Revelant RCW's and WAC's
Several Sections of the Revised Code of
Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC) effect and affect the operation of the common schools
of the state of Washington. Those
which parents most often need are —
Chapter 28A RCW (Common School Provisions)
Chapter 42 RCW (Disclosure—Campaign
Finances—Lobbying—Records)
Chapter
180-52 WAC (Pupil Personnel Services)
Index of Chapter 28A.
RCW
28A.150.......... General provisions.
28A.155.......... Special education.
28A.160.......... Student transportation.
28A.165.......... Learning assistance program.
28A.170.......... Substance abuse awareness
program.
28A.175.......... Dropout prevention and
retrieval program.
28A.180.......... Transitional bilingual
instruction program.
28A.185.......... Highly capable students.
28A.190.......... Residential education
programs.
28A.193.......... Education programs for
juvenile inmates.
28A.195.......... Private schools.
28A.200.......... Home-based instruction.
28A.205.......... Education
centers.
28A.210.......... Health—Screening and
requirements.
28A.215.......... Early childhood, preschools,
and before-and-after school care.
28A.220.......... Traffic safety.
28A.225.......... Compulsory school attendance
and admission.
28A.230.......... Compulsory course work and
activities.
28A.235 ......... Food services.
28A.300.......... Superintendent of public
instruction.
28A.305.......... State board of education.
28A.310.......... Educational service districts.
28A.315.......... Organization and
reorganization of school districts.
28A.320.......... Provisions
applicable to all districts.
28A.325.......... Associated
student bodies.
28A.330.......... Provisions
applicable to school districts.
28A.335.......... School districts' property.
28A.340.......... Small high school cooperative
projects.
28A.345.......... Washington state school
directors' association.
28A.350.......... School
district warrants—Auditor's duties.
28A.400.......... Employees.
28A.405.......... Certificated employees.
28A.410.......... Certification.
28A.415.......... Institutes, workshops, and
training.
28A.500.......... Local effort assistance.
28A.505.......... School districts' budgets.
28A.510.......... Apportionment
to district—District accounting.
28A.515.......... Common school construction
fund.
28A.520.......... Forest
reserve funds distribution.
28A.525.......... Bond
issues.
28A.530.......... District
bonds for land, buildings, and equipment.
28A.535.......... Validating indebtedness.
28A.540.......... Capital fund aid by nonhigh school districts.
28A.545.......... Payment to high school
districts.
28A.600.......... Students.
28A.605.......... Parent access.
28A.620.......... Community education programs.
28A.623.......... Meal programs.
28A.625.......... Awards.
28A.630.......... Temporary
provisions—Special projects.
28A.635 ......... Offenses relating to school
property and personnel.
28A.640.......... Sexual equality.
28A.645.......... Appeals
from board.
28A.650.......... Education
technology.
28A.690.......... Agreement on qualifications of
personnel.
28A.900 ......... Construction.
Index of RCW's and WAC's most often
requested by parents:
| RCW 28A.150.210 | RCW
28A.150.211 | RCW 28A.200.010 | RCW 28A.200.020
|
| RCW 28A.605.010 | RCW
28A.605.020 | RCW 28A.605.030 | RCW
42.17.130 |
| RCW 42.17.251 | RCW
42.17.300 | RCW 42.17.320 | RCW
42.30.010 |
| RCW 42.30.030 | WAC
180-52-015 | WAC 180-52-020 | WAC 180-52-025
|
| WAC 180-52-030 | WAC
180-52-025 |
RCW 28A.150.210 Basic Education
Act—Goal. The goal of the Basic Education Act for the schools of the state of
Washington set forth in this chapter shall be to provide students with the
opportunity to become responsible citizens, to contribute to their own economic
well-being and to that of their families and communities, and to enjoy
productive and satisfying lives. To
these ends, the goals of each school district, with the involvement of parents
and community members, shall be to provide opportunities for all students to
develop the knowledge and skills essential to:
(1) Read with
comprehension, write with skill, and communicate effectively and responsibility
in a variety of ways and settings;
(2) Know and
apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical, and
life sciences; civics and history; geography; arts; and health and fitness;
(3) Think
analytically, logically, and creatively, and to integrate experience and
knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems; and
(4)
Understand the importance of work and how performance, effort, and decisions
directly affect future career and educational opportunities. [1993 c 336 §
101; (1992c 141 § 501 repealed by 1993 c 336 § 1203); 1977 ex.s. c 359 § 2.
