BySenate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Liias, Holy, Mullet, Lovick, and C. Wilson)

AN ACT Relating to improving equity in the transfer of student data between K-12 schools and institutions of higher education; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.150 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Institutions of higher education must enter into data-sharing agreements with the office of the superintendent of public instruction to facilitate the transfer of high school student directory information collected under section 2 of this act for the purposes of informing Washington high school students of postsecondary educational opportunities available in the state.

(2) Data-sharing agreements entered into under this section must provide for the sharing of student enrollment and outcome information from institutions of higher education to the office of the superintendent of public instruction. To the extent possible, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall transmit student enrollment information to the enrolled students' host districts for the current year.

(3)(a) Data-sharing agreements entered into by a community college or technical college as defined in RCW 28B.50.030 are limited to informing Washington high school students of postsecondary educational opportunities available within a college's service district as enumerated in RCW 28B.50.040.

(b) The state board for community and technical colleges may coordinate with all of the community and technical colleges to develop a single data-sharing agreement between the community and technical colleges and the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) In accordance with the federal elementary and secondary education act of 1965, as amended (115 Stat. 1983, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 7908), school districts that operate a high school shall annually transmit directory information of all enrolled high school students to the office of the superintendent of public instruction by November 1st.

(b) For the purposes of this section, "directory information" has the same meaning as in 34 C.F.R. Sec. 99.3 (2011) and includes names, addresses, email addresses of students and legal guardians, and telephone numbers of students and legal guardians.

(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must hold the high school student directory information collected under this section and make the information available for institutions of higher education, as defined under RCW 28B.10.016.

(3) By no later than the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall identify a process for making information on a student's enrollment in an institution of higher education available to the student's school district.

(4) In transmitting student information under this section, school districts must comply with the consent procedures under RCW 28A.605.030, the federal family educational and privacy rights act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g), and all applicable rules and regulations.

(5) The student directory information data collected under this section is solely for the following purposes:

(a) College awareness and admissions at institutions of higher education, as defined under RCW 28B.10.016; and

(b) Providing enrollment and outcome information to the office of the superintendent of public instruction and to school districts related to students from their respective school district under subsection (3) of this section.