Read first time 01/23/2003.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to permitting children of certificated and classified school employees to enroll at the school where the employee is assigned; and amending RCW 28A.225.225 and 28A.225.270.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.225.225 and 1999 c 198 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A district shall accept applications from nonresident students who are the children of full-time certificated and classified school employees residing in the state of Washington, and those children shall be permitted to enroll:
     (a) At the school to which the employee is assigned; or
     (b) At a school forming the district's K through 12 continuum which includes the school to which the employee is assigned.
     (2) In the case of a school that uses a lottery for admission, the children of full-time certificated and classified school employees shall be considered as residents of the school district for purposes of admission by lottery and shall be permitted to participate in the lottery on the same basis as all residents of the school district.
     (3) A district may reject applications under this section if:
     (a) The student's disciplinary records indicate a history of convictions for offenses or crimes, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership; or
     (b) The student has been expelled or suspended from a public school for more than ten consecutive days. Any policy allowing for readmission of expelled or suspended students under this subsection (3)(b) must apply uniformly to both resident and nonresident applicants.
     (4) Except as provided in subsections (1) and (2) of this section, all districts accepting applications from nonresident students or from students receiving home-based instruction for admission to the district's schools shall consider equally all applications received. Each school district shall adopt a policy establishing rational, fair, and equitable standards for acceptance and rejection of applications by June 30, 1990. The policy may include rejection of a nonresident student if:
     (a) Acceptance of a nonresident student would result in the district experiencing a financial hardship;
     (b) The student's disciplinary records indicate a history of convictions for offenses or crimes, violent or disruptive behavior, or gang membership; or
     (c) The student has been expelled or suspended from a public school for more than ten consecutive days. Any policy allowing for readmission of expelled or suspended students under this subsection (((1))) (4)(c) must apply uniformly to both resident and nonresident applicants.
     For purposes of subsections (((1))) (3)(a) and (4)(b) of this section, "gang" means a group which: (i) Consists of three or more persons; (ii) has identifiable leadership; and (iii) on an ongoing basis, regularly conspires and acts in concert mainly for criminal purposes.
     (((2))) (5) The district shall provide to applicants written notification of the approval or denial of the application in a timely manner. If the application is rejected, the notification shall include the reason or reasons for denial and the right to appeal under RCW 28A.225.230(3).
     (6) For the purposes of this section, "full-time employees" means employees who are employed for the full number of hours and days for their job descriptions.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.225.270 and 1990 1st ex.s. c 9 s 205 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each school district in the state shall adopt and implement a policy allowing intradistrict enrollment options no later than June 30, 1990. Each district shall establish its own policy establishing standards on how the intradistrict enrollment options will be implemented.
     (2) A district shall permit the children of full-time certificated and classified school employees to enroll at:
     (a) The school to which the employee is assigned; or
     (b) A school forming the district's K through 12 continuum which includes the school to which the employee is assigned.
     (3) In the case of a school that uses a lottery for admission, the children of full-time certificated and classified school employees shall be considered as residents of the school zone for purposes of admission by lottery and shall be permitted to participate in the lottery on the same basis as all residents of the school zone.
     (4) For the purposes of this section, "full-time employees" means employees who reside in the state of Washington and are employed for the full number of hours and days for their job description.