HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2190
As Reported by House Committee On:
Education
Title: An act relating to permitting children of certificated and classified school employees to enroll at the school where the employee is assigned.
Brief Description: Permitting the children of certificated and classified school employees to enroll at the school where the employee is assigned.
Sponsors: Representatives McDermott, Anderson, Santos, D. Schmidt, Quall, Ericksen, Kenney, Pearson, Schindler, Keiser, Schual‑Berke, Rockefeller, Talcott, Haigh, Bush, O'Brien, Jarrett, Lambert, Kessler, Grant, Mielke and Simpson.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Education: 2/26/01 [DPS].
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Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
$School districts are required to permit the children of full-time certificated and classified employees to enroll at the school to which the employee is assigned.
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 12 members: Representatives Quall, Democratic Co‑Chair; Talcott, Republican Co‑Chair; Haigh, Democratic Vice Chair; Cox, Ericksen, Keiser, McDermott, Pearson, Rockefeller, Santos, Schindler and Schual‑Berke.
Staff: Sydney Forrester (786‑7120).
Background:
The general rule regarding place of attendance is that students must attend school in their resident district. A student=s resident district is the district in which the student=s primary residence is located. A nonresident district is a district in which the student=s residence is not located.
For parents wanting to change the location of their child=s school enrollment, there are two types of transfers potentially available: (1) intradistrict transfers, from one school to another school in the same district; and (2) interdistrict transfers, from a school in one district to a school in a different district.
Intradistrict transfers are governed by individual district policies. Each district is required to adopt a policy establishing standards on how intradistrict enrollment options will be implemented. These policies are published by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and also are made available to parents within and outside the district.
Interdistrict transfers are governed, in part, by statute. Any district may make arrangements with any other district for children to attend the school district of choice, and districts are strongly encouraged to honor parental requests for children to attend school in another district. In order to transfer to a nonresident district, a student must get a release from the resident district and an acceptance from the nonresident district.
A district must release a resident student to a nonresident district that agrees to accept the student if: (1) the transfer will likely result in an improved health, safety, financial, or educational condition affecting the student; (2) the school in the nonresident district is more accessible to a parent=s place of work or to the location of child care; or (3) there is a special hardship or detrimental condition affecting the student or the immediate family. A district may refuse to release a resident student if the release will adversely affect a district=s existing desegregation plan.
A district may, but is not required to, accept applications from nonresident students. Districts that do accept applications must consider all applications equally and must employ fair and equitable standards for the acceptance or rejection of transfer requests. A district may reject a transfer request from a nonresident student if: (1) acceptance would result in a financial hardship for the district; (2) the nonresident student has a history of convictions, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership; or (3) the student has been expelled or suspended from school for more than 10 consecutive days.
A nonresident district must provide written notification of the approval or rejection of the transfer request, including the reasons for any denial. Parents may appeal decisions regarding release by the resident district, and decisions regarding acceptance by the nonresident district, to the OSPI. After a review by the OSPI, parents may appeal to Superior Court.
If a student is allowed to enroll in a nonresident district, the student=s attendance is credited to the nonresident school district of enrollment for state apportionment and all other purposes.
Summary of Substitute Bill:
School districts are required to allow children of full-time certificated and classified employees to enroll: (1) at the school where the employee is assigned; (2) at a school that feeds into the school where the employee is assigned; or (3) at a school in the district=s K-12 continuum that includes the school to which the employee is assigned.
A district may reject a transfer request from a nonresident student if: (1) the nonresident student has a history of convictions, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership; or (2) the student has been expelled or suspended from school for more than 10 consecutive days.
Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:
The substitute bill clarifies that enrollment options for the children of full-time certificated and classified employees include the schools in the district=s K-12 continuum that encompasses the school to which the employee is assigned.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested February 23, 2001.
Effective Date of Substitute Bill: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: (Original Bill) The bill allows school districts to do what they want to do now for teachers and staff.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: (In support) Representative McDermott, prime sponsor; Dick Muri, Steilacoom School Board; Glenn Gorton, Public School Employees; Kim Herman, International School; and Carol Taylor Cann, Washington State PTA.