SSB 5499 -
By Senator Roach
PULLED 03/08/2005
On page 1, after line 8, insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 28A.230.090 and 2004 c 19 s 103 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The state board of education shall establish high school
graduation requirements or equivalencies for students.
(a) Any course in Washington state history and government used to
fulfill high school graduation requirements is encouraged to include
information on the culture, history, and government of the American
Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state.
(b) Any course in United States history or government used to
fulfill high school graduation requirements must include information on
voting in and the process of both the primary and general elections,
the absentee and provisional ballot processes, and a discussion of the
state voters' pamphlet. The certificate of academic achievement
requirements under RCW 28A.655.061 or the certificate of individual
achievement requirements under RCW 28A.155.045 are required for
graduation from a public high school but are not the only requirements
for graduation.
(c) Any decision on whether a student has met the state board's
high school graduation requirements for a high school and beyond plan
shall remain at the local level.
(2) In recognition of the statutory authority of the state board of
education to establish and enforce minimum high school graduation
requirements, the state board shall periodically reevaluate the
graduation requirements and shall report such findings to the
legislature in a timely manner as determined by the state board.
(3) Pursuant to any requirement for instruction in languages other
than English established by the state board of education or a local
school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation,
students who receive instruction in American sign language or one or
more American Indian languages shall be considered to have satisfied
the state or local school district graduation requirement for
instruction in one or more languages other than English.
(4) If requested by the student and his or her family, a student
who has completed high school courses before attending high school
shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling
high school graduation requirements if:
(a) The course was taken with high school students, if the academic
level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth
grade classes, and the student has successfully passed by completing
the same course requirements and examinations as the high school
students enrolled in the class; or
(b) The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for
seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high
school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course
offered at a high school in the district as determined by the school
district board of directors.
(5) Students who have taken and successfully completed high school
courses under the circumstances in subsection (4) of this section shall
not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform
any other additional assignment to receive credit.
(6) At the college or university level, five quarter or three
semester hours equals one high school credit."
Renumber the sections following consecutively and correct internal references accordingly.
SSB 5499 -
By Senator Roach
PULLED 03/08/2005
In line 1 of the title, after "RCW" insert "28A.230.090,"
EFFECT: Requires that any course in United States history or government that is used to fulfill high school graduation requirements must include information on the process of voting and a discussion of the state voter's pamphlet.