WSR 17-17-044

INTERPRETIVE OR POLICY STATEMENT

[Filed August 10, 2017, 10:53 a.m.]

Background and Summary: The Washington state board of health (board) has authority and responsibility under RCW 28A.210.020 to write rules for school-based vision screening. Prior to July 1, 2017, chapter 246-760 WAC, Auditory and visual standards—School districts, required schools to conduct central distance vision acuity and was silent with regard to screening for any other vision problems. On August 24, 2011 the board filed an interpretive statement, SBOH11-01, Permissibility of screening school children for vision acuity using procedures in addition to the Snellen eye chart test for distance acuity (WSR 11-18-002), with the office of the code reviser. The interpretive statement clarified that RCW 28A.210.020 does not prohibit schools from offering "voluntary screening for vision problems other than distance vision acuity."

On November 9, 2016, the board adopted amendments to the vision screening rule and filed the CR-103 on January 4, 2017, as WSR 17-03-009. This rule update included converting the interpretive statement into rule by adding rule language to WAC 246-760-020 to clarify that:

(2) If resources are available, a school may:

(a) Expand vision screening to any other grade;

(b) Conduct other optional vision screenings at any grade using evidence-based screening tools and techniques; or

(c) Expand vision screening to other grades and conduct optional vision screenings as outlined in (a) and (b) of this subsection.

The new rule language went into effect on July 1, 2017. As a result the interpretive statement is no longer needed. The board adopted a motion to rescind interpretive statement SBOH11-01 on August 9, 2017.

Staff Contact: Sierra Rotakhina, MPH, Health Policy Advisor, Washington State Board of Health, P.O. Box 47990, Olympia, WA 98504-7990, office 360-236-4106, fax 236-4088, sierra.rotakhina@sboh.wa.gov.