Brief Summary of Bill

Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA) to collaborate with the Tribal Leaders Congress on Education to develop a tribal consultation training and schedule, to be finalized by January 1, 2021.
Requires the consultation training and schedule to incorporate the identification of Native students, data sharing policies, and curriculum implementation.
Requires school district directors and educational service district board members to take and certify completion of the tribal consultation training by specified dates, with completion by all directors and board members by September 1, 2024.
Instructs WSSDA to, beginning in 2021, reconvene regional meetings for the purpose of establishing government-to-government relationships and dialogue between tribal councils and school district boards of directors.

Background: Washington State School Directors' Association. WSSDA is comprised of all 1477 school board members from Washington's 295 public school districts. WSSDA provides materials and educational services to its members, including model policies and procedures.

Office of Native Education. In 2011, the Legislature directed the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to create the Office of Native Education (ONE). ONE was tasked with several duties, including facilitating the development and implementation of curricula and instructional materials regarding native languages, culture and history, and the concept of tribal sovereignty. ONE also provides assistance to school districts on issues relating to American Indian and Alaskan Native students, and serves as a liaison between OSPI and other organizations on these issues.

School Consultation with Tribes. School districts and other local education agencies (LEAs) are required to consult with native tribes and tribal organizations on issues affecting Native students under federal and state law. Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), certain LEAs must have timely and meaningful consultation with appropriate officials from tribes or tribal organizations located in the area served by the LEA, prior to the submission of a plan or application for programs covered under Title VI of ESSA. LEAs that receive funds under Title VI or that have enrollment of American Indian or Alaska Native students of 50 percent or greater are required to perform consultation, and must submit certification of consultation to OSPI.

In 2015, legislation was enacted to require school districts to incorporate curricula and instructional materials in native languages, culture and history, and the concept of tribal sovereignty. In addition, districts must collaborate with local tribes to incorporate curriculum materials and to create programs of classroom and community cultural exchanges.

In 2005, the Legislature encouraged WSSDA to convene regional meetings to establish government-to-government relationships and dialogue between councils and school district board of directors. Participants were also encouraged to work towards adopting curriculum that includes tribal experiences and perspectives, as well as identify the extent and nature of the achievement gap and strategies to close it.

Summary of Bill: Tribal Consultation and Training. OSPI and WSSDA's government-to-government task force must collaborate with the Tribal Leaders Congress on Education to develop a tribal consultation training and schedule. The consultation and training must be developed and finalized by January 1, 2021, and must incorporate, at a minimum:

the identification of Native students, including federal identification guidelines for American Indian and Alaskan Native students;
data sharing between school districts and tribes, including model policies and procedures; and
implementation of the tribal history, culture, and government curriculum.

School district directors and educational service district board members must take and certify completion of the tribal consultation training by the following dates:

September 1, 2021 for districts required to perform tribal consultation under ESSA;
September 1, 2023 for districts not required to perform consultation under ESSA, but that have more than 50 students reported as American Indian or Alaskan Native; and
September 1, 2024 for all other districts.

Districts must renew the certification of completion of the training within five years of the date of initial certification.

Regional Meetings. Beginning in 2021, and at least annually through 2025, WSSDA must convene regional meetings and invite tribal councils from the region to establish government-to-government relationships and dialogue between councils and school district boards of directors. Participants should discuss issues of mutual concern, and should work towards adopting curriculum that includes tribal experiences and perspectives, as well as identifying the extent and nature of the achievement gap and strategies to close it.

Regional meetings must also include discussions of:

tribal consultation training and training requirements created under the bill;
identification of Native students, including federal identification guidelines;
data sharing between school districts and tribes, including model policies; and
consultations between individual school boards and local tribes.

By December 1, 2023, and every two years thereafter, WSSDA shall report to the education committees of the Legislature about the progress made in the issues covered by the regional meetings, any obstacles encountered, and any strategies under development to overcome them.