;
(h) The Washington national guard youth challenge program operated in collaboration with the Bremerton school district that offers high-risk youth a rigorous and structured residential program that builds students' academic, social, and emotional skills, and physical fitness while providing up to one year of high school credits toward graduation;
(i) The Lincoln center program at Lincoln high school in Tacoma, an extended day program that has virtually eliminated the academic achievement gap and significantly boosted attendance and test scores for racially diverse, low-income, and highly mobile students;
(j) Delta high school, a science, technology, engineering, and math-focused school option for students in the Tri-Cities operating in cooperation with three school districts, the regional skill center, local colleges and universities, and the business community; and
(k) Aviation high school in the Highline school district, offering a project-based curriculum and learning environment centered on an aviation and aeronautics theme with strong business and community support.
(3) Therefore, the legislature intends to encourage additional innovation schools by disseminating information about current models and recognizing the effort and commitment that goes into their creation and operation." [
2011 c 202 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.555
Finding
—
Grants to improve readiness to learn.
(1) The legislature finds that helping children to arrive at school ready to learn is an important part of improving student learning.
(2) To the extent funds are appropriated, the superintendent of public instruction shall award grants to community-based consortiums that submit comprehensive plans that include strategies to improve readiness to learn.
[
2011 1st sp.s. c 32 s 11
;
1993 c 336 s 901
. Formerly RCW 70.190.040
.]
NOTES:
Transition plan
—
Report to the legislature
—
2011 1st sp.s. c 32:
See note following RCW 70.305.005
.
Findings
—
Intent
—
Part headings not law
—
1993 c 336:
See notes following RCW 28A.150.210
.
Findings
—
1993 c 336:
See note following RCW 28A.150.210
.
RCW 28A.300.560
Data on college credit through dual credit courses
—
Posting on website.
In addition to data on student enrollment in dual credit courses, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall collect and post on the Washington state report card website the rates at which students earn college credit through a dual credit course, using the following criteria:
(1) Students who achieve a score of three or higher on an AP examination;
(2) Students who achieve a score of four or higher on an examination of the international baccalaureate diploma programme;
(3) Students who successfully complete a Cambridge advanced international certificate of education examination;
(4) Students who successfully complete a course through the college in the high school program under RCW 28A.600.287
and are awarded credit by the partnering institution of higher education;
(5) Students who satisfy the dual enrollment and class performance requirements to earn college credit through a career and technical education course; and
(6) Students who successfully complete a course through the running start program under RCW 28A.600.300
and are awarded credit by the institution of higher education.
[
2022 c 75 s 3
;
2021 c 71 s 3
;
2013 c 184 s 4
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
2013 c 184:
See note following RCW 28A.320.195
.
RCW 28A.300.565
Grants to implement emergency response systems.
Subject to funds appropriated specifically for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants to school districts on a competitive basis for the purpose of implementing emergency response systems using evolving technology to expedite the response and arrival of law enforcement in the event of a threat or emergency at a school.
[
2013 c 233 s 4
.]
RCW 28A.300.570
Support of reading and early literacy.
In support of reading and early literacy, the office of the superintendent of public instruction is responsible for:
(1) Continuing to work collaboratively with state and regional partners such as the department of children, youth, and families and the educational service districts to establish early literacy benchmarks and standards and to implement the Washington state comprehensive literacy plan;
(2) Disseminating research and information to school districts about evidence-based programs and practices in reading readiness skills, early literacy, and reading instruction;
(3) Providing statewide models to support school districts that are implementing response to intervention initiatives, positive behavior intervention support systems, or other similar comprehensive models of data-based identification and early intervention; and
(4) Within available funds and in partnership with the educational service districts, providing technical assistance and professional development opportunities for school districts.
[
2018 c 58 s 29
;
2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 101
.]
NOTES:
Effective date
—
2018 c 58:
See note following RCW 28A.655.080
.
Application
—
Enforcement of laws protecting health and safety
—
2013 2nd sp.s. c 18:
See note following RCW 28A.600.022
.
RCW 28A.300.575
Washington state seal of biliteracy.
(1) The Washington state seal of biliteracy is established to recognize public high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in English and in one or more world languages other than English. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, school districts shall award the seal of biliteracy to graduating high school students who meet the criteria established by the office of the superintendent of public instruction under this section. School districts shall place a notation on a student's high school diploma and high school transcript indicating that the student has earned the seal of biliteracy.
(2)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules establishing criteria for award of the Washington state seal of biliteracy.
(b) The criteria must require a student to demonstrate both:
(i) Proficiency in English by meeting state high school graduation requirements in English, including through state assessments and credits; and
(ii)(A) Except as provided in (b)(ii)(B) of this subsection (2), proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing one or more world languages other than English.
(B) For a world language other than English that is an unwritten language, the criteria must only require a student to demonstrate proficiency in speaking the unwritten language.
(c)(i) Except as provided in (c)(ii) of this subsection (2), the criteria must permit a student to demonstrate proficiency in a world language other than English through multiple methods including nationally or internationally recognized language proficiency tests and competency-based world language credits awarded under the model policy adopted by the Washington state school directors' association.
(ii) For a world language other than English that is an indigenous language, the criteria must specify that only a sovereign tribal government may certify a student as proficient in the language of the tribe.
(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide students with access to methods for the student to demonstrate proficiency in less commonly taught or assessed languages at a cost that is not higher than that of assessing commonly taught or assessed languages.
(4) This section governs school operation and management under RCW 28A.710.040
and
28A.715.020
and applies to charter schools established under chapter
28A.710
RCW and state-tribal education compact schools subject to chapter
28A.715
RCW.
(5) For the purposes of this section, "world language other than English" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.300.577
.
[
2024 c 202 s 4
;
2014 c 102 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2024 c 202:
See note following RCW 28A.300.577
.
Findings
—
Intent
—
2014 c 102:
"(1) The legislature finds that:
(a) The study of world languages in elementary and secondary schools should be encouraged because it contributes to students' cognitive development and to the national economy and security;
(b) Proficiency in multiple languages enables Washington to participate more effectively in the current global political, social, and economic context;
(c) The benefits to employers of having employees who are fluent in more than one language are clear: Increased access to expanding markets, better service of customers' needs, and expanded trading opportunities with other countries; and
(d) Protecting the state's rich heritage of multiple cultures and languages, as well as building trust and understanding across the multiple cultures and languages of diverse communities, requires multilingual communication skills.
(2) Therefore, the legislature's intent is to promote and recognize linguistic proficiency and cultural literacy in one or more world languages in addition to English through the establishment of a Washington state seal of biliteracy." [
2014 c 102 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.577
Dual and tribal language education programs
—
Grants and further support
—
Rules
—
Definitions.
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall administer a grant program to support school districts and state-tribal education compact schools establishing and expanding dual language education.
(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must award grants to school districts and state-tribal education compact schools applying to: (i) Establish a dual language education program that begins in kindergarten; or (ii) expand an established dual language education program.
(b) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must identify criteria for awarding the grants, evaluate applicants, and award grant money. Establishment grants must be prioritized to schools in the educational opportunity gap, with the first priority to schools with over 50 percent students of color.
(c) Recipients of the grants awarded under this subsection (1) must: (i) Convene an advisory board to guide the development and continuous improvement of the dual language education program, including addressing enrollment considerations and staff hiring; (ii) prioritize offering the program in the language that the majority of its English learner students speak; (iii) conduct outreach to the community; and (iv) submit data to the office of the superintendent of public instruction identifying which grade levels and which courses are part of the dual language education program and which students are enrolled in those courses. Grant recipients must actively recruit to the advisory board parents of English learner students and current or former English learner students, with a goal of filling at least half of the advisory board seats with these individuals; the other members of the advisory board must represent teachers, students, school leaders, governing board members, and community-based organizations that support English learners.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop a program to support tribal language education. The office of Native education within the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide school districts and state-tribal education compact schools with guidance, technical assistance, and statewide leadership and support.
(a) The office of Native education within the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall administer a grant program to support school districts and state-tribal education compact schools establishing and expanding tribal language education programs.
(b) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must award grants to school districts to: (i) Establish a tribal language education program; or (ii) expand an established tribal language education program.