Formerly RCW 28A.58.752.)
RCW 28A.150.211
Values and traits recognized. The legislature
also recognizes that certain basic values and character traits are essential to
individual liberty, fulfillment, and happiness. However, these values and traits are not
intended to be assessed or be standards for graduation. The legislature intends that local
communities have the responsibility for determining how these values and
character traits are learned as determined by consensus at the local
level. These values and traits
include the importance of:
(1) Honesty,
integrity, and trust;
(2) Respect
for self and others;
(3)
Responsibility for personal actions and commitments;
(4)
Self-discipline and moderation;
(5) Diligence
and a positive work ethic;
(6) Respect
for law and authority;
(7) Healthy
and positive behavior; and
(8) Family as
the basis of society. [1994 c 245 § 10.]
RCW 28A.200.010
Home-based instruction—Duties of parents. Each parent whose child is receiving home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall have the
duty to:
(1) File
annually a signed declaration of intent that he or she is planning to cause his
or her child to receive home-based instruction. The statement shall include the name and
age of the child, shall specify whether a certificated person will be supervising
the instruction, and shall be written in a format prescribed by the
superintendent of public instruction.
Each parent shall file the statement by September 15 of the school year
or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester,
or semester with the superintendent of the public school district within which
the parent resides or the district that accepts the transfer, and the student
shall be deemed a transfer student of the nonresident district. Parents may apply for transfer under RCW 28A.225.220;
(2) Ensure
that test scores or annual academic progress assessments and immunization
records, together with any other records that are kept relating to the
instructional and educational activities provided, are forwarded to any other
public or private school to which the child transfers. At the time of a transfer to a public
school, the superintendent of the local school district in which the child
enrolls may require a standardized achievement test to be administered and shall
have the authority to determine the appropriate grade and course level
placement of the child after consultation with parents and review of the
child's records; and
(3) Ensure
that a standardized achievement test approved by the state board of education
is administered annually to the child by a qualified individual or that an
annual assessment of the student's academic progress is written by a
certificated person who is currently working in the field of education. The state board of education shall not
require these children to meet the student learning goals, master the essential
academic learning requirements, to take the assessments, or to obtain a
certificate of mastery pursuant to RCW
28A.630.885. The standardized test
administered or the annual academic progress assessment written shall be made a
part of the child's permanent records.
If, as a result of the annual test or assessment, it is determined that
the child is not making reasonable progress consistent with his or her age or
stage of development, the parent shall make a good faith effort to remedy any
deficiency.
Failure of a parent to comply with the
duties in this section shall be deemed a failure of such parent's child to
attend school without valid justification under RCW
28A.225.020. Parents who do comply
with the duties set forth in this section shall be presumed to be providing
home-based instruction as set forth in RCW 28A.225.010(4). [1995 c 52 § 1; 1993 c 336 § 1103; 1990 c 33 § 178;
1985 c 441 § 2. Formerly RCW 28A.27.310.]
RCW 28A.200.020
Home-based instruction—Certain decisions responsibility of
parent unless otherwise specified. The state hereby recognizes that parents
who are causing their children to receive home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall be subject only to those minimum
state laws and regulations which are necessary to insure that a sufficient
basic educational opportunity is provided to the children receiving such
instruction. Therefore, all decisions
relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials and
curriculum, and methods, timing, and place in the provision or evaluation of
home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent except for
matters specifically referred to in this chapter. [1990 c 33 § 179;
1985 c 441 § 3. Formerly RCW 28A.27.320.]
