BILL REQ. #:  S-3301.1 

Read first time 01/15/14.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to adoption of high school academic acceleration policies; and amending RCW 28A.320.195.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.320.195 and 2013 c 184 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) By September 1, 2014, each school district board of directors ((is encouraged to)) must adopt an academic acceleration policy for high school students as provided under this section.
     (2) Under an academic acceleration policy:
     (a) The district automatically enrolls any student who meets the state standard on the high school statewide student assessment in the next most rigorous level of advanced courses offered by the high school. Students who successfully complete such an advanced course are then enrolled in the next most rigorous level of advanced course, with the objective that students will eventually be automatically enrolled in courses that offer the opportunity to earn dual credit for high school and college.
     (b) The subject matter of the advanced courses in which the student is automatically enrolled depends on the content area or areas of the statewide student assessment where the student has met the state standard. Students who meet the state standard on both end-of-course mathematics assessments are considered to have met the state standard for high school mathematics. Students who meet the state standard in both reading and writing are eligible for enrollment in advanced courses in English, social studies, humanities, and other related subjects.
     (c) The district must notify students and parents or guardians regarding the academic acceleration policy and the advanced courses available to students.
     (d) The district must provide a parent or guardian with an opportunity to opt out of the academic acceleration policy and enroll a student in an alternative course.