BILL REQ. #:  H-0673.1 

Read first time 01/16/2007.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to high school diplomas for persons who leave school before graduation to serve in the United States armed forces; and amending RCW 28A.230.120.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.230.120 and 2003 c 234 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) School districts shall issue diplomas to students signifying graduation from high school upon the students' satisfactory completion of all local and state graduation requirements. Districts shall grant students the option of receiving a final transcript in addition to the regular diploma.
     (2) School districts or schools of attendance shall establish policies and procedures to notify senior students of the transcript option and shall direct students to indicate their decisions in a timely manner. School districts shall make appropriate provisions to assure that students who choose to receive a copy of their final transcript shall receive such transcript after graduation.
     (3)(a) A school district may issue a high school diploma to a person who:
     (i) Is an honorably discharged member of the armed forces of the United States; and
     (ii) ((Was scheduled to graduate from high school in the years 1940 through 1955; and
     (iii))) Left high school before graduation to serve in ((World War II or the Korean conflict)) the United States armed forces.
     (b) A school district may issue a diploma to or on behalf of a person otherwise eligible under (a) of this subsection notwithstanding the fact that the person holds a high school equivalency certification or is deceased.
     (c) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt a form for a diploma application to be used by a veteran or a person acting on behalf of a deceased veteran under this subsection (3). The superintendent of public instruction shall specify what constitutes acceptable evidence of eligibility for a diploma.