H-1771.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2056

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Mason, Tokuda, Wolfe, Dunn, Johnson, Bush, Backlund, B. Thomas, Smith, Cooke, Skinner and Lantz

Read first time 02/18/97.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Authorizing educational grants to parents or guardians of home-schooled children.

    AN ACT Relating to educational grants; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.200 RCW.

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:

    In support of the tremendous sacrifices and contributions made by the parents, guardians, or custodians of a child subject to this section; to formally recognize the state's prior legislative delegation of the responsibility to educate children to those conducting home-based instruction; to redirect education funding to local levels; to encourage educational competition and diversity; and to reduce the costs of state education bureaucracy and administration, the state establishes educational grants, to be administered as follows:

    (1) The parents, guardians, or custodian of a child subject to this section must file at the end of each school year with the public school district superintendent who holds the declaration of intent to conduct home-based instruction, a statement certifying that the child successfully completed that school year, or portion thereof, under home-based instruction that is free from sectarian control or influence.

    (2) The public school district superintendent, based on the certification of subsection (1) of this section, shall, within thirty days of receipt of the certification, request the state treasurer to pay to the parents, guardians, or custodian of each certified child five percent of the average amount spent by the state toward the education of each child enrolled in state public schools during the same school year.

    (3) The state treasurer, based on the request for payment under subsection (2) of this section, shall, within thirty days of receipt of the request, pay those amounts to the parents, guardians, or custodian so identified by the public school district superintendent.

    (4) Education grants under this section shall be awarded year-to-year for each certified child completing each year of home-based instruction, or portion thereof, from kindergarten through twelfth grade that is free from sectarian control or influence, beginning with the 1997-98 school year.

    (5) Participation by parents, guardians, or custodians in these education grants is voluntary, and those not participating are exempt from the certification and documentation requirements in subsection (1) of this section and any state audits.

    (6) A home school is presumed to be free from sectarian control or influence based on the certification of subsection (1) of this section, and only minimum state controls may be used to implement this section.  Nothing in this section may be construed as authorizing home visits, curriculum, or student or instructor examinations by state employees, or increasing state controls of any state agency or employee over any parent, guardian, custodian, or child.

    (7) The certification and documentation procedures in subsection (1) of this section, absent evidence of criminality, constitute the sole basis of state audits of grants in this section.

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