Title: An act relating to allowing certificated and classified school employees' children with disabilities to enroll in the district where the employee is assigned.

Brief Description: Allowing school employees' children with disabilities to enroll in special services programs in the district where the employee is assigned.

Sponsors: Representatives Wallace, Skinner, Kagi, Hankins, Roberts, Chase, Kenney, Moeller, Simpson and Santos.

Brief History: Passed House: 3/08/07, 96-0.

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 2/25/08, 2/27/08 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Tom, Vice Chair; King, Ranking Minority Member; Brandland, Eide, Hobbs, Holmquist, Kauffman, McDermott, Oemig and Rasmussen.

Staff: Kimberly Cushing (786-7421)

Background: Generally, a public school student must attend school in the district where he or she lives. However, a student may apply for: (1) an intradistrict transfer to attend a different school within the same district, as a resident; or (2) an interdistrict transfer to attend a school outside of the district where he or she lives, as a nonresident. School districts are required to have policies for accepting or rejecting applications.

Under current Washington law, school districts must accept intradistrict and interdistrict applications from students who are children of full-time certificated or classified school employees. Such students may enroll at the school where the employee works or at a school forming the district's K through 12 continuum which includes the school where the employee works. Districts may reject applications from nonresident children of district employees because of prior discipline or behavioral problems or if enrollment would displace a child who is a resident of the district.

Each school district is required to provide education for all children with disabilities between the ages of three and 21. By September 1, 2009, each school district is required to provide or contract for early intervention services for all eligible children with disabilities from birth to age three.

Summary of Bill: A school district must allow the children of full-time certificated and classified school employees to enroll at a school in the district that provides early intervention or preschool services for special education students, so long as the student is eligible for such services. This requirement applies for both resident and nonresident students. A district may refuse enrollment of a nonresident student because of prior discipline problems or because it would displace a resident student.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: It was assumed the current law would cover all ages. Teachers, who choose to have their children transfered to the district where they work, tend to keep their children in that district for the full twelve years.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Barbara Braskett, Lucinda Young, Washington Education Association.