H-0429.2

HOUSE BILL 1346

ByRepresentatives Shavers, Berry, Couture, Leavitt, Morgan, Simmons, Timmons, Lekanoff, Paul, and Donaghy

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

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 school districts that show a commitment to students and families connected to the nation's military. School districts that earn the award will receive a special purple star recognition to display on site. The office of the superintendent of public instruction may collaborate with a state agency or nonprofit organization that has experience serving the needs of a diverse K-12 population to establish and administer the award. A school district must be considered 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 district must complete the following required activities to be considered to receive the purple star award:

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

(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 district maintains a dedicated page on its website featuring resources for military families.

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

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

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

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

(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must make available on its website:

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

(c) The criteria being used to review the applications received and determine which school districts receive the award.

(3) The purple star award shall be awarded every two years, beginning in 2024.

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