(c) The office of Native education within the office of the superintendent of public instruction must identify criteria for awarding the grants, evaluate applicants, and award grant money.
(d) Recipients of the grants awarded under this subsection (2) must submit data to the office of the superintendent of public instruction identifying which students are enrolled in tribal language education programs.
(e) The office of Native education within the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene biannually up to 20 tribal language educators to develop and share best practices, resources, and knowledge.
(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must provide technical assistance and support related to the establishment, implementation, and expansion of dual language education and tribal language education programs.
(4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules under chapter
34.05
RCW for school districts and state-tribal education compact schools to establish, implement, and expand dual language education and tribal language education programs.
(5) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Dual language education" means an instructional model in which public school students are taught subject matter in both English and a world language other than English. "Dual language education" includes heritage language education, in which students develop and maintain grade level literacy and language use in the language of their communities, homes, and families.
(b) "Tribal language education" means the revitalization of and instruction in tribal languages in public schools, developed in consultation with Washington's federally recognized tribes and federally recognized tribes with reserved treaty rights in Washington, and provided by a certificated teacher with a Washington state first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions endorsement established under RCW 28A.410.045
.
(c) "World language other than English" includes sign languages, for example American sign language, and indigenous languages.
[
2024 c 202 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2024 c 202:
"(1) The legislature finds that a multilingual, multiliterate education will benefit all Washington students. A multilingual, multiliterate student body is better prepared to enter a global job market, has developed cognitive skills unique to working within two or more languages, and can build cohesive communities across the state while sharing, celebrating, and strengthening individual cultural ties.
(2) The legislature finds that school districts across the state are demonstrating readiness to develop dual language education programs, and that requests for current grant funding consistently surpass available dollars.
(3) The legislature recognizes that English learners benefit from specific instructional models and supports to thrive in public schools, and that dual language education is the best instructional model for providing those supports.
(4) The legislature finds that Washington has a special duty to honor tribal sovereignty and a duty to serve American Indian and Alaska Native students. The legislature recognizes that centuries of colonial educational practices aimed at [the] destruction of tribal communities and cultures has resulted in intergenerational trauma that continues to negatively impact American Indian and Alaska Native learners, and that state investment in tribal language education programs in schools serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade will move all Washingtonians forward together in addressing and healing those wounds.
(5) The legislature intends to establish a comprehensive approach to support and expand dual language education and tribal language education in Washington. It is the goal of the legislature to annually fund at least 10 new dual language education programs that begin in kindergarten, so that all school districts that want to may offer a program by 2040." [
2024 c 202 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.578
Literacy supports
—
American Indian and Alaska Native students.
Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall provide school districts and state-tribal education compact schools with program guidance, technical assistance, and professional learning to serve American Indian and Alaska Native students with appropriate, culturally affirming literacy supports.
[
2024 c 202 s 8
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2024 c 202:
See note following RCW 28A.300.577
.
RCW 28A.300.580
Phone interpretation services
—
Posting vendor information on website.
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction and the office of the education ombuds shall post information on the agency's website regarding the phone interpretation vendors on contract with the state of Washington, including contact information.
(2) School districts are encouraged to use the phone interpretation services addressed in subsection (1) of this section to communicate with student's parents, legal guardians, and family members who have limited English proficiency.
[
2014 c 150 s 4
.]
RCW 28A.300.585
Computer science learning standards.
Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt computer science learning standards developed by a nationally recognized computer science education organization.
[
2015 1st sp.s. c 3 s 1
.]
NOTES:
RCW 28A.300.587
Computer science report.
Beginning June 30, 2020, and by each June 30th thereafter, each school district shall submit to the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall post conspicuously on its website, a report for the preceding academic year that must include, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) The total number of computer science courses offered in each school and whether these courses are advanced placement classes;
(2) The number and percentage of students who enrolled in a computer science program, disaggregated by:
(a) Gender;
(b) Race and ethnicity;
(c) Special education status;
(d) English language learner status;
(e) Eligibility for the free and reduced-price lunch program; and
(f) Grade level; and
(3) The number of computer science instructors at each school, disaggregated by:
(a) Certification, if applicable;
(b) Gender; and
(c) Highest academic degree.
[
2019 c 27 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
2019 c 27:
"The legislature finds that to close the gender gap in computer science fields, it is important that computer science student participation rates are incorporated into the existing reporting infrastructure at the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The legislature finds that it is critical to track the gender and demographic composition of computer science course takers as well as the specific courses that they are taking. Grade level, socioeconomic, and distinctive factors should be included to establish a clear baseline of current student participation and identify areas for student participation improvement." [
2019 c 27 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.590
Educational outcomes
—
Program of education for dependent youth
—
Responsibilities of department of social and health services, superintendent of public instruction, and nongovernmental entity
—
Reports.
(1) As used in this section, "outcome" or "outcomes" means measuring the differences in high school graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment between youth served by the education coordination program described in this section and those who would have otherwise been eligible for the program, but were not served by the program.
(2) To the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose, the department of social and health services must contract with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, which in turn must contract with at least one nongovernmental entity to administer a program of education coordination for youth, kindergarten through twelfth grade, who are dependent pursuant to chapter
13.34
RCW. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall, in consultation with the department of social and health services, comply with all requirements necessary to maximize federal reimbursement for the program of education coordination for youth. The contract between the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the nongovernmental entity must be outcome driven with a stated goal of reducing educational barriers to youth success. The selected nongovernmental entity or entities must engage in a public-private partnership with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and are responsible for raising a portion of the funds needed for service delivery, administration, and evaluation.
(3) The nongovernmental entity or entities selected by the office of the superintendent of public instruction must have demonstrated success in working with foster care youth and assisting foster care youth in receiving appropriate educational services, including enrollment, accessing school-based services, reducing out-of-school discipline interventions, and attaining high school graduation.
(4) The selected nongovernmental entity or entities must provide services to support individual youth upon a referral by a social worker with the department of social and health services, school staff, or a nongovernmental agency. The selected nongovernmental entity or entities may be colocated in the offices of the department of social and health services to provide timely consultation and in-service training. These entities must have access to all paper and electronic education records and case information pertinent to the educational planning and services of youth referred and are subject to RCW 13.50.010
and
13.50.100
.
(5) The selected nongovernmental entity or entities must report outcomes semiannually to the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of social and health services beginning December 1, 2016.
[
2016 c 71 s 3
.]
NOTES:
Intent
—
2016 c 71:
"The Washington state legislature has long acknowledged that youth impacted by the foster care system experience among the worst high school graduation and postsecondary completion outcomes compared to any other population of youth. Over the last decade, legislative leadership has sparked innovation and development of an array of services to improve educational outcomes. The legislature intends to powerfully leverage that past experience to establish a set of comprehensive strategies that are evidence-based, more coordinated, intensive, and intentional in order to proactively support youth to complete high school and successfully implement their own plans for their future.
The goals of this effort are threefold:
(1) To make Washington number one in the nation for foster care graduation rates;
(2) To make Washington number one in the nation for foster care enrollment in postsecondary education; and
(3) To make Washington number one in the nation for foster care postsecondary completion." [
2016 c 71 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.592
Educational outcomes
—
On-site individualized education services for dependent students
—
Public-private partnership
—
Reports.
(1) As used in this section, "outcome" or "outcomes" means measuring the differences in high school graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment and completion between youth served by the programs described in this section, and those who would have otherwise been eligible for the programs, but were not served by the programs.
(2) To the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must contract with at least one nongovernmental entity to improve the educational outcomes of students at two sites by providing individualized education services and monitoring and supporting dependent youths' completion of educational milestones, remediation needs, and special education needs. The selected nongovernmental entity must engage in a public-private partnership with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and is responsible for raising a portion of the funds needed for service delivery, administration, and evaluation.
(3) One of the sites described in subsection (2) of this section shall be the site previously selected by the department of social and health services pursuant to the 2013-2015 omnibus appropriations act, section 202(10), chapter 4, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess. to the extent private funds are available. The previously selected site will expand to include the entire county in which it is currently located, subject to the availability of private funds. The second site established under this section must be implemented after July 1, 2016. The office of the superintendent of public instruction and the nongovernmental entity or entities at the original site shall consult with the department of social and health services and then collaboratively select the second site. This site should be a school district or group of school districts with a significant number of students who are dependent pursuant to chapter
13.34
RCW.
