AN ACT Relating to the educational success of youth who are homeless or in foster care; and amending RCW 28A.320.192.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 28A.320.192 and 2012 c 163 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In order to eliminate barriers and facilitate the on-time grade level progression and graduation of students who are homeless as described in RCW 28A.300.542 or dependent pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW, school districts must incorporate the ((following)) procedures((:)) in this section.

(((1))) (2) School districts must waive specific courses required for graduation if similar coursework has been satisfactorily completed in another school district or must provide reasonable justification for denial. Should a waiver not be granted to a student who would qualify to graduate from the sending school district, the receiving school district must ((use best efforts to)) provide an alternative means of acquiring required coursework so that graduation may occur on time.

(((2))) (3) School districts ((are encouraged to)) must consolidate partial credit, unresolved, or incomplete coursework and provide opportunities for credit accrual ((through local classroom hours, correspondence courses, or the portable assisted study sequence units designed for migrant high school students)) in a manner that eliminates academic and nonacademic barriers for the student.

(4) For students who have been unable to complete an academic course and receive full credit due to withdrawal or transfer, school districts must grant partial credit for coursework completed before the date of withdrawal or transfer and the receiving school must accept those credits, apply them to the student's academic progress or graduation or both, and allow the student to earn credits regardless of the student's date of enrollment in the receiving school.

(((3))) (5) Should a student who is transferring at the beginning or during the student's junior or senior year be ineligible to graduate from the receiving school district after all alternatives have been considered, the sending and receiving districts must ensure the receipt of a diploma from the sending district if the student meets the graduation requirements of the sending district.

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