BILL REQ. #:  S-4103.1 

Read first time 01/14/08.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to clarifying the authority of educational service districts to provide cooperative and informational services to local school districts; and amending RCW 28A.310.200.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.310.200 and 2006 c 263 s 610 are each amended to read as follows:
     In addition to other powers and duties as provided by law, every educational service district board shall:
     (1) Approve the budgets of the educational service district in accordance with the procedures provided for in this chapter;
     (2) Meet regularly according to the schedule adopted at the organization meeting and in special session upon the call of the chair or a majority of the board;
     (3) Approve the selection of educational service district personnel and clerical staff as provided in RCW 28A.310.230;
     (4) Fix the amount of and approve the bonds for those educational service district employees designated by the board as being in need of bonding;
     (5) Keep in the educational service district office a full and correct transcript of the boundaries of each school district within the educational service district;
     (6) Acquire by borrowing funds or by purchase, lease, devise, bequest, and gift and otherwise contract for real and personal property necessary for the operation of the educational service district and to the execution of the duties of the board and superintendent thereof and sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of that property not necessary for district purposes. No real property shall be acquired or alienated without the prior approval of the superintendent of public instruction and the acquisition or alienation of all such property shall be subject to such provisions as the superintendent may establish. When borrowing funds for the purpose of acquiring property, the educational service district board shall pledge as collateral the property to be acquired. Borrowing shall be evidenced by a note or other instrument between the district and the lender;
     (7) Under RCW 28A.310.010, upon the written request of the board of directors of a local school district or districts served by the educational service district, the educational service district board of directors may provide cooperative and informational services not in conflict with other law that provide for the development and implementation of programs, activities, services, or practices that support the education of preschool through twelfth grade students in the public schools or that support the effective, efficient, or safe management and operation of the school district or districts served by the educational service district. In providing cooperative and informational services to local school districts, each educational service district shall provide services only to the school districts within its geographic boundary as determined under RCW 28A.310.020;
     (8) Adopt such bylaws and rules for its own operation as it deems necessary or appropriate; and
     (9) Enter into contracts, including contracts with common and educational service districts and the school for the deaf and the school for the blind for the joint financing of cooperative service programs conducted pursuant to RCW 28A.310.180(3), and employ consultants and legal counsel relating to any of the duties, functions, and powers of the educational service districts.