H-4261              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1831

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives Nealey, Betrozoff, Rasmussen, Ebersole, Doty, Prince, Rayburn, Grant, Holm, Ballard, Fuhrman, Allen, Moyer, Lewis and Holland

Read first time 1/27/88 and referred to Committee on Education.

AN ACT Relating to education; and amending RCW 28A.57.055.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 28A.57.055, chapter 223, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as amended by section 10, chapter 385, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28A.57.055 are each amended to read as follows:

          Each regional committee, in carrying out the purposes of RCW 28A.57.050, shall base its judgment and recommendations, if any, to the state board of education, upon such standards and considerations as are established by the state board of education pursuant to chapter 34.04 RCW for the preparation of recommended changes in the organization and extent of school districts and terms of adjustment as provided for in RCW 28A.57.050.  Such rules and regulations shall provide for giving consideration:  (1) To equalization of the educational opportunities of pupils and to economies in the administration and operation of schools through the formation of larger units of administration and areas of attendance; (2) to equalization among school districts of the tax burden for general fund and capital purposes through a reduction in disparities in per-pupil valuation; (3) to geographical and other features, including, but not limited to such physical characteristics as mountains, lakes and rivers, waste land, climatic conditions, highways, and means of transportation; (4) to the convenience and welfare of pupils, including but not limited to remoteness or isolation of their places of residence and time required to travel to and from school and emotional and physical welfare of the student; (5) to improvement of the educational opportunities of pupils through improvement and extension of school programs and through better instruction facilities, equipment, materials, libraries, and health and other services; (6) to equalization of the burden of financing the cost of high school facilities through extension of the boundaries of high school districts to include within each such district all of the territory served by the high school located therein:  PROVIDED, That a nonhigh school district may be excluded from a plan if such district is found by the regional committee and the state board to be so situated with respect to location, present and clearly foreseeable future population, and other pertinent factors as to warrant the establishment and operation of a high school therein or the inclusion of its territory in a new district formed for the purpose of establishing and operating a high school; (7) to the future effective utilization of existing satisfactory school buildings, sites, and playfields; the adequacy of such facilities located in the proposed new district; and additional facilities required if such proposed district is formed; and (8) to any other matters which in the judgment of the state board of education are related to or may operate to further equalization and improvement of school facilities and services, economies in operating and capital fund expenditures, and equalization among school districts of tax rates for school purposes.  The highest consideration shall be given to subsections (1) and (4) of this section.