BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to high school graduation requirements; amending RCW 28A.230.090; adding a new section to chapter 28A.320 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that students gain learning experiences through many activities selected by students and parents outside the classroom environment. The legislature finds that recognizing the value of these educational activities through awarding high school physical education and elective credits for participation in these activities will help encourage parental involvement in their children=s education, improve student learning through encouraging students to take advantage of a broader variety of educational opportunities, and provide students with the time to take additional academic courses during the school day.

Sec. 2. RCW 28A.230.090 and 1993 c 371 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The state board of education shall establish high school graduation requirements or equivalencies for students. Any course in Washington state history and government used to fulfill high school graduation requirements is encouraged to include information on the culture, history, and government of the American Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state.

(2) In recognition of the statutory authority of the state board of education to establish and enforce minimum high school graduation requirements, the state board shall periodically reevaluate the graduation requirements and shall report such findings to the legislature in a timely manner as determined by the state board.

(3) Pursuant to any requirement for instruction in languages other than English established by the state board of education or a local school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation, students who receive instruction in American sign language or one or more American Indian languages shall be considered to have satisfied the state or local school district graduation requirement for instruction in one or more languages other than English.

(4) The state board of education shall provide by rule for high school credit equivalencies for physical education and elective requirements for educational experiences selected by parents and students consistent with policies adopted by local school boards under section 3 of this act.

(5) If requested by the student and his or her family, a student who has completed high school courses before attending high school shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements if:

(a) The course was taken with high school students, if the academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes, and the student has successfully passed by completing the same course requirements and examinations as the high school students enrolled in the class; or

(b) The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course offered at a high school in the district as determined by the school district board of directors.

((~~(5)~~)) (6) Students who have taken and successfully completed high school courses under the circumstances in subsection ((~~(4)~~)) (5) of this section shall not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform any other additional assignment to receive credit. Subsection ((~~(4)~~)) (5) of this section shall also apply to students enrolled in high school on April 11, 1990, who took the courses before attending high school.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:

A school district board of directors shall grant high school credit for certain educational experiences selected by parents and students consistent with the policies adopted by the school board. By September 1997, each school district board of directors shall adopt a policy granting high school credit for certain educational experiences selected by students or parents. The policy shall describe the number of credits granted and the equivalencies for the district=s current high school graduation requirements for electives and physical education. Experiences qualifying for educational credit shall include but not be limited to activities under the supervision of the Washington interscholastic activities association or other nonprofit voluntary entity responsible for interschool extracurricular activities; other activities approved by the school board and recognized by regional organizations; and other activities approved by the school board.