H-3646.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2143

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By Representatives Beeksma, Smith, Hymes, Backlund, Goldsmith, Thompson, McMorris, Johnson, Mastin, Mulliken, D. Sommers, Koster, D. Schmidt and Hargrove

Read first time 01/08/96.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Requiring a process for children who have received home-based instruction to receive a high school diploma.

     AN ACT Relating to diplomas for children who receive home-based instruction; adding a new section to chapter 28A.200 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.80 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.200 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The state board of education, in consultation with parents who provide home-based instruction and school district personnel, shall establish a process by which children who have received home-based instruction may receive a high school diploma issued by a school district or the state board of education.  The process shall be established by the state board before February 1, 1997, for initial implementation in the 1997-98 school year.

     (2) To receive a diploma under this section, a student who has received home-based instruction shall:

     (a) Submit evidence that he or she has met the minimum state high school graduation requirements established by the state board;

     (b) Submit the annual academic progress assessments required in RCW 28A.200.010(2) or test scores from a standardized achievement test administered in accordance with RCW 28A.200.010(3) for the prior four years;

     (c) Submit evidence that other requirements in RCW 28A.225.010(4) were met during the period in which home-based instruction was provided; and

     (d) Meet other reasonable requirements established by the state board of education.

     (3) A diploma shall be issued to a child who has received home-based instruction if the child has reasonably demonstrated, as determined by rules established by the state board of education, that he or she has met the minimum state graduation requirements and complied with this chapter.  Competency testing may be used in lieu of meeting graduation requirements for specific courses.  In addition, the use of applied vocational and technical courses and experiences shall be recognized to determine whether graduation requirements have been met.

     (4) Individual school districts shall not be required to issue diplomas to children who have received home-based instruction pursuant to subsections (1) through (3) of this section.

     (5) In addition to the diplomas issued under subsections (1) through (3) of this section, children who have received home-based instruction who earn an associate of arts degree through the high school options program in RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.400 shall, upon request, be awarded a diploma issued by the state board of education or the school district in which the child's declaration of intent is filed.

     (6) School districts and the state board of education may not charge parents or children for the review process or for issuance of a diploma under this section.

     (7)  The state board of education shall not require children who have received home-based instruction to obtain a diploma.

     (8) The issuance of diplomas in accordance with this section does not preclude the issuance of diplomas by approved private schools to children who receive home-based instruction.

     (9) The state board of education shall develop rules to implement this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. By February 1, 1997, the state board of education shall recommend to the appropriate committees of the legislature a method for reimbursing school districts and the state board of education for the cost associated with reviewing submitted information and issuing home-based instruction diplomas under section 1 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

     The admission standards for four-year institutions established pursuant to RCW 28B.80.350(2) shall not require that children who have received home-based instruction have a diploma or transcript for admission.  However, these colleges and universities may require a portfolio of student work or other information regarding the child's prior academic studies.

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