(4) The purpose of the programs at both sites is to improve the educational outcomes of students who are dependent pursuant to chapter
13.34
RCW by providing individualized education services and supporting dependent youths' completion of educational milestones, remediation needs, and special education needs.
(5) The entity or entities at these sites must facilitate the educational progress, high school completion, and postsecondary plan initiation of eligible youth. The contract with the entity or entities must be outcome driven with a stated goal of improving the graduation rates and postsecondary plan initiation of foster youth by two percent per year over five school year periods. The baseline for measurement for the existing site was established in the 2013-14 school year, and this baseline remains applicable through the 2018-19 school year. Any new site must establish its baseline at the end of the first year of service provision, and this baseline must remain applicable for the next five school year periods.
(6) Services provided by the nongovernmental entity or entities must include:
(a) Advocacy for foster youth to eliminate barriers to educational access and success;
(b) Consultation with schools and the department of children, youth, and families caseworkers to develop educational plans for and with participating youth;
(c) Monitoring education progress and providing interventions to improve attendance, behavior, and course performance of participating youth;
(d) Facilitating age-specific developmental and logistical tasks to be accomplished for high school and postsecondary success;
(e) Facilitating the participation of youth with school and local resources that may assist in educational access and success; and
(f) Coordinating youth, caregivers, schools, and social workers to advocate to support youth progress in the educational system.
(7) The contracted nongovernmental entity or entities must report site outcomes to the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of children, youth, and families semiannually.
(8) The department of children, youth, and families must proactively refer all eligible students thirteen years of age or older, within the site areas, to the contractor for educational services. Youth eligible for referral are dependent pursuant to chapter
13.34
RCW, are age thirteen through twenty-one years of age, are not currently served by services under RCW 28B.77.250, and remain eligible for continuing service following fulfillment of the permanent plan and through initiation of a postsecondary plan. After high school completion, services are concluded within a time period specified in the contract to pursue engagement of continuing postsecondary support services provided by local education agencies, postsecondary education, community-based programs, or the passport to college promise program.
(9) The selected nongovernmental entity or entities may be colocated in the offices of the department of children, youth, and families to provide timely consultation. These entities must be provided access to all paper and electronic education records and case information pertinent to the educational planning and services of youth referred and are subject to RCW 13.50.010
and
13.50.100
.
[
2018 c 58 s 63
;
2016 c 71 s 4
.]
NOTES:
Effective date
—
2018 c 58:
See note following RCW 28A.655.080
.
Intent
—
2016 c 71:
See note following RCW 28A.300.590
.
RCW 28A.300.606
Teacher and administrator professional learning
—
Working with paraeducators.
(1) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the paraeducator board created in RCW 28A.413.020
and the professional educator standards board, shall design a training program for teachers and administrators as it relates to their role working with paraeducators. Teacher training must include how to direct a paraeducator working with students in the paraeducators' classroom. Administrator training must include how to supervise and evaluate paraeducators.
(2) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the training program designed under subsection (1) of this section must be made available to public schools, school districts, and educational service districts.
[
2017 c 237 s 13
.]
RCW 28A.300.615
Substitute teachers
—
Hiring and compensation reporting.
(1) By October 1st of each year, a school district must report to the office of the superintendent of public instruction:
(a) The number of substitute teachers hired per school year;
(b) The number of hours worked by each substitute teacher;
(c) The number of substitute teachers that received benefits under the school employees' benefits board;
(d) The full daily compensation rate per substitute teacher; and
(e) The reason for hiring the substitute teacher.
(2) By January 1st of each year, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must post on its website the information identified in subsection (1) of this section.
[
2020 c 8 s 3
;
2016 c 233 s 8
.]
NOTES:
Effective date
—
2020 c 8:
See note following RCW 41.05.744
.
RCW 28A.300.620
Mentor training program goals
—
Professional development curricula.
(1) In fiscal year 2017, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with the professional educator standards board and institutions of higher education with professional educator standards board-approved teacher preparation programs, shall develop mentor training program goals, and shall post the goals on its website.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction is encouraged to develop professional development curricula aligned with the mentor training program goals required under this section. The purpose of this [these] curricula is to standardize mentorship training statewide in order to develop high quality mentors.
[
2016 c 233 s 12
.]
RCW 28A.300.630
School safety center.
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a school safety center as provided in this section.
(2) The center, working in conjunction with the regional school safety centers established in RCW 28A.310.510, forms a statewide network for school safety.
(3) The center, in collaboration with staff in the office of the superintendent of public instruction, must:
(a) Serve as a clearinghouse for information regarding comprehensive school safety planning and practice;
(b) Disseminate information regarding school safety incidents in Washington and across the country;
(c) Develop and maintain a public website to increase the availability of information, research, and other materials related to school safety;
(d) Serve as the lead school safety center, and work in conjunction with the regional school safety centers, to support school districts' efforts to meet state requirements regarding school safety including the development and implementation of:
(i) Comprehensive safe school plans as required by RCW 28A.320.125
; and
(ii) Plans for recognition, initial screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students as required by RCW 28A.320.127
;
(e) Develop model school safety policies and procedures and identify best practices in school safety, including how substitute teachers and other temporary employees receive necessary information about school safety policies and procedures;
(f) Work in conjunction with the regional school safety centers to plan for the provision of school safety trainings and to provide technical assistance;
(g) Hold an annual school safety summit as required by RCW 28A.300.273
;
(h) Support the required activities of the regional school safety centers, established in RCW 28A.310.510
; and
(i) Perform other functions consistent with the purpose of the center, as described in this section.
[
2024 c 21 s 2
;
2019 c 333 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
"(1) The legislature recognizes that school safety supports effective teaching and learning by creating and promoting a physically, emotionally, socially, behaviorally, and academically secure climate for students, staff, and visitors. Keeping a school safe involves planning for the prevention of, intervention in, mitigation of, protection from, response to, and recovery from various natural, physical, social, emotional, biological, and technological threats and trauma to an individual, the school, and the community.
(2) The legislature has taken steps over the years to improve the safety of public school students by, for example: (a) Requiring schools and school districts to have school safety plans in place; (b) requiring school districts to have plans for recognition, initial screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students, including indicators of possible substance abuse, violence, youth suicide, and sexual abuse; (c) requiring the use of a statewide first responder building mapping information system; (d) requiring school districts to adopt policies and procedures to prevent harassment, intimidation, and bullying, including cyberbullying; and (e) prohibiting firearms and other dangerous weapons on school premises.
(3) The legislature finds that many school districts need additional supports to keep their schools safe. The legislature intends to establish a statewide network of the structural components necessary to enhance student safety in schools so that students have a sense of well-being and can focus on learning. This network, or system, of comprehensive school safety supports is based on the work of the state school safety center, which supports the regional school safety centers at each educational service district. The regional school safety centers, in collaboration with community school safety stakeholders, support the efforts of the local school districts and schools to bring best practices in school safety to every school and classroom in the state. The school safety and student well-being advisory committee provides ongoing advice to the state and regional school safety centers, as well as public and private schools. The state and regional school safety centers, together with the school safety and student well-being advisory committee, bring together caring adults, including those who work directly with students every day, to define school safety problems at the state and local levels and identify solutions to those problems, such as creating needed programs and identifying necessary supports. Creating a system of comprehensive school safety supports will maximize the use of state and local resources so that every student can attend a school with a safe, healthy, and supportive learning environment." [
2019 c 333 s 1
.]
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.320.124
.
RCW 28A.300.635
School safety and student well-being advisory committee.
(1) The school safety and student well-being advisory committee is established within the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The purpose of the committee is to advise the superintendent, the office of the superintendent of public instruction's school safety center, the regional school safety centers, school districts, and public and private schools on all matters related to comprehensive school safety and student well-being.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction must appoint the members of the committee. The members must represent the following sectors, agencies, and organizations, at a minimum: The various state education associations, including teachers associations, the association of colleges for teacher education, and associations for educational staff associates; the educational service districts; the state ethnic commissions; the governor's office of Indian affairs; parent organizations; student organizations; private schools; emergency management; behavioral health; public health; law enforcement; and emergency first responders.
