[Filed August 24, 2022, 9:28 a.m.]

Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 22-06-098.

Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Chapter 392-210 WAC, Washington state honors award program.

Hearing Location(s): On October 4, 2022, at 2:00 p.m., webinar via Zoom (call-in option also available). Participation link available on office of superintendent of public instruction (OSPI) website k12.wa.us/policy-funding/ospirulemaking-activity. Due to ongoing public health emergency related to the COVID-19 virus pandemic, this public hearing will be held by webinar via Zoom (with a call-in option). For information on participating, please visit OSPI's website at k12.wa.us/policy-funding/ospi-rulemaking-activity. For questions, please email kristin.murphy@k12.wa.us.

Date of Intended Adoption: October 10, 2022.

Submit Written Comments to: Tony May, OSPI, P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, WA 98504, email tony.may@k12.wa.us, by October 4, 2022.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Kristin Murphy, OSPI rules coordinator, phone 360-725-6133, TTY 360-664-3631, email kristin.murphy@k12.wa.us, by September 27, 2022.

Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: OSPI is proposing amendments to the process and procedures concerning the administration of the Washington state honors awards program, including:

Updating the process by which students are identified as being eligible for the award.

Expanding testing and assessment options to be considered for qualification of the award.

Updating processes concerning notifications and award certificates.

Repealing sections in which requirements identified in those sections are already stated in RCW or WAC.

Reasons Supporting Proposal: Updating process and procedures are intended to streamline the administration of the honors awards program for school districts and OSPI. In addition, expanding testing and assessment options is needed to allow for assessments in addition to the SAT and ACT to be considered as part of the qualification process. Some students, who would otherwise be eligible for the award, are not taking the SAT or ACT since some institutions of higher education are no longer requiring the tests as part of the admission consideration process. In addition, for some students, access and local availability of these tests have been challenging especially in recent years. Expanding options allows for a more equitable process, in particular for students with limited local access or financial resources.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 28A.600.070.

Statute Being Implemented: RCW 28A.600.050 through [28A.600].080.

Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting and Implementation: Tony May, OSPI, 600 South Washington Street, Olympia, WA, 360-972-4047.

A school district fiscal impact statement is not required under RCW 28A.305.135.

A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328.

This rule proposal, or portions of the proposal, is exempt from requirements of the Regulatory Fairness Act because the proposal:

Is exempt under RCW 19.85.025(4).

Is exempt under RCW 19.85.030.

Explanation of exemptions: No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. The proposed amendment does not have an impact on small business and therefore does not meet the requirements for a statement under RCW 19.85.030 (1) or (2).

Scope of exemption for rule proposal:

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 06-23-014, filed 11/3/06, effective 12/4/06)

WAC 392-210-015Criteria for the selection of Washington state honors award students.

The Washington state honors award program shall recognize the top ten percent of the students in the state in each year's public and private high school graduating class who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement. Outstanding academic achievement shall be determined by the following criteria:

(1) ((An academic achievement index based upon a combination of the combined))The office of superintendent of public instruction shall identify the top ten percent of students in the state using the cumulative high school grade point average (calculated as provided in WAC 180-57-055) ((in))including, but not limited to, the academic core subjects of English, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and languages other than English which may include American Indian languages ((and the combined verbal and quantitative composite scores on));

(2) For students with a grade point average (GPA) in the top ten percent in the state, high schools shall use at least one of the assessments available for students, which can include the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) ((or)), the American College Test (ACT), the statewide English language arts and mathematics assessments, or local assessments to evaluate students' academic achievement;

(((2) Credits (as defined in WAC 180-51-050) earned in grades nine through twelve in the academic core subjects of English, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and foreign language;))

(3) Completion of at least seventy-five percent of the graduation requirements for the high school in which the candidate is enrolled; and

(4) Enrollment in at least three academic core subjects in grade twelve.

((In order to be considered for a Washington honors award, students must have taken the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT) prior to January 31 of the year of graduation and be enrolled in a participating high school as indicated by the principal on forms provided by the superintendent of public instruction.))

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 06-23-014, filed 11/3/06, effective 12/4/06)

WAC 392-210-020((Determination of))Identification of students for the Washington state honors award ((academic achievement index)).

((The superintendent of public instruction shall calculate the academic achievement index based upon an equivalent numeric weighting of the combined high school grade point average in academic core subjects and the combined verbal and quantitative composite scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). The superintendent of public instruction shall determine the top ten percent of each year's graduating class based upon a ranking of all participating students on the academic achievement index.))All participating high schools shall use the eligibility criteria to identify the qualifying students for the award on or before the date provided by the superintendent of public instruction.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 06-23-014, filed 11/3/06, effective 12/4/06)

WAC 392-210-035Notification of students eligible for honors award.

Commencing with the ninth grade, and each year thereafter, each participating high school shall provide each enrolled student with a copy of the eligibility criteria for the Washington state honors award. ((The superintendent of public instruction shall provide schools with a suggested format that may be used to notify students.))

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 06-23-014, filed 11/3/06, effective 12/4/06)

WAC 392-210-045Washington honors award certificate.

The superintendent of public instruction shall prepare annually for each honors award recipient a suitable ((printed)) certificate which shall describe the purposes of the award, indicate the year in which the award was given, and be signed by the superintendent of public instruction. The certificate for each honors award recipient shall be delivered to the participating high school principal on or before May 30 of each school year. ((Each participating principal shall provide for issuing the certificate to each recipient at the regular high school commencement or other appropriate time prior to high school commencement.))

The following sections of the Washington Administrative Code are repealed:

Credits earned in academic core subjects.

Enrollment in academic core subjects during grade twelve required.

Notification of Washington honors award recipients.

WAC 392-210-025	Credits earned in academic core subjects.
WAC 392-210-030	Enrollment in academic core subjects during grade twelve required.
WAC 392-210-040	Notification of Washington honors award recipients.