RCW 28A.605.010
Removing child from school grounds during school hours. The board of directors
of each school district by rule or regulation shall set forth proper procedure
to ensure that each school within their district is carrying out district
policy providing that no child may be removed from any school grounds or
building thereon during school hours except by a person so authorized by a
parent or legal guardian having legal custody thereof, except that a student
may leave secondary school grounds only in accordance with the school
district's open campus policy under RCW
28A.600.035. Such rules shall be
applicable to school employees or their designees who may not remove, cause to
be removed, or allow to be removed, any student from school grounds without
authorization from the student's parent or legal guardian unless the employee
is: The student's parent, legal
guardian, or immediate family member, a school employee providing school bus
transportation services in accordance with chapter 28A.160 RCW,
a school employee supervising an extracurricular activity in which the student
is participating and the employee is providing transportation to or from the
activity; or, the student is in need of emergent medical care, and the employee
is unable to reach the parent for transportation of the student. School security personnel may remove a
student from school grounds without parental authorization for disciplinary
reasons.
Nothing in this section shall be
construed to limit removal of a student from school grounds by any person
acting in his or her official capacity in response to a 911 emergency call. [1997 c 411§ 1;
1975 1st ex.s. c 248 § 1. Formerly RCW 28A.58.050.]
RCW 28A.605.020
Parents' access to classroom or school sponsored
activities—Limitation. Every school district board of directors
shall, after following established procedure, adopt a policy assuring parents
access to their child's classroom and/or school sponsored activities for
purposes of observing class procedure, teaching material, and class conduct: PROVIDED, That
such observation shall not disrupt the classroom procedure or learning
activity. [1979 ex.s. c 250 § 8. Formerly RCW 28A.58.053.]
RCW 28A.605.030
Student education records—Parental review—Release of
records—Procedure. The parent or guardian of a student who is or has been in
attendance at a school has the right to review all education records of the
student. A school may not release
the education records of a student without the written consent of the student's
parent or guardian, except as authorized by RCW
28A.600.475 and the family educational and privacy rights act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g.
The board of directors of each school
district shall establish a procedure for:
(1) Granting
the request by a parent or guardian for access to the education records of his
or her child; and
(2)
Prohibiting the release of student information without the written consent of
the student's parent or guardian, after the parent or guardian has been
informed what information is being requested, who is requesting the information
and why, and what will be done with the information.
The procedure adopted by the school
district must be in compliance with the family educational and privacy rights
act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g. [1997 c 119 § 1.]
RCW 42.17.130
Forbids use of public office or agency facilities in
campaigns. No elective official nor any employee of his office nor any person
appointed to or employed by any public office or agency may use or authorize
the use of any of the facilities of a public office or agency, directly or
indirectly, for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of any person
to any office or for the promotion of or opposition to any ballot
proposition. Facilities of public
office or agency include, but are not limited to, use of stationery, postage,
machines, and equipment, use of employees of the office or agency during
working hours, vehicles, office space, publications of the office or agency,
and clientele lists of persons served by the office or agency: PROVIDED, That the foregoing provisions
of this section shall not apply to the following activities:
(1) Action
taken at an open public meeting by members of an elected legislative body to
express a collective decision, or to actually vote upon a motion, proposal,
resolution, order, or ordinance, or to support or oppose a ballot proposition
so long as (a) any required notice of the meeting includes the title and number
of the ballot proposition, and (b) members of the legislative body or members
of the public are afforded an approximately equal opportunity for the
expression of an opposing view;
(2) A
statement by an elected official in support of or in opposition to any ballot
proposition at an open press conference or in response to a specific inquiry;
(3)
Activities which are part of the normal and regular conduct of the office or
agency. [1979 ex.s. c 265 § 2; 1975-'76 2nd ex.s.
c 112 § 6; 1973 c 1 § 13 (Initiative Measure No. 276, approved
November 7, 1972).]
RCW 42.17.251 Construction. The people of this
state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do
not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people
to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed
so that they may maintain control over the instruments that they have
created. The public records
subdivision of this chapter shall be liberally construed and its exemptions
narrowly construed to promote this public policy. [1992 c 139 § 2.]
RCW 42.17.300
Charges for copying. No fee shall be charged for the
inspection of public records. No
fee shall be charged for locating public documents and making them available
for copying. A reasonable charge
may be imposed for providing copies of public records and for the use by any
person of agency equipment or equipment of the office of the secretary of the
senate or the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives to copy
public records, which charges shall not exceed the amount necessary to
reimburse the agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, or the office
of the chief clerk of the house of representatives for its actual costs
directly incident to such copying.