(3) The committee shall:
(a) Make recommendations to those it advises on policies and strategies to improve school safety and student well-being;
(b) Identify emerging issues and best practices for consideration and implementation, particularly as these relate to the integration of student well-being and school safety;
(c) Establish priorities for training, funding, statewide data collection, and other forms of support for students, schools, and school districts;
(d) Engage the public on school safety and student well-being; and
(e) Perform other duties as required by law.
(4) By November 15, 2020, and by November 15th every even year thereafter, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the committee must coordinate with the office of the superintendent of public instruction's school safety center to submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature. The report must summarize the committee's activities during the past biennium, include recommended state policies and strategies for improving school safety and student well-being, provide an estimate of the cost to implement each recommendation, and prioritize the recommendations.
(5) Staff support for the committee must be provided by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
(6) The committee must meet at least quarterly.
(7) Members are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses if they are elected officials or are participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization. Any reimbursement for other members is subject to chapter
43.03
RCW.
[
2019 c 333 s 4
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.300.630
.
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.320.124
.
RCW 28A.300.640
School-based threat assessment program
—
Model policy and procedure.
(1) The Washington state school directors' association, in collaboration with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall develop a model policy and procedure to establish a school-based threat assessment program that meets the requirements of RCW 28A.320.123
. The model policy and procedure must be posted on the website of the state school safety center, established in RCW 28A.300.630, by January 1, 2020.
(2) In developing the model policy and procedure, the Washington state school directors' association and the office of the superintendent of public instruction must:
(a) Consult with the school safety and student well-being advisory committee, established under RCW 28A.300.635, and other organizations with expertise in school safety, behavioral health, the rights of students with disabilities, and protecting civil liberties; and
(b) Consider multilevel threat assessment programs implemented in schools in Washington.
[
2019 c 333 s 6
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.300.630
.
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.320.124
.
RCW 28A.300.645
Monitoring and data collection
—
Comprehensive safe school plans, student distress, and school-based threat assessment programs.
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, in order to ensure that public schools and school districts are meeting the requirements of RCW 28A.320.125
relating to comprehensive safe school plans, RCW 28A.320.127
related to plans for recognition, initial screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students, and RCW 28A.320.123
relating to school-based threat assessment programs, the superintendent of public instruction shall monitor these programs no less than once every five years.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction must consult with interested stakeholders to develop data collection and submission requirements for school districts as they relate to RCW 28A.320.125
relating to comprehensive safe school plans, RCW 28A.320.127
related to plans for recognition, initial screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students, and RCW 28A.320.123
relating to school-based threat assessment programs.
(3) By December 1, 2020, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must report to the appropriate committees of the legislature regarding the office's plans for data collection and monitoring under this section and describing any implementation issues that could be fixed through legislation.
(4) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules under chapter
34.05
RCW to implement this section.
[
2019 c 333 s 7
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.300.630
.
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.320.124
.
RCW 28A.300.650
School resource officer training
—
Materials
—
Grant program
—
Report.
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, by January 1, 2020, the state school safety center, established in RCW 28A.300.630, in collaboration with the school safety and student well-being advisory committee, established in RCW 28A.300.635, and law enforcement entities interested in providing training to school resource officers, shall identify and make publicly available training materials that are consistent with the requirements in RCW 28A.320.124
.
(2)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must establish and implement a grant program to fund training for school resource officers as described in RCW 28A.320.124
. Eligible grantees include school districts, educational service districts, law enforcement agencies, and law enforcement training organizations. Training under this section may be developed by schools in partnership with local law enforcement and organizations that have expertise in topics such as juvenile brain development; restorative practices or restorative justice; social-emotional learning; civil rights; and student rights, including free speech and search and seizure. This training may be provided by the criminal justice training commission.
(b) By December 1st of each year the program is funded, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must submit an annual report to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature on the program.
[
2019 c 333 s 13
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.300.630
.
Intent
—
2019 c 333:
See note following RCW 28A.320.124
.
RCW 28A.300.690
Special education
—
Authorized entities.
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may authorize private schools approved by the state board of education under RCW 28A.305.130, other private in-state entities, and any out-of-state entities to contract with school districts under RCW 28A.155.060
to provide special education and related services to students with disabilities. For authorized entities with multiple locations, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must approve each location independently.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a process for private schools approved by the state board of education under RCW 28A.305.130
to apply for authorization or reauthorization for a period of up to five years and for other entities to apply for authorization or reauthorization for a period of up to three years.
(3) To qualify for authorization or reauthorization, an applicant must, at a minimum, meet the following requirements:
(a) Offer a program of basic education that will provide:
(i) Opportunities for students to meet the goals of RCW 28A.150.210, in accordance with an individual assessment of student strengths and needs as determined by the placing school districts, and any other requirements established by contract; and
(ii) Opportunities for students in grades nine through 12 to either meet high school graduation requirements under RCW 28A.230.090
or to earn a high school equivalency certificate under RCW 28B.50.536
or laws of the state in which the applicant is located;
(b) Maintain applicable facility licenses and applicable agency approvals of the state in which the applicant is located;
(c) Employ or contract with teachers and related services staff who meet the licensing requirements of the state in which the applicant is located;
(d) Meet applicable fire codes of the local fire marshal or the fire marshal of the state in which the applicant is located;
(e) Meet applicable health and safety standards of the local jurisdiction and state in which the applicant is located;
(f) Demonstrate through audits that the applicant is financially stable and has accounting systems that allow for separation of school district funds, including financial safeguards in place to track revenues and expenditures associated with contracted placements to ensure that funds are used to provide education and related services to students placed in the authorized entity by the school district;
(g) Demonstrate that the applicant has procedures in place that address staff employment and contracting, including checking personal and professional references, conducting state and federal criminal background checks, and conducting regular staff evaluations that address staff competencies;
(h) Maintain a policy of nondiscrimination and provide procedural safeguards for students and their families; and
(i) Pass an on-site inspection conducted by the office of the superintendent of public instruction that confirms that the health and safety of the facilities, the staffing qualifications and levels, and the procedural safeguards are sufficient to provide a safe and appropriate learning environment for students.
(4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must prohibit authorized entities from charging tuition or fees to students placed in the authorized entity by a school district.
(5) As used in this section, the term "authorized entity" means a private school approved by the state board of education under RCW 28A.305.130, another private in-state entity, or any out-of-state entity, that has been authorized by the office of the superintendent of public instruction to contract with a school district to provide a program of special education for students with disabilities.
[
2023 c 436 s 3
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2023 c 436:
"(1)(a)(i) The legislature finds that the federal individuals with disabilities education act, Title 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq., establishes duties for the state education agency, which is the office of the superintendent of public instruction in Washington, with respect to students with disabilities who are placed in a private school or facility by a school district or other public agency as a means of providing special education and related services.
(ii) Since 2006, the federal implementing regulations of the federal individuals with disabilities education act have required that the office of the superintendent of public instruction ensure that a student with a disability who is placed in a private school or facility by a school district or other public agency:
(A) Is provided special education and related services in conformance with an individualized education program that meets the requirements of federal law and at no cost to the student's parents;
(B) Is provided an education that meets the standards that apply to education provided by a school district or other public agency; and
(C) Has all of the rights of a student with a disability who is served by a school district or other public agency.
(iii) Since 2006, the federal implementing regulations of the federal individuals with disabilities education act have required that the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in implementing the requirements described in (a)(ii) of this subsection:
(A) Monitor compliance through procedures such as written reports, on-site visits, and parent questionnaires;
(B) Disseminate copies of applicable standards to each private school and facility to which a school district or other public agency has placed a student with a disability; and
(C) Provide an opportunity for those private schools and facilities to participate in the development and revision of state standards that apply to them.
(iv) The federal implementing regulations of the federal individuals with disabilities education act require the state to monitor implementation of the individuals with disabilities education act to improve educational results and functional outcomes for all students with disabilities. The state must use indicators to measure school district performance, identify areas of noncompliance, and use appropriate enforcement mechanisms, such as technical assistance, corrective action, or withholding funds.
