Z-1381.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2683

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Representatives G. Cole, Neher and G. Fisher; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Read first time 01/23/92.  Referred to Committee on Education.Defining student for purposes of student transportation allocations.

     AN ACT Relating to student transportation allocations; and amending RCW 28A.160.160.

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

     Sec. 1.  RCW 28A.160.160 and 1990 c 33 s 142 are each amended to read as follows:

     For purposes of RCW 28A.160.150 through 28A.160.190, except where the context shall clearly indicate otherwise, the following definitions apply:

     (1) "Eligible student" means any student served by the transportation program of a school district or compensated for individual transportation arrangements authorized by RCW 28A.160.030 whose route stop is more than one radius mile from the student's school, except if the student to be transported:  (a) Is handicapped under RCW 28A.155.020 and is either not ambulatory or not capable of protecting his or her own welfare while traveling to or from the school or agency where special education services are provided, in which case no mileage distance restriction applies; or (b) qualifies for an exemption due to hazardous walking conditions.

     (2) "Student" means a child enrolled in school district programs as follows:

(a) Basic education as defined in chapter 28A.150 RCW;

(b) Special education as defined in chapter 28A.155 RCW;

(c) Bilingual education as defined in chapter 28A.180 RCW;

(d) Gifted education as defined in chapter 28A.185 RCW;

(e) Early childhood education as defined in RCW 28A.215.100 through 28A.215.200; and

(f) Federal headstart.

(3) "Superintendent" means the superintendent of public instruction.

     (((3))) (4) "To and from school" means the transportation of students for the following purposes:

     (a) Transportation to and from route stops and schools;

     (b) Transportation to and from schools pursuant to an interdistrict agreement pursuant to RCW 28A.335.160;

     (c) Transportation of students between schools and learning centers for instruction specifically required by statute; and

     (d) Transportation of handicapped students to and from schools and agencies for special education services.

     Extended day transportation shall not be considered part of transportation of students "to and from school" for the purposes of this 1983 act.

     (((4))) (5) "Hazardous walking conditions" means those instances of the existence of dangerous walkways documented by the board of directors of a school district which meet criteria specified in rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction.  A school district that receives an exemption for hazardous walking conditions should demonstrate that good faith efforts are being made to alleviate the problem and that the district, in cooperation with other state and local governing authorities, is attempting to reduce the incidence of hazardous walking conditions.  The superintendent of public instruction shall appoint an advisory committee to prepare guidelines and procedures for determining the existence of hazardous walking conditions.  The committee shall include but not be limited to representatives from law enforcement agencies, school districts, the department of transportation, city and county government, the insurance industry, parents, school directors and legislators.