2816-S.E AMS HUNT S7495.1
ESHB 2816 - S AMD 1245
By Senator Hunt
PULLED 03/06/2020
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. The legislature finds that each school community member should be treated with dignity, should have the opportunity to learn, work, interact, and socialize in physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe, respectful, and positive school environments, and should have the opportunity to experience high quality relationships. The legislature recognizes that schools have the responsibility to promote conditions designed to create, maintain, and nurture a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate. Therefore, the legislature intends to require the Washington state school directors' association to develop a model policy and procedure for nurturing a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate for all students. The legislature intends to require school districts to adopt elements of the model policy and procedure that protect the integrity of learning environments and allow school districts to adopt other elements of the model.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.345 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The Washington state school directors' association shall develop a model policy and procedure for nurturing a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate. The goal of the policy and procedure is to support and promote school and school district action plans that create, maintain, and nurture physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe, respectful, and positive school and classroom environments that foster equitable, ethical, social, emotional, and academic education for all students. The association shall update the model policy and procedure periodically to align with the work of the social-emotional learning committee created under RCW 28A.300.477.
(2) The model policy and procedure must include the following elements:
(a) Recognize that there is not one best way to create, maintain, and nurture a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate and consider each school's history, strengths, needs, and goals;
(b) Define and describe the essential elements of a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate, which must align with the social-emotional learning standards and benchmarks adopted by the office of the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.300.478;
(c) Recognize the important role that students' families plan in collaborating with the school and school district in creating, maintaining, and nurturing a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate;
(d) Recognize that a positive school and classroom climate is one in which students, educators, and staff feel safe, welcome, supported, and connected through the protection of the integrity of learning environments; and
(e) Describe a framework for an effective and informed positive social and emotional school and classroom climate improvement process that includes a continuous cycle of planning and preparation, evaluation, action planning, and implementation.
(3)(a) The model policy and procedure must also protect the integrity of learning environments with the following elements:
(i) School districts must provide information to the parents and guardians of enrolled students regarding students' rights to a free public education, regardless of immigration status or religious beliefs. School districts must provide meaningful access to this information for families with limited English proficiency.
(ii) Except as required by state or federal law or as required to administer a state or federally supported educational program, school district officials and employees may not collect information or documents regarding the citizenship or immigration status of students or their family members.
(iii) When a federal immigration officer or law enforcement officer working on behalf of a federal immigration agency requests information or access to school grounds, principals and other school administrators must direct the officer to the school district superintendent or the superintendent's designee. The superintendent, or the superintendent's designee, may only provide information or access to the officer after the officer presents a dated, signed judicial warrant. Following the officer's request for information or access, the superintendent, or the superintendent's designee, must report the request for information or access to the school board of directors in a timely manner and in a manner that ensures the confidentiality and privacy of any potentially identifying information.
(iv) A school district may include information from a student's education record in the student information directory only after the parent or guardian of the enrolled student has provided prior written consent to include the information.
(b) The elements described in this subsection (3) may be included in a separate model policy and procedure.
(4) In developing the model policy and procedure described in subsection (1) of this section, the Washington state school directors' association must:
(a) Consult with staff at the office of the superintendent of public instruction and organizations with expertise in social and emotional health and in equity, race, and inclusive learning environments;
(b) Work with the social-emotional learning committee created under RCW 28A.300.477 to align the climate improvement framework with the statewide framework for social-emotional learning;
(c) Consider the relationship between the model policy and procedure and policies related to student behaviors and student discipline; and
(d) Review research on, and examples of effective implementation of, restorative practices, collaborative and proactive practices, trauma-sensitive and trauma-informed practices, classroom management, and other topics related to the goal of the policy as identified in subsection (1) of this section.
(5) The model policy and procedure developed under subsection (1) of this section must be posted publicly on the Washington state school directors' association's web site by March 1, 2021. Updates to the model policy and procedure must be posted publicly within a reasonable time of development.
(6)(a) By the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, each school district must adopt or amend if necessary policies and procedures that, at a minimum, incorporate all the elements described in subsection (3) of this section. School districts must periodically review their policies and procedures for consistency with updated versions of the model policy.
(b) By the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, each school district may adopt or amend if necessary policies and procedures that incorporate the elements described in subsection (2) of this section. School districts may periodically review their policies and procedures for consistency with updated versions of the model policy."
ESHB 2816 - S AMD 1245
By Senator Hunt
PULLED 03/06/2020
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "climates;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "adding a new section to chapter 28A.345 RCW; and creating a new section."
EFFECT: Allows, instead of requires, school districts to adopt and periodically review a policy and procedure for promoting a positive school and classroom climate consistent with a model policy. Requires school districts to adopt policy elements relating to protecting the integrity of the learning environment, such including: (a) Requiring school employees to direct law enforcement officers to the district's superintendent if an officer requests immigration information or access to school grounds; (b) prohibiting superintendents from disclosing immigration information or providing school access except when the officer presents a dated, signed judicial warrant; and (c) prohibiting school districts from including information from a student's educational record in a student information directory without prior consent from a parent or guardian.
--- END ---