(b) The legislature acknowledges that it has not codified the federal requirements. Therefore, the legislature intends to codify the duty and authority of the superintendent of public instruction to establish standards for authorizing, monitoring, and investigating private schools approved by the state board of education under RCW 28A.305.130, other private in-state entities, and any out-of-state entities, that contract with school districts to provide special education and related services to students with disabilities. The legislature also intends to codify the requirement that these standards must ensure that any students with disabilities placed in the authorized entities by school districts have the same rights, protections, and access to special education and related services that they would have if served by school districts.
(2)(a)(i) The federal implementing regulations of the federal individuals with disabilities education act specify that, when a school district or other public agency has placed a student with disabilities in a private school or facility, responsibility for compliance with the federal individuals with disabilities education act remains with the school district or other public agency and with the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
(ii) State statute permits school districts to contract with entities authorized by the office of the superintendent of public instruction to operate special education programs for students with disabilities and specifies that the approval standards must conform substantially to those of special education programs in the school districts.
(iii) Rules of the office of the superintendent of public instruction specify the minimum elements of the written contract that must be made between a school district and an authorized entity. In addition, these rules specify that the school district remains responsible for ensuring that any student placed in an authorized entity is provided a free appropriate public education in conformance with the individualized education program developed by the school district.
(b) The legislature intends to codify the responsibilities of school districts placing students with disabilities in authorized entities, including specifying minimum contract and parent notification requirements.
(3) In addition, the legislature intends to ensure accountability is properly exercised and shared by directing the state auditor to conduct a performance audit of the system for overseeing the authorized entities that provide special education services to students with disabilities, as well as requiring school districts contracting with these authorized entities to report concerns about education overbilling to the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the office of the state auditor." [
2023 c 436 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.700
Dyslexia screening tools.
(1) By September 1, 2019, the superintendent of public instruction, after considering recommendations from the dyslexia advisory council convened under *RCW 28A.300.710, must identify screening tools and resources that, at a minimum, meet the following best practices to:
(a) Satisfy developmental and academic criteria, including considerations of validity and reliability, that indicate typical literacy development or dyslexia, taking into account typical child neurological development; and
(b) Identify indicators and areas of weakness that are highly predictive of future reading difficulty, including phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, rapid naming skills, letter sound knowledge, and family history of difficulty with reading and language acquisition.
(2) Beginning September 1, 2019, the superintendent of public instruction must maintain on the agency's website the list of screening tools and resources identified under this section and must include links to the tools and resources, when available.
(3) The superintendent of public instruction must review and update the list of screening tools and resources identified under this section as appropriate.
[
2018 c 75 s 3
.]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note:
RCW 28A.300.710
expired August 1, 2023.
RCW 28A.300.720
Dyslexia recommendations.
(1) By June 1, 2021, the superintendent of public instruction must review the dyslexia advisory council's recommendations required under *RCW 28A.300.710
and make available to school districts:
(a) Best practices for school district implementation of screenings as required under RCW 28A.320.260, including trainings for school district staff conducting the screenings;
(b) Best practices for using multitiered systems of support to provide interventions as required under RCW 28A.320.260, including trainings for school district staff in instructional methods specifically targeting students' areas of weakness;
(c) Sample educational information for parents and families related to dyslexia that includes a list of resources for parental support; and
(d) Best practices to address the needs of students above grade two who show indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia.
(2) By February 15, 2022, the superintendent of public instruction must review the dyslexia advisory council's updated report required under *RCW 28A.300.710
and revise the best practices and sample educational information made available to school districts required under subsection (1) of this section.
(3) By November 1, 2022, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the superintendent of public instruction must report to the house of representatives and senate education committees with the following information from the 2021-22 school year:
(a) The number of students: (i) Screened pursuant to RCW 28A.320.260
; (ii) with indications of, or areas of weakness associated with, dyslexia identified under RCW 28A.300.700
; and (iii) provided interventions pursuant to RCW 28A.320.260
;
(b) Descriptions from school districts of the types of interventions used in accordance with RCW 28A.320.260
and rates of student progress, when available; and
(c) Descriptions from school districts of the issues districts had related to implementing the provisions of RCW 28A.320.260
.
[
2018 c 75 s 5
.]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note:
RCW 28A.300.710
expired August 1, 2023.
RCW 28A.300.730
Dyslexia rules.
(1) The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules to implement RCW 28A.300.700, *
28A.300.710, 28A.300.720, 28A.320.250, 28A.320.260, 28A.320.270, and **
28A.165.035
.
(2) The rules may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) A timeline for school districts and charter schools to implement the screenings required under RCW 28A.320.260
;
(b) The frequency of conducting the screenings;
(c) Best practices for identifying screening tools and resources in accordance with RCW 28A.300.700
;
(d) Training for school district staff conducting the screenings; and
(e) The members and scope of work for the dyslexia advisory council convened under *RCW 28A.300.710
.
[
2018 c 75 s 8
.]
NOTES:
Reviser's note:
*(1) RCW 28A.300.710
expired August 1, 2023.
**(2) RCW 28A.165.035
was repealed by
2021 c 111 s 13
.
RCW 28A.300.750
Basic education waivers for school districts.
(1)(a) In accordance with the criteria adopted by the state board of education under subsection (2) of this section, the superintendent of public instruction may grant waivers to school districts from the provisions of RCW 28A.150.200
through
28A.150.220, except as provided in (b) of this subsection, on the basis that such waiver or waivers are necessary to implement successfully a local plan to provide for all students in the district an effective education system that is designed to enhance the educational program for each student. The local plan may include alternative ways to provide effective educational programs for students who experience difficulty with the regular education program.
(b) The state board of education shall have authority to grant waivers from the provisions of RCW 28A.150.220
(3)(b) and to grant the waivers set forth in RCW 28A.230.090
(2) and
28A.655.180
.
(2) The state board of education shall adopt rules establishing the criteria to evaluate the need for a waiver or waivers under this section.
[
2024 c 66 s 12
;
2018 c 177 s 502
;
2018 c 177 s 501
; (2012 c 53 s 8 expired June 30, 2019); (2011 c 260 s 8 expired June 30, 2019); (1992 c 141 s 302 expired September 1, 2000);
1990 c 33 s 267
;
1985 c 349 s 6
. Formerly RCW 28A.305.140, 28A.04.127
.]
NOTES:
Effective dates
—
2018 c 177 ss 201, 202, 501-504, 507, and 701:
See note following RCW 28A.150.222
.
Finding
—
Intent
—
2018 c 177:
See note following RCW 28A.305.905
.
Contingent expiration date
—
1992 c 141 s 302:
"Section 302, chapter 141, Laws of 1992 shall expire September 1, 2000, unless by September 1, 2000, a law is enacted stating that a school accountability and academic assessment system is not in place." [
1994 c 245 s 11
;
1992 c 141 s 508
.]  That law was not enacted by September 1, 2000.
Severability
—
1985 c 349:
See note following RCW 28A.150.260
.
RCW 28A.300.770
Highly capable students
—
Identification procedures.
(1) The superintendent of public instruction must require school districts to have identification procedures for their highly capable programs that are clearly stated and implemented by school districts using the following criteria:
(a) Districts must use multiple objective criteria to identify students who are among the most highly capable. Multiple pathways for qualifications must be available and no single criterion may disqualify a student from identification;
(b) Highly capable selection decisions must be based on consideration of criteria benchmarked on local norms, but local norms may not be used as a more restrictive criteria than national norms at the same percentile;
(c) Subjective measures such as teacher recommendations or report card grades may not be used to screen out a student from assessment. These data points may be used alongside other criteria during selection to support identification, but may not be used to disqualify a student from being identified; and
(d) To the extent practicable, screening and assessments must be given in the native language of the student. If native language screening and assessments are not available, a nonverbal screening and assessment must be used.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction must disseminate guidance on referral, screening, assessment, selection, and placement best practices for highly capable programs. The guidance must be regularly updated and aligned with evidence-based practices.
[
2018 c 266 s 105
.]
RCW 28A.300.790
Outdoor-based activities
—
Instructional days.
(1) The superintendent of public instruction, subject to conformity with application or other requirements adopted by rule, shall approve requests by public schools as provided in RCW 28A.320.173
to consider student participation in seasonal or nonseasonal outdoor-based activities, including programs established in accordance with RCW 28A.300.793, and the outdoor education experiences program established in RCW 28A.300.795, as instructional days for the purposes of basic education requirements established in RCW 28A.150.220
(5).
