AN ACT Relating to creating a pilot project for tribal compact schools that accommodates cultural and agricultural events in school attendance requirements; adding a new section to chapter 28A.715 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.715 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A pilot project is established for tribal compact schools to explore and implement options in adjusting school attendance and calendar requirements for the purpose of accommodating cultural, fisheries, and agricultural events and replacing graduation testing requirements with culturally relevant and community-based standards.

(2) Tribal compact schools participating in the pilot project may develop various options in implementing the pilot, including but not limited to:

(a) Obtaining a waiver, in accordance to RCW 28A.305.141, to the requirement of one hundred eighty school days per school year as provided under RCW 28A.150.220;

(b) Developing curriculum that links student learning with engagement in cultural, fisheries, and agricultural programs and is aligned to Washington's content standards;

(c) Counting student participation in cultural, fisheries, or agricultural programs as instructional days for the purposes of RCW 28A.150.220(5);

(d) Categorizing the participation in cultural or agricultural events as an excused absence under RCW 28A.225.010;

(e) Exploring ways that cultural and agricultural events are reflected in data concerning absenteeism; or

(f) Replacing state mandatory graduation testing requirements with culturally relevant and community-based standards.

(3) The office of native education within the office of the superintendent of public instruction must collaborate with each tribal education compact school participating in the pilot project. The office of native education must review any terms of the compact that relate to the school's pilot project. If appropriate, the superintendent of public instruction shall convene a government-to-government meeting with the tribal compact school for the purpose of revising the compact to reflect the terms of the pilot project.

(4) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to limit the amount of funding allocated to tribal compact schools participating in the pilot program.

(5) A tribal compact school participating in the pilot shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature and the office of the superintendent of public instruction every two years and include a recommendation on whether the pilot project should be modified, continued, or expanded.

(6) The pilot project expires August 1, 2023.

(7) This section expires September 1, 2023.

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