BILL REQ. #:  S-1020.2 

Read first time 01/23/2007.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to school district board of directors; amending RCW 28A.343.300 and 28A.343.400; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.343 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that there is increased focus on student academic performance and school accountability, but attention is seldom paid to the role of the school boards in meeting the state and federal demands in these areas. The legislature further finds that there needs to be a clear understanding of the purpose, role, structure, appropriate functions, training, and compensation of school boards.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The joint legislative audit and review committee shall conduct a broad performance audit of school boards of directors in Washington and analyze the roles, responsibilities, costs, and compensation of school boards of directors. In addition to the standard items reviewed in a performance audit, the committee shall examine the efficiency and effectiveness of school district boards of directors, including the following:
     (a) In light of state and federal demands for student achievement and school reform, what is the appropriate role for school boards to assist in improving student and school's performance?
     (b) Should school boards primarily authorize and monitor the operations of schools or should they be involved more directly with school operations?
     (c) Should a new system be considered with most of the decision-making authority vested in a different entity?
     (d) What is the appropriate compensation for school boards in light of their duties and under any recommendations for revised duties?
     (2) In conducting the performance audit, the committee may also use performance measures or standards used by other states or school districts in developing its findings. The committee shall report the findings to the legislature by December 1, 2008.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
     The office of school director training and instruction is established within the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The sole purpose of the office of school director training and instruction is to develop an initial core training program for first-time directors and to annually provide the initial core training and annual ongoing professional development, training, and instruction for school directors. The office shall work collaboratively with the Washington state school directors' association in developing the content of the courses. The office may contract with the Washington state school director's association or other providers to provide the courses. There is no charge to the individual directors to take a course offered. The initial core training for first-time directors shall consist of fourteen hours and must be obtained within the first two years of serving on the board. After the initial core training has been obtained, each school district director shall annually obtain a minimum of seven hours of professional development, training, or instruction courses. Hours obtained in excess of the minimum requirements each year may accumulate and be carried forward from year to year. A statement of each school director's hours obtained in the preceding year must be included on the web site of the school district. Additionally, the office of school director training and instruction shall maintain a record of hours of training and instruction taken by each director and shall post the record on the web site of the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.343 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A proposed change in the structure of a school district board of directors from an elected board to an appointed board or back to an elected board, may be initiated by a petition proposing such a change filed with the appropriate county auditor by any legal voter residing within the school district, either individually or on behalf of an organization. The appropriate county auditor is the auditor of the county in which a majority of the registered voters of the school district reside.
     (2) The petition submitted to the auditor must be submitted at least sixty or more days prior to the next general election and be signed by registered voters of the school district equal to at least ten percent of the registered voters in a given district. The petition must designate who will appoint the school district board of directors. The size of the appointed board and the terms of the appointed directors shall comply with the requirements of RCW 28A.343.300.
     (3) The county auditor shall review the signatures and certify sufficiency of the petition if there is a sufficient number of valid signatures. If the auditor certifies the petition, then a ballot proposition authorizing the change in the structure of the school district board of directors shall be submitted to the voters in the school district at the next district general election.
     (4) If the ballot proposition is approved by a simple majority vote of the registered voters within the school district, then the change in the structure of the board shall take effect January 1st of the following year.

Sec. 5   RCW 28A.343.300 and 1991 c 363 s 20 are each amended to read as follows:
     The governing board of a school district shall be known as the board of directors of the district.
     ((Unless otherwise specifically provided, as in RCW 29.13.060,)) Each member of a board of directors ((shall be elected by ballot by the registered voters of the school district and)) shall hold office for a term of four years and until a successor is elected and qualified. Terms of school directors shall be staggered((, and insofar as possible,)). Not more than a majority of one shall be elected to full terms at any regular election. In case a member or members of a board of directors are to be elected to fill an unexpired term or terms, the ballot shall specify the term for which each such member is to be elected.
     Except for a school district of the first class having within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more which shall have a board of directors of seven members, the board of directors of every school district of the first class or school district of the second class shall consist of five members.

Sec. 6   RCW 28A.343.400 and 1987 c 307 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     Each member of the board of directors of a school district may receive compensation ((of fifty dollars)) per day or portion thereof for attending board meetings and for performing other services on behalf of the school district((, not to exceed four thousand eight hundred dollars per year)) equal to the regular federal per diem rate, with fifty percent of the cost covered by the state, if the district board of directors has authorized by board resolution, at a regularly scheduled meeting, the provision of such compensation. A board of directors of a school district may authorize such compensation only from locally collected excess levy funds available for that purpose, and compensation for board members shall not cause the state to incur any present or future funding obligation.
     Any director may waive all or any portion of his or her compensation under this section as to any month or months during his or her term of office, by a written waiver filed with the district as provided in this section. The waiver, to be effective, must be filed any time after the director's election and before the date on which the compensation would otherwise be paid. The waiver shall specify the month or period of months for which it is made.
     The compensation provided in this section shall be in addition to any reimbursement for expenses paid to such directors by the school district.