(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to implement this section.
[
2022 c 112 s 4
;
2018 c 266 s 410
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2022 c 112:
See note following RCW 28A.300.793
.
RCW 28A.300.793
Outdoor learning grant program.
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, or within funding made available, the outdoor learning grant program is established. The purpose of the grant program is to develop and support educational experiences for students in Washington public schools.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall administer the grant program in accordance with this section.
(3) Within existing resources, the Washington state parks and recreation commission, the department of natural resources, the Washington department of fish and wildlife, the Washington department of agriculture, and the Washington conservation commission may partner with the office of the superintendent of public instruction to provide relevant expertise on land management and work-integrated learning experiences and opportunities.
(4) Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall award grants to eligible school districts, federally recognized tribes, and outdoor education program providers. The office may consult with the Washington recreation and conservation office in awarding grants under this section.
(5)(a) The grant program must consist of two types of grants, including:
(i) Allocation-based grants for school districts to develop or support educational experiences; and
(ii) Competitive grants for federally recognized tribes and outdoor education providers to support existing capacity and to increase future capacity for outdoor learning experiences.
(b) In implementing student educational experiences under this section, school districts and outdoor education providers should ensure equitable access for students in all geographic regions, and high levels of accessibility for students with disabilities.
(6) Beginning in 2024, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, must submit an annual report to the appropriate committees of the legislature with an evaluation of the program established by this section. The report may include information on other outdoor education and instructional time efforts and how they compare with programs funded through the outdoor learning grant program.
(7) For the purposes of this section, "school districts" includes state-tribal education compact schools established under chapter
28A.715
RCW.
[
2022 c 112 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2022 c 112:
"(1) The legislature finds that time outdoors helps children thrive physically, emotionally, and academically, yet over the past few generations, childhood has moved indoors. On average, today's kids spend up to 44 hours per week in front of a screen, and less than 10 minutes a day doing activities outdoors. For too many kids, access to the outdoors is determined by race, income, ability, and zip code. All children deserve equitable access to outdoor spaces where they can learn, play, and grow, but current access to outdoor educational opportunities is inequitable.
(2) From stress reduction to improved focus and engagement, and better academic performance, outdoor-based learning helps kids thrive. Research shows participants in outdoor educational activities have higher graduation rates, improved behavior in school and relationships with peers, higher academic achievement, critical thinking skills, direct experience of scientific concepts in the field, leadership and collaboration skills, and a deeper engagement with learning, place, and community. Outdoor educational programs also offer new opportunities for work-integrated learning in science, natural resources, education, land management, agriculture, outdoor recreation, and other employment sectors. Outdoor-based learning activities can also be a key element in the larger system of regular outdoor instructional time and outdoor experiences that includes STEM fields, after-school programs, summer camps, 4-H, scouting, and related programs which can spark a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.
(3) The legislature further finds that accessibility is a major obstacle to universal outdoor education. Most sites lack accommodation for children with disabilities and support staff for children who need social and emotional support. In addition, some youth may experience cultural barriers to outdoor learning experiences.
(4) Therefore, the legislature intends to establish a statewide grant program and corresponding outdoor education experiences program to address these needs and to ensure that all students have a chance to benefit from outdoor education." [
2022 c 112 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.795
Outdoor learning grant program
—
Outdoor education experiences program.
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the outdoor education experiences program is established as a program within the outdoor learning grant program established in RCW 28A.300.793
. The purpose of the outdoor education experiences program is to develop and support outdoor learning opportunities for 5th and 6th grade students in Washington public schools, with related opportunities for high school students to volunteer as counselors. The program will consist of hands-on learning experiences that: Are three to five days in duration and up to four nights; are overnight or day programs when overnight programs are impractical due to health, cultural, or capacity considerations; and have a focus on environmental education aligned with the Washington state learning standards and the development of social and emotional learning skills.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may work with a statewide nonprofit organization representing school principals to create guidelines for the program established by this section.
(3) In implementing the program established by this section, the priority focus of the office of the superintendent of public instruction must be given to schools that have been identified for improvement through the Washington school improvement framework and communities historically underserved by science education. These communities can include, but are not limited to, federally recognized tribes, including state-tribal education compact schools, migrant students, schools with high free and reduced-price lunch populations, rural and remote schools, students in alternative learning environments, students of color, English language learner students, and students receiving special education services.
[
2022 c 112 s 3
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2022 c 112:
See note following RCW 28A.300.793
.
RCW 28A.300.802
Advisory groups
—
Travel
—
Compensation.
In addition to any board, commission, council, committee, or other similar group established by statute or executive order, the superintendent of public instruction may appoint advisory groups on subject matters within the superintendent's responsibilities or as may be required by any federal legislation as a condition to the receipt of federal funds by the federal department. The advisory groups shall be constituted as required by federal law or as the superintendent may determine.
Members of advisory groups under the authority of the superintendent may be paid their travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050
and
43.03.060
.
Except as provided in this section or as authorized by RCW 43.03.220, members of advisory groups under the authority of the superintendent are volunteering their services and are not eligible for compensation. A person is eligible to receive compensation in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars for each day during which the member attends an official meeting of the group or performs statutorily prescribed duties approved by the chairperson of the group if the person (1) occupies a position, normally regarded as full-time in nature, as a certificated employee of a local school district; (2) is participating as part of their employment with the local school district; and (3) the meeting or duties are performed outside the period in which school days as defined by *RCW 28A.150.030
are conducted. The superintendent may reimburse local school districts for substitute certificated employees to enable members to meet or perform duties on school days. A person is eligible to receive compensation from federal funds in an amount to be determined by personal service contract for groups required by federal law.
[
2022 c 245 s 4
;
2011 1st sp.s. c 21 s 53
.]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note:
RCW 28A.150.030
expired September 1, 2011. See RCW 28A.150.203
.
Findings
—
2022 c 245:
See note following RCW 43.03.220
.
RCW 28A.300.803
Openly licensed courseware
—
Identifying and developing library
—
Reports
—
Open educational resources account.
(1)(a) Subject to availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the superintendent of public instruction shall take the lead in identifying and developing a library of openly licensed courseware aligned with the common core state standards and placed under an attribution license, registered by a nonprofit or for-profit organization with domain expertise in open courseware, that allows others to use, distribute, and create derivative works based upon the digital material, while still allowing the authors or creators to retain the copyright and to receive credit for their efforts.
(b) During the course of identification and development of a library of openly licensed courseware, the superintendent:
(i) May contract with third parties for all or part of the development;
(ii) May adopt or adapt existing high quality openly licensed K-12 courseware aligned with the common core state standards;
(iii) May consider multiple sources of openly licensed courseware;
(iv) Must use best efforts to seek additional outside funding by actively partnering with private organizations;
(v) Must work collaboratively with other states that have adopted the common core state standards and collectively share results; and
(vi) Must include input from classroom practitioners, including teacher-librarians as defined by RCW 28A.320.240, in the results reported under subsection (2)(d) of this section.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction must also:
(a) Advertise to school districts the availability of openly licensed courseware, with an emphasis on the fact that the courseware is available at no cost to the districts;
(b) Identify an open courseware repository to which openly licensed courseware identified and developed under this section may be submitted, in which openly licensed courseware may be housed, and from which openly licensed courseware may be easily accessed, all at no cost to school districts;
(c) Provide professional development programs that offer support, guidance, and instruction regarding the creation, use, and continuous improvement of open courseware; and
(d) Report to the governor and the education committees of the legislature on a biennial basis, beginning December 1, 2013, and ending December 1, 2017, regarding identification and development of a library of openly licensed courseware aligned with the common core state standards and placed under an attribution license, use by school districts of openly licensed courseware, and professional development programs provided.
(3) School districts may, but are not required to, use any of the openly licensed courseware.
(4) As used in this section, "courseware" includes the course syllabus, scope and sequence, instructional materials, modules, textbooks, including the teacher's edition, student guides, supplemental materials, formative and summative assessment supports, research articles, research data, laboratory activities, simulations, videos, open-ended inquiry activities, and any other educationally useful materials.
