S-0529.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5168

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators McAuliffe, Quigley, Fairley, Drew, Haugen, Bauer and Pelz

Read first time 01/13/95.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Requiring student records to be sent from private schools to public schools for students transferring from private to public schools.

    AN ACT Relating to student records for students transferring from private to public schools; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.195 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.195 RCW to read as follows:

    (1)(a) If a private school student transfers to a public school, the private school shall send the student's permanent records, including records of disciplinary action, to the public school within two days of receiving the public school's request for the student's records.

    (b) If the student has not paid a fine or fee under RCW 28A.635.060, the school may withhold the student's official transcript, but shall transmit information about the student's academic performance, special placement, and records of disciplinary action.  If the official transcript is not sent due to unpaid fees or fines, the enrolling public school shall notify both the student and parent or guardian that the official transcript will not be sent until the obligation is met, and failure to have an official transcript may result in exclusion from extracurricular activities or failure to graduate.

    (2) Any private school employee who releases the information in compliance with this section is immune from civil liability for damages unless it is shown that the private school employee acted with gross negligence or in bad faith.

    (3) If a private school fails to comply with this section, the private school shall lose its approval status for the remainder of the school year or until the private school complies with this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

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