AN ACT Relating to private schools; amending RCW 28A.02.230; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.02.201; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.01 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.01 RCW to read as follows:

(1) "Approved private school" shall mean a state-approved private school or a church-approved private school.

(2) "Church-approved private school" shall mean one that is an integral and inseparable part of a church ministry, offers a structured program of academic instruction, and is approved by the governing body of the sponsoring church.

Sec. 2. Section 2, chapter 92, Laws of 1974 ex. sess. as last amended by section 1, chapter 16, Laws of 1985 and by section 4, chapter 441, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28A.02.201 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

The legislature hereby recognizes that state-approved private schools should be subject only to those minimum state controls necessary to insure the health and safety of all the students in the state and to insure a sufficient basic education to meet usual graduation requirements. The state, any agency or official thereof, shall not restrict or dictate any specific educational or other programs for state-approved private schools except as hereinafter in this section provided.

Principals of state-approved private schools or superintendents of state-approved private school districts shall file each year with the state superintendent of public instruction a statement certifying that the minimum requirements hereinafter set forth are being met, noting any deviations. After review of the statement, the state superintendent will notify schools or school districts of those deviations which must be corrected. In case of major deviations, the school or school district may request and the state board of education may grant provisional status for one year in order that the school or school district may take action to meet the requirements. Minimum requirements shall be as follows:

(1) The minimum school year for instructional purposes shall consist of no less than one hundred eighty school days or the equivalent in annual minimum program hour offerings as prescribed in RCW 28A.58.754.

(2) The school day shall be the same as that required in RCW 28A.01.010 and 28A.58.754, each as now or hereafter amended, except that the percentages of total program hour offerings as prescribed in RCW 28A.58.754 for basic skills, work skills, and optional subjects and activities shall not apply to state-approved private schools or state-approved private sectarian schools.

(3) All classroom teachers shall hold appropriate Washington state certification except as follows:

(a) Teachers for religious courses or courses for which no counterpart exists in public schools shall not be required to obtain a state certificate to teach those courses.

(b) In exceptional cases, people of unusual competence but without certification may teach students so long as a certified person exercises general supervision. Annual written statements shall be submitted to the office of the superintendent of public instruction reporting and explaining such circumstances.

(4) ((An)) A state-approved private school may operate an extension program for parents, guardians, or persons having legal custody of a child to teach children in their custody. The extension program shall require at a minimum that:

(a) The parent, guardian, or custodian be under the supervision of an employee of the state-approved private school who is certified under chapter 28A.70 RCW;

(b) The planning by the certified person and the parent, guardian, or person having legal custody include objectives consistent with this subsection and subsections (1), (2), (5), (6), and (7) of this section;

(c) The certified person spend a minimum average each month of one contact hour per week with each student under his or her supervision who is enrolled in the state-approved private school extension program;

(d) Each student's progress be evaluated by the certified person; and

(e) The certified employee shall not supervise more than thirty students enrolled in the approved private school's extension program.

(5) Appropriate measures shall be taken to safeguard all permanent records against loss or damage.

(6) The physical facilities of the school or district shall be adequate to meet the program offered by the school or district: PROVIDED, That each school building shall meet reasonable health and fire safety requirements. A residential dwelling of the parent, guardian, or custodian shall be deemed to be an adequate physical facility when a parent, guardian, or person having legal custody is instructing his or her child under subsection (4) of this section.

(7) State-approved private school curriculum shall include instruction of the basic skills of occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of appreciation of art and music, all in sufficient units for meeting state board of education graduation requirements.

(8) Each school or school district shall be required to maintain up-to-date policy statements related to the administration and operation of the school or school district.

All decisions of policy, philosophy, selection of books, teaching material, curriculum, except as in subsection (7) above provided, school rules and administration, or other matters not specifically referred to in this section, shall be the responsibility of the administration and administrators of the particular state-approved private school involved.

Sec. 3. Section 6, chapter 215, Laws of 1971 as amended by section 4, chapter 92, Laws of 1974 ex. sess. and RCW 28A.02.230 are each amended to read as follows:

Any state-approved private school may appeal the actions of the state superintendent of public instruction or state board of education as provided in chapter ((~~34.04~~)) 34.05 RCW.