(5) The open educational resources account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from funds collected under this section must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the development of openly licensed courseware as described in this section. Only the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter
43.88
RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
[
2018 c 268 s 2
;
2012 c 178 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
2012 c 178:
"The legislature finds the state's recent adoption of common core K-12 standards provides an opportunity to develop a library of high quality, openly licensed K-12 courseware that is aligned with these standards. By developing this library of openly licensed courseware and making it available to school districts free of charge, the state and school districts will be able to provide students with curricula and texts while substantially reducing the expenses that districts would otherwise incur in purchasing these materials. In addition, this library of openly licensed courseware will provide districts and students with a broader selection of materials, and materials that are more up-to-date." [
2012 c 178 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.805
K-3 class size reduction construction grant pilot program
—
Classroom counting method and funding formula
—
Prioritizing grant applications
—
Recommendations
—
Annual reports.
(1) The legislature recognizes that the provisions of the K-3 class size reduction construction grant pilot program will need modifications to (a) ensure that the grant program will meet the program's objectives for all school districts needing additional classrooms, and (b) identify changes to the school construction assistance program to improve appropriate coordination between the two grant programs.
(2) In consultation with stakeholders, the office of financial management, and the appropriate committees of the legislature, the superintendent of public instruction shall develop (a) an improved method for calculating needed classrooms, and (b) an improved funding formula for calculating grant awards to meet the objectives of this section and *RCW 28A.525.058
. The classroom counting method and funding formula must be informed by data collected in state studies and surveys or through inventory and condition assessments conducted by the Washington State University extension energy office. The improved classroom counting method and improved funding formula, and any other requirements of this section, must be reported to the office of financial management and the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2015.
(3)(a) The improved classroom counting method must:
(i) Demonstrate a lack of sufficient classroom space district-wide to meet K-3 class size ratios as funded pursuant to average class size objectives for the 2017-18 school year enumerated in RCW 28A.150.260
in effect as of October 31, 2014, and to provide all-day kindergarten as funded pursuant to RCW 28A.150.315
. The determination that there is a lack of sufficient space must be based on data collected in a state study and survey conducted within the preceding six years from the date of grant application or data collected through an inventory and condition assessment validated by the Washington State University extension energy office within the preceding six years from the date of grant application;
(ii) For school districts with student head count enrollments more than forty-eight thousand, the improved classroom counting method must demonstrate a lack of sufficient classroom space within subdistrict areas in order to account for rapid growth in certain areas of a district that should be met with classroom capacity in those certain areas to avoid prolonged bussing of elementary students.
(b) The improved classroom counting method must be designed to ensure that additional classrooms will achieve average class size objectives for the 2017-18 school year enumerated in RCW 28A.150.260
in effect as of October 31, 2014, and all-day kindergarten as funded pursuant to RCW 28A.150.315
.
(4)(a) In consultation with stakeholders, the office of financial management, and the appropriate committees of the legislature, the superintendent of public instruction must also recommend a process for prioritizing grant applications. The prioritization process must produce one prioritized list of grant recipients that includes all of the projects requested by school districts, and report the list, including preliminary estimates of necessary added classrooms, to the office of financial management and the appropriate committees of the legislature.
(b) The prioritized list must consider the following priorities:
(i) Applicants with high student to teacher ratios in kindergarten through third grades;
(ii) Applicants with a high percentage of students who are eligible and enrolled in the free and reduced-price meals program;
(iii) Applicants that have not raised capital funds through levies or bonds in the prior ten-year period;
(iv) Other criteria that relate to the objectives of the grant program.
(5) The improved funding formula must consider options for enhanced state funding for school districts that have not raised capital funds through levies or bonds in the prior ten-year period.
(6) In consultation with stakeholders, the office of financial management, and the appropriate committees of the legislature, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must recommend statutory and rule changes to ensure appropriate coordination between the K-3 class size reduction construction grant program and the school construction assistance program. The recommendation must include ways to ensure that new square footage funded through this grant program does not impair a school district's eligibility for modernization or replacement grants through the school construction assistance program eligibility under RCW 28A.525.166
.
(7) In consultation with stakeholders, the office of financial management, and the appropriate committees of the legislature, the superintendent of public instruction must recommend the content and method for reporting annually on the grants awarded during each fiscal year. The report must include, at least, the grant amounts and the status of all awarded grants by school district. The annual report must also include data documenting actual class size reductions and all-day kindergarten achieved in school districts that have received grants provided under this section. Beginning in 2016, the report must be submitted to the office of financial management and the appropriate committees of the legislature by October 1st for the preceding fiscal year and made available to the public on a website maintained by the superintendent of public instruction.
(8) In consultation with stakeholders, the office of financial management, and the appropriate committees of the legislature, the superintendent of public instruction must recommend statutory and rule changes for awarding grants for construction, modernization, or replacement of school facilities with an expected useful life of less than thirty years.
[
2015 3rd sp.s. c 41 s 301
.]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note:
RCW 28A.525.058
expired July 1, 2017.
Findings
—
Intent
—
2015 3rd sp.s. c 41:
"(1) The legislature finds that local school districts design, build, own, and manage public school facilities. The Washington state Constitution provides two ways to fund construction of public school facilities. First, the state Constitution provides the means for school districts to finance school construction. Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution authorizes school districts to collect capital levies to support the construction, remodeling, or modernization of school facilities. In addition, Article VIII, section 6 of the state Constitution authorizes school districts to incur debt up to eleven and one-half percent of the total assessed value of taxable property for school construction and Article VII, section 2 of the state Constitution authorizes school districts to pay for this debt by issuing general obligation bonds for these capital purposes. Second, Article IX, section 3 of the state Constitution establishes the common school construction fund and dedicates revenues derived from school and state trust lands and earnings of the permanent common school fund to funding common school construction. Beyond these constitutional means, the legislature provides further state assistance to school districts through the issuance of general obligation bonds, the proceeds of which the state appropriates to support the state school construction assistance grant program established in chapter
28A.525
RCW. This state grant program is not intended to replace the financing provisions established in the state Constitution, but rather to provide state assistance that supplements the constitutional financing provisions. The state grant program helps finance new school capacity to accommodate enrollment growth and to modernize and replace existing schools while respecting local decisions and control by locally elected school boards.
(2) The legislature also finds that some school districts may benefit from additional financial assistance to provide school facilities—beyond that which is provided through the school construction assistance grant program—for the purpose of constructing or acquiring additional classrooms to support state-funded all-day kindergarten and class size reduction in kindergarten through third grade.
(3) For the 2015-2017 biennium, the legislature intends to provide additional state financial assistance to help school districts in funding public school facilities necessary to support state-funded all-day kindergarten and class size reduction in kindergarten through third grade." [
2015 3rd sp.s. c 41 s 101
.]
Effective date
—
2015 3rd sp.s. c 41:
"This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [July 14, 2015]." [
2015 3rd sp.s. c 41 s 403
.]
RCW 28A.300.815
Financial aid advising day.
(1)(a) Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, within existing resources, and in collaboration with the Washington student achievement council, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall coordinate a financial aid advising day with all school districts with a high school.
(b) For the purposes of this section and RCW 28A.230.310, a "financial aid advising day" means a day or series of days between September 1st and December 1st of each year that includes, but is not limited to, dedicated time during regular school hours for staff to:
(i) Provide information to twelfth grade students on the free application for federal student aid, the Washington application for state financial aid, and the college board's CSS profile;
(ii) As appropriate and whenever possible, assist twelfth grade students in completing the free application for federal student aid and the Washington application for state financial aid; and
(iii) In conjunction with the Washington student achievement council, distribute information on the Washington college grant and demonstrate the use of the college financial aid calculator created in RCW 28B.77.280
.
(c) Each school district may choose the date or series of dates on which to hold a financial aid advising day.
(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall coordinate with the Washington student achievement council whenever possible to assist districts in facilitating opportunities outside of regular school hours for parents to take part in seminars on completing the free application for federal student aid and the Washington application for state financial aid. Whenever possible, districts shall provide spoken language interpreter services for limited English-speaking families.
(3) Schools must allow students over the age of eighteen to opt out and parents or guardians of students under the age of eighteen to opt their student out of scheduled financial aid advising day activities.
(4) A student may not be penalized for failing to complete financial aid applications or for opting out of activities under subsection (3) of this section.
