S-0595.1/91 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5291
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Senators Erwin, Bailey, Rinehart, Talmadge, Oke, Pelz, Johnson, A. Smith, Murray and Bauer.
Read first time January 28, 1991. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to low-income students; amending RCW 28A.320.500; adding new sections to chapter 28A.600 RCW; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 28A.320.500 and 1990 c 33 s 339 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Every school district board of directors is authorized to establish and operate summer and/or other student vacation period programs and to assess such tuition and special fees as it deems necessary to offset the maintenance and operation costs of such programs in whole or part. The district shall adopt policies for waiving or reducing any such tuition or fees in the cases of students whose families, by reason of their low incomes, would have difficulty paying the entire amount of the tuition or fees. The policies shall provide, at a minimum, that any tuition or fees shall be waived for students whose family income is at or below one hundred eight-five percent of the federal poverty line.
(2) A summer and/or other student vacation period program may consist of such courses and activities as the school district board shall determine to be appropriate: PROVIDED, That such courses and activities shall not conflict with the provisions of RCW 28A.305.130. Attendance shall be voluntary.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Every school district board of directors shall adopt a written policy stating that school supplies necessary for the completion of required course work shall be provided by the district free of charge to students whose family income is at or below the federal poverty line. This section shall not apply to elective classes or extracurricular activities.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Every school district board of directors shall annually notify all students' parents or guardians of the availability of free school supplies and waivers and reductions of school program fees for students whose families qualify due to low income.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The superintendent of public instruction shall, from funds appropriated for this purpose, grant funds to school districts to cover all or part of the cost of summer school tuition and fee waivers provided under RCW 28A.320.500. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt guidelines for the distribution of the grant funds. The guidelines shall give priority to districts in which a high percentage of students are eligible for free and reduced price lunch under the federal school lunch program.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.600 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The sum of four hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of section 4 of this act.