Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Education

HB 1348

Brief Description:  Creating enrollment options for children of school employees.

Sponsors:  Representatives Quall, Talcott, Haigh, O'Brien, Dunshee, McDermott, Ruderman, Schual‑Berke, Keiser, D. Schmidt and Santos.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Requires districts to permit the children of certificated employees to attend the school to which the employee is assigned.

Hearing Date:  2/1/01

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) intra district transfers, from one school to another school in the same district; and (2) inter district transfers, from a school in one district to a school in a different district.

Intra district transfers are governed by individual district policies.  Each district is required to adopt its own policy establishing standards on how intra district enrollment options will be implemented.

Inter district transfers are governed 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.

Districts must release a resident student to a nonresident district that agrees to accept the student if: (a) the transfer will likely result in an improved health, safety, financial, or educational condition affecting the student; (b) the school in the nonresident district is more accessible to a parent=s place of work or to the location of child care; or (c) there is a special hardship or detrimental condition affecting the student or the immediate family.  Districts may refuse to release a resident student if the release will adversely affect a district=s existing desegregation plan.

Districts that accept applications from nonresident students must consider all applications equally and must employ fair and equitable standards for the acceptance or rejection of transfer applications.  Districts may reject applications of nonresident students if: (a) acceptance would result in a financial hardship for the district; (b) the nonresident student has a history of convictions, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership; or (c) the student has been expelled or suspended from school for more than 10 consecutive days. 

Nonresident districts must provide written notification of the approval or rejection of the transfer application, including the reasons for any denial.  Parents may appeal decisions regarding release by the resident district, and acceptance by the nonresident district, to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  After a review by 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 district of enrollment for state apportionment and all other purposes.

Summary of Bill: 

Districts are required to accept transfer of nonresident students who are children of certificated employees, and to allow an emplohyee=s children to attend the school where the employee is assigned.  Districts also must allow a certificated employee to use the address of the school where the employee is assigned for purposes of school registration.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.