(5) Educational staff, including instructional, administrative, and counseling staff, may not be assessed or penalized on the basis of students' completion of financial aid forms or students' decisions to opt out under subsection (3) of this section.
(6) In the administration of the financial aid advising day, personally identifiable student or family information must be protected in accordance with state and federal privacy laws.
[
2020 c 307 s 5
.]
NOTES:
Intent
—
Conflict with federal requirements
—
2020 c 307:
See notes following RCW 28B.77.290
.
RCW 28A.300.820
Elementary and secondary school emergency relief III account.
The elementary and secondary school emergency relief III account is created in the state treasury. Revenues attributable to section 2001, the American rescue plan act of 2021, P.L. 117-2 must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.
[
2022 c 157 s 8
. Prior:
2021 c 334 s 1901
.]
NOTES:
Conflict with federal requirements
—
Effective date
—
2021 c 334:
See notes following RCW 43.79.555
.
RCW 28A.300.825
Secondary traumatic stress
—
Resources.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction must publish on its website links to resources, self-assessments, and best practices for educators and local policymakers to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the workforce. The office of the superintendent of public instruction must collaborate with the Washington state school directors' association, the educational service districts, and the school employees' benefits board created in RCW 41.05.740
and provide links to any resources on secondary traumatic stress available through these organizations.
[
2021 c 129 s 2
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Intent
—
2021 c 129:
"(1)(a) The legislature acknowledges that secondary traumatic stress, also called compassion fatigue, is a natural but disruptive set of symptoms that may result when one person learns firsthand of the traumatic experiences of another. Symptoms of secondary traumatic stress may include feelings of isolation, anxiety, dissociation, physical ailments, and sleep disturbances. In addition, those affected by secondary traumatic stress may experience: Changes in memory and perception; alterations in their sense of self-efficacy; a depletion of personal resources; and disruption in their perceptions of safety, trust, and independence.
(b) Secondary traumatic stress may be experienced by teachers, school counselors, administrators, or other school staff. Everyday these school staff work with students experiencing trauma and loss. In addition, many students have experienced additional trauma due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on themselves and their families.
(2) The legislature finds that secondary traumatic stress is preventable and treatable. Therefore, the legislature intends to require school districts to adopt a policy and procedure to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the workforce and to make resources on secondary traumatic stress publicly available." [
2021 c 129 s 1
.]
RCW 28A.300.830
Funding, services, and outcomes for children and youth who are neglected, delinquent, or at risk
—
Report.
(1)(a) Beginning July 1, 2022, and every three years thereafter, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall report on the funding and services provided in support of youth pursuant to Washington's every student succeeds act consolidated plan, Title I, part D: Prevention and intervention programs for children and youth who are neglected, delinquent, or at risk, and the education outcomes resulting from the funding and provided services.
(b) The purpose of the report is to inform the legislature of progress toward the goals established in the consolidated plan and provide the legislature with the opportunity to determine whether subsequent legislation should be enacted to ensure the education needs of youth and postresident youth.
(2) Reports required by this section, which must delineate the recipients of the federal funds and how they are being used to support the education needs of youth and postresident youth, must be submitted to the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate in accordance with RCW 43.01.036
.
(3) For purposes of this section, "postresident youth" and "youth" have the same meanings as in RCW 28A.190.005
.
[
2021 c 164 s 10
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2021 c 164:
See note following RCW 28A.190.005
.
RCW 28A.300.840
Media literacy and digital citizenship
—
Grant program.
(Expires July 31, 2031.)
(1)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a grant program for the purposes of supporting media literacy and digital citizenship through school district leadership teams. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish and publish criteria for the grant program, and may accept gifts, grants, or endowments from public or private sources for the grant program.
(b) A school district that receives a grant under this section is not prohibited from receiving a grant in subsequent grant cycles.
(2)(a) For a school district to qualify for a grant under this section, the grant proposal must provide that the grantee create a district leadership team that develops a curriculum unit on media literacy or digital citizenship, or both, that may be integrated into one of the following areas:
(i) Social studies;
(ii) English language arts; or
(iii) Health.
(b) School districts selected under the grant program are expected to evaluate the curriculum unit they develop under this subsection (2).
(c) In developing their curriculum unit, school districts selected under the grant program are encouraged to work with school district teacher-librarians or a school district library information technology program, if applicable.
(3) The establishment of the grant program under this section is subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose.
(4) The curriculum unit developed under this section must be made available as an open educational resource.
(5)(a) Up to 10 grants a year awarded under this section must be for establishing media literacy professional learning communities with the purpose of sharing best practices in the subject of media literacy.
(b)(i) Grant recipients under this subsection (5) are required to develop an online presence for their community to model new strategies and to share ideas, challenges, and successful practices.
(ii) Grant recipients shall attend the group meetings created by the office of the superintendent of public instruction under (c) of this subsection (5).
(c) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene group meetings for the purpose of sharing best practices and strategies in media literacy education.
(d) Additional activities permitted for the use of these grants include, but are not limited to:
(i) Organizing teachers from across a school district to develop new instructional strategies and to share successful strategies;
(ii) Sharing successful practices across a group of school districts; and
(iii) Facilitating coordination between educational service districts and school districts to provide training.
(6)(a) At least one grant awarded in each award cycle must be for developing and using a curriculum that contains a focus on synthetic media as a major component.
(b) For the purposes of this section, "synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been intentionally manipulated with the use of digital technology in a manner to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video.
(7) This section expires July 31, 2031.
[
2021 c 301 s 6
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Purpose
—
2021 c 301:
See note following RCW 28A.650.060
.
RCW 28A.300.845
Media literacy and digital citizenship
—
Regional conferences.
(Expires July 31, 2031.)
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene two regional conferences on the subject of media literacy and digital citizenship.
(2) The conferences in this section should highlight the work performed by the recipients of the grant program established under RCW 28A.300.840, as well as best practices in media literacy and digital citizenship.
(3) The locations for conferences convened under this section must include one site in western Washington and one site in eastern Washington.
(4) This section expires July 31, 2031.
[
2021 c 301 s 7
.]
NOTES:
Finding
—
Purpose
—
2021 c 301:
See note following RCW 28A.650.060
.
RCW 28A.300.850
Basic education services to justice-involved students
—
Timeline and plan.
(Expires June 30, 2028.)
(1)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop a timeline and plan for assuming, by September 1, 2028, responsibility for the effective delivery and administration of basic education services to justice-involved students and improving their educational outcomes.
(b) The timeline and plan required by this section must consider:
(i) The findings and recommendations produced in accordance with section 2, chapter 303, Laws of 2023;
(ii) Recommendations provided in the December 1, 2022, improving institutional education outcomes final report of the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of children, youth, and families;
(iii) Educators and staff that deliver education programming and services to the justice-involved students; and
(iv) Legislation enacted in 2024 and in subsequent years relating to the superintendent's requirements under RCW 28A.190.150
.
(2) Beginning December 15, 2023, and annually thereafter through 2027, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, provide an interim report on progress made in achieving the requirements of this section to the governor and the education and fiscal committees of the legislature.
(3) In meeting the requirements of this section, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall:
(a) Consult with organizations representing those who deliver, support, and receive education programming and services to justice-involved students;
(b) Implement the research and analysis recommendations for the two service delivery and governance options identified in the final report required by section 2, chapter 303, Laws of 2023;
(c) Examine an additional service delivery and governance option that preserves the role of school districts in providing basic education services to justice-involved students, but includes additional state direction in furtherance of the recommendations referenced in subsection (1)(b)(ii) of this section and those provided in accordance with section 2, chapter 226, Laws of 2020;
(d) Describe how the office of the superintendent of public instruction will ensure the effective delivery and administration of basic education services to justice-involved students as required by RCW 28A.190.150
; and
(e) Make recommendations for statutory or other changes needed to ensure proper oversight of the delivery and administration of basic education services to justice-involved students. Recommendations made in accordance with this subsection [(3)](e) must address comments and recommendations related to education delivery outcome and progress measurements provided by educators in accordance with this section.
(4) For the purposes of this section, "justice-involved students" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.190.150
.
(5) This section expires June 30, 2028.
[
2025 c 70 s 2
;
2023 c 303 s 4
.]
NOTES:
Findings
—
Intent
—
2023 c 303:
See note following RCW 28A.190.150
.