HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1156

BYRepresentatives Holland, Schoon, Horn, Rasmussen and May

Clarifying provisions relating to eighteen year old high school students' residence for the purpose of school assignment.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Cole, Holland, Horn, Jones, P. King, Phillips, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Schoon, Valle and K. Wilson.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (4)

      Signed by Representatives Betrozoff, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Rayburn and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 13, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In a recent court case a student, on turning eighteen during the school year, elected to move from his parents' home and get an apartment.  The apartment was within the attendance area of another high school.  The student enrolled in the new attendance area.  The school district objected saying that the school had the authority to determine which school a person shall attend.  The student filed suit and a judge ruled that, because the student was eighteen and an adult, he had the right to choose where he lived.  Since the district had no policy in place, the residence of the student controls and he must be enrolled in the new school.

SUMMARY:

If a student reaches the age of eighteen during the school year and the student is enrolled in school for that year using that student's parents' address for establishing residence for the purpose of school assignment; the student's residence shall be determined by the address of the student's parents' for the remainder of the school year.  Exceptions may be granted by the resident district superintendent upon a showing that there is a financial, educational, or health problem, or disruption affecting the student or his or her family that would be significantly alleviated by allowing the student to finish the school term or school year at a school outside the attendance area of the parent's residence.

Fiscal Note:      No Impact.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Holland; Dwayne Slate, Washington State School Directors Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Establishing a policy with flexibility to address the needs in individual situations is an excellent way of resolving this problem.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.