S-3427.1

SENATE BILL 5762

BySenators Wagoner, Lovick, and Nobles

AN ACT Relating to creating the purple star award; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.625 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.625 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) The purple star award is created to recognize military friendly schools that show a commitment to students and families connected to the nation's military. Schools that earn the award will receive a special purple star recognition to display on site. The state council must consider a school for the purple star award if it applies and completes all the required activities and at least one optional activity listed in this section.

(b) A school must complete the following required activities to be considered to receive the purple star award:

(i) The school must have a staff point of contact for military students and families. The school staff point of contact must:

(A) Work jointly with the state military family education liaison under RCW 28A.705.010, article VIII to serve military families;

(B) Serve as the primary liaison between military families and the school;

(C) Complete professional development on special considerations for military students and families under relevant state and federal law; and

(D) Identify and inform teachers of military-connected students in their classrooms and the special considerations military families and students should receive under the interstate compact on educational opportunity for military children under RCW 28A.705.010; and

(ii) The school maintains a dedicated page on its website featuring resources for military families.

(c) A school must complete at least one of the following optional activities to be considered to receive the purple star award:

(i) The school provides professional development for additional staff on special considerations for military students and families;

(ii) The local school district board of directors passes a resolution publicizing the school's support for military children and families; or

(iii) The school hosts a military recognition event that demonstrates a military friendly culture.

(2) To be considered for a purple star award, a school or a school district on behalf of the school, must submit an application to the state council.

(3) The state council must:

(a) Create a simple application for a school or school district to submit for consideration to receive a purple star award. The application must require evidence of meeting each of the required activities under subsection (1)(b) of this section and at least one optional activity under subsection (1)(c) of this section necessary to receive the purple star award;

(b) Establish a timeline for submittal of an application for consideration and for announcement of the award recipients;

(c) Create criteria to use when reviewing the applications received and determining which school or schools receive the award; and

(d) Determine whether there is a limited or unlimited number of awards given every two years and whether a school that receives the award is eligible to apply again in subsequent years.

(4) The purple star award shall be awarded every two years, beginning in 2023.

(5) For the purposes of this section, "the state council" means the state council created under RCW 28A.705.010, article VIII of the interstate compact on educational opportunity for military children.

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