Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature recognizes that the office of the education ombuds within the office of the governor was established by the legislature in 2006 to reduce educational opportunity gaps by supporting families, students, educators, and communities in understanding the K-12 school system and resolving concerns collaboratively. The legislature recognizes that it placed the education ombuds within the office of the governor to ensure independence and impartiality.
(2) The legislature recognizes that the education ombuds provides services including:
(a) Informing students, parents or guardians, employees, and members of the public about the state's public elementary and secondary education system;
(b) Identifying obstacles and recommending strategies to help students and community members to participate effectively in schools;
(c) Identifying and recommending strategies for improving student success;
(d) Referring individuals and families to appropriate resources, agencies, or departments;
(e) Facilitating the resolution of informal complaints made by parents and students with regard to the state's public elementary and secondary education system; and
(f) Serving as the lead agency to provide resources and tools to parents and families about public school antiharassment policies and strategies.
(3) The legislature intends for public schools to annually notify parents or guardians, students, and school employees about these services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter
28A.600 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Beginning August 1, 2021, at the time of enrollment or admission in a public school, school district, or institutional education facility, a student and the parent or guardian of the student must be provided with information about the services available through the office of the education ombuds within the office of the governor established under chapter
43.06B RCW.
(2)(a) Beginning August 1, 2021, each public school must:
(i) Include a link on its website to the education ombuds website with a description of the services provided under chapter
43.06B RCW; or
(ii) Provide a description of the services provided under chapter
43.06B RCW and the contact information for the education ombuds in existing materials that are shared annually with families, students, and school employees, such as welcome packets, orientation guides, and newsletters.
(b) Public schools are encouraged to comply with both (a)(i) and (ii) of this subsection (2).
(3) The education ombuds must annually develop and make a template of the notification information required in this section available upon request. The education ombuds must translate this template into Spanish and include other languages as resources allow.
(4) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Institutional education facility" means residential habilitation and child study and treatment centers operated by the department of social and health services, state long-term juvenile institutions operated by the department of children, youth, and families, state-operated community facilities, county juvenile detention centers, and facilities of the department of corrections that incarcerate juveniles committed as adults.
(b) "Public school" has the same meaning as in RCW
28A.150.010."
Defines "institutional education facility" to mean residential habilitation and child study and treatment centers operated by the Department of Social and Health Services, state long-term juvenile institutions operated by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, state-operated community facilities, county juvenile detention centers, and facilities of the Department of Corrections that incarcerate juveniles committed as adults.
References the statutory definition of "public schools," which mean the common schools as referred to in Article IX of the state Constitution, charter schools, and those schools and institutions of learning having a curriculum below the college or university level as now or may be established by law and maintained at public expense.
Changes the implementation dates from September 1, 2021 to: (a) August 1, 2021 for the provision of information to students, families, and school employees; and (b) the effective date of the bill for the development of the template.
Maintains: (a) the option for public schools to either include a link to the OEO website or provide a description of the OEO services in existing materials shared annually with families, students and school employees; and (b) the requirement that the OEO annually develop and make available a template of the notification information, translated into at least Spanish.