BILL REQ. #:  H-1204.1 

Read first time 02/15/2005.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to recognizing the value of parent and family involvement in the academic success of children by removing barriers to admission into alternative publicly funded classrooms; amending RCW 28A.320.140; adding new sections 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 Article IX of the Washington state Constitution provides that, "It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex" and that "The legislature shall provide for a general and uniform system of public schools." The legislature finds that children have different learning styles and needs and that parent and family involvement in educational activities is critical to the academic achievement of children and crucial to the success of all K-12 educational programs. Families have the right and responsibility to be active partners and participants in the education of their children based on the needs of each child. Although the value of parent and family involvement in educational activities is without question, certain barriers to parent and family participation in school activities exist, including, but not limited to, work schedules, illness, disabilities, poverty, limited English proficiency, lack of transportation, cultural differences, lack of child care, and incarceration. Written contracts and verbal expectations mandating parent and family participation in school activities create unfair barriers to program admission for many students who would otherwise benefit from a diversity of educational opportunities. Most of these barriers are economic in nature, preventing many parents and families with lower incomes from participating in certain alternative educational programs.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:
     Traditional and alternative educational opportunities shall be made available to students on a general, uniform, and equal basis. Schools shall not create barriers to admission for students who would otherwise benefit from traditional or alternative educational opportunities. The admission criteria for any traditional or alternative common school program shall not include any written or verbal requirement or expectation that parents or family members must volunteer or participate in school activities for a child to attend the program. Parent and family involvement in school programs and activities shall be valued and encouraged but not required for school or program admission. A child shall not be denied admission into any traditional or alternative classroom because of disabilities caused by a family's economic or social status, including the inability or unwillingness of a parent or family member to volunteer, provide transportation, or participate in school activities. Traditional and alternative common school programs shall be free of tuition whether required in the form of dollars or hours of labor.

Sec. 3   RCW 28A.320.140 and 1997 c 266 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) School district boards of directors may establish schools or programs which parents may choose for their children to attend in which: (a) Students are required to conform to dress and grooming codes, including requiring that students wear uniforms; (b) parents are ((required)) regularly encouraged to participate in the student's education; or (c) discipline requirements are more stringent than in other schools in the district.
     (2) School district boards of directors may establish schools or programs in which: (a) Students are required to conform to dress and grooming codes, including requiring that students wear uniforms; (b) parents are regularly ((counseled and)) encouraged to participate in the student's education; or (c) discipline requirements are more stringent than in other schools in the district. School boards may require that students who are subject to suspension or expulsion attend these schools or programs as a condition of continued enrollment in the school district.
     (3) If students are required to wear uniforms in these programs or schools, school districts shall accommodate students so that the uniform requirement is not an unfair barrier to school attendance and participation.
     (4) Nothing in this section impairs or reduces in any manner whatsoever the authority of a board under other law to impose a dress and appearance code. However, if a board requires uniforms under such other authority, it shall accommodate students so that the uniform requirement is not an unfair barrier to school attendance and participation.
     (5) School district boards of directors may adopt dress and grooming code policies which prohibit students from wearing gang-related apparel. If a dress and grooming code policy contains this provision, the school board must also establish policies to notify students and parents of what clothing and apparel is considered to be gang-related apparel. This notice must precede any disciplinary action resulting from a student wearing gang-related apparel.
     (6) School district boards of directors may not adopt a dress and grooming code policy which precludes students who participate in nationally recognized youth organizations from wearing organization uniforms on days that the organization has a scheduled activity or prohibit students from wearing clothing in observance of their religion.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:
     Acceptance to a traditional or alternative school program shall not be determined by parents or family members of participants in traditional or alternative school programs.