Agency charges for photocopies shall be imposed in accordance with the
actual per page cost or other costs established and published by the
agency. In no event may an agency
charge a per page cost greater than the actual per page cost as established and
published by the agency. To the
extent the agency has not determined the actual per page cost for photocopies
of public records, the agency may not charge in excess of fifteen cents per
page. [1995 c 397
§ 14; 1995 c 341 § 2; 1973 c 1 § 30 (Initiative Measure No. 276,
approved November 7, 1972).]
RCW 42.17.320
Prompt responses required. Responses to requests for public records
shall be made promptly by agencies, the office of the secretary of the senate,
and the office of the chief clerk of the house of
representatives. Within five
business days of receiving a public record request, an agency, the office of
the secretary of the senate, or the office of the chief clerk of the house of
representatives must respond by either (1) providing the record; (2)
acknowledging that the agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, or
the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives has received the
request and providing a reasonable estimate of the time the agency, the office
of the secretary of the senate, or the office of the chief clerk of the house
of representatives will require to respond to the request; or (3) denying the
public record request. Additional
time required to respond to a request may be based upon the need to clarify the
intent of the request, to locate and assemble the information requested, to
notify third persons or agencies affected by the request, or to determine
whether any of the information requested is exempt and that a denial should be
made as to all or part of the request.
In acknowledging receipt of a public record request that is unclear, an
agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, or the office of the chief
clerk of the house of representatives may ask the
requestor to clarify what information the requestor is seeking. If the requestor fails to clarify the
request, the agency, the office of the secretary of the senate, or the office
of the chief clerk of the house of representatives
need not respond to it. Denials of
requests must be accompanied by a written statement of the specific reasons
therefore. Agencies, the office of
the secretary of the senate, and the office of the chief clerk of the house of
representatives shall establish mechanisms for the most prompt possible review
of decisions denying inspection, and such review shall be deemed completed at
the end of the second business day following the denial of inspection and shall
constitute final agency action or final action by the office of the secretary
of the senate or the office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives
for the purposes of judicial review.
[1995 c 397 § 15; 1992 c 139 § 6; 1975 1st ex.s. c 294 § 18; 1973 c 1§ 32 (Initiative
Measure No. 276, approved November 7, 1972).]
RCW 42.30.010
Legislative declaration. The legislature finds and declares that
all public commissions, boards, councils, committees, subcommittees,
departments, divisions, offices, and all other public agencies of this state
and subdivisions thereof exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of this chapter that
their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly.
The people of this state do not yield
their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do
not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people
to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed
so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created. [1971 ex.s. c 250 § 1.]
RCW 42.30.030
Meetings declared open and public. All meetings of the
governing body of a public agency shall be open and public and all persons
shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the governing body of a public
agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. [1971 ex.s. c 250 § 3.]
WAC 180-52-015 Pupil tests and records — Authority. Pursuant to authority
under provisions of RCW 28A.305.130, the state board
of education, hereby prescribes the rules and regulations relating to pupil
tests and records hereinafter in WAC 180-52-020,
180-52-025, 180-52-030 and 180-52-035 set forth.
WAC 180-52-020 Pupil tests and records — Tests — School
district policy in writing. School districts shall develop and adopt
written policies relative to testing, kindergarten through grade twelve, which
policies shall include an outline of procedures by which parents or legal
guardians of a student may become acquainted with the nature of tests and their
uses in helping children.
WAC 180-52-025 Pupil tests
and records — Pupil personnel records — School district policy in
writing.
School districts shall develop and adopt written policies relating to
(a) the type of pupil personnel records which are to be kept and the manner in
which data is to be recorded; and (b) procedures by which a parent or legal guardian
may upon written request examine school records pertaining to his child with
professionally competent personnel present to interpret and assist in the
analysis of such records.
WAC 180-52-030
Pupil tests and records—Certain tests, questionnaires,
etc.—Limitations. No written or oral test, questionnaire,
survey, or examination shall be used to elicit the personal beliefs or
practices of a student or his parents as to sex or religion except with the written
consent of the parent or guardian.
WAC 180-52-025 Pupil tests
and records — Diagnostic personality tests — Parental permission
required.
Each school district shall require that there shall be on file the
written consent of the parent or guardian prior to the administering of any
diagnostic personality test.
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