H-0932.1

HOUSE BILL 1674

State of Washington
66th Legislature
2019 Regular Session
ByRepresentatives Rude, Steele, Santos, Jinkins, Bergquist, and Doglio
Read first time 01/28/19.Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to changing the term alternative learning experience to personalized learning experience; and amending RCW 28A.150.100, 28A.225.020, 28A.225.151, 28A.232.005, 28A.232.010, 28A.232.020, 28A.232.030, 28A.250.070, 28A.340.080, 28A.340.085, 28A.520.020, 28A.525.162, and 28A.525.166.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 28A.150.100 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 512 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) For the purposes of this section and RCW 28A.150.410 and 28A.400.200, "basic education certificated instructional staff" means all full-time equivalent classroom teachers, teacher-librarians, guidance counselors, certificated student health services staff, and other certificated instructional staff in the following programs as defined for statewide school district accounting purposes: Basic education, secondary vocational education, general instructional support, and general supportive services.
(2) Each school district shall maintain a ratio of at least forty-six basic education certificated instructional staff to one thousand annual average full-time equivalent students. This requirement does not apply to that portion of a district's annual average full-time equivalent enrollment that is enrolled in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses as defined in RCW 28A.232.010.
Sec. 2. RCW 28A.225.020 and 2017 c 291 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) If a child required to attend school under RCW 28A.225.010 fails to attend school without valid justification, the public school in which the child is enrolled shall:
(a) Inform the child's parent by a notice in writing or by telephone whenever the child has failed to attend school after one unexcused absence within any month during the current school year. School officials shall inform the parent of the potential consequences of additional unexcused absences. If the parent is not fluent in English, the school must make reasonable efforts to provide this information in a language in which the parent is fluent;
(b) Schedule a conference or conferences with the parent and child at a time reasonably convenient for all persons included for the purpose of analyzing the causes of the child's absences after three unexcused absences within any month during the current school year. If a regularly scheduled parent-teacher conference day is to take place within thirty days of the third unexcused absence, then the school district may schedule this conference on that day. If the child's parent does not attend the scheduled conference, the conference may be conducted with the student and school official. However the parent shall be notified of the steps to be taken to eliminate or reduce the child's absence; and
(c) At some point after the second and before the fifth unexcused absence, take data-informed steps to eliminate or reduce the child's absences.
(i) In middle school and high school, these steps must include application of the Washington assessment of the risks and needs of students (WARNS) or other assessment by a school district's designee under RCW 28A.225.026.
(ii) For any child with an existing individualized education plan or 504 plan, these steps must include the convening of the child's individualized education plan or 504 plan team, including a behavior specialist or mental health specialist where appropriate, to consider the reasons for the absences. If necessary, and if consent from the parent is given, a functional behavior assessment to explore the function of the absence behavior shall be conducted and a detailed behavior plan completed. Time should be allowed for the behavior plan to be initiated and data tracked to determine progress.
(iii) With respect to any child, without an existing individualized education plan or 504 plan, reasonably believed to have a mental or physical disability or impairment, these steps must include informing the child's parent of the right to obtain an appropriate evaluation at no cost to the parent to determine whether the child has a disability or impairment and needs accommodations, related services, or special education services. This includes children with suspected emotional or behavioral disabilities as defined in WAC 392-172A-01035. If the school obtains consent to conduct an evaluation, time should be allowed for the evaluation to be completed, and if the child is found to be eligible for special education services, accommodations, or related services, a plan developed to address the child's needs.
(iv) These steps must include, where appropriate, providing an available approved best practice or research-based intervention, or both, consistent with the WARNS profile or other assessment, if an assessment was applied, adjusting the child's school program or school or course assignment, providing more individualized or remedial instruction, providing appropriate vocational courses or work experience, referring the child to a community truancy board, requiring the child to attend an alternative school or program, or assisting the parent or child to obtain supplementary services that might eliminate or ameliorate the cause or causes for the absence from school.
(2) For purposes of this chapter, an "unexcused absence" means that a child:
(a)(i) Has failed to attend the majority of hours or periods in an average school day or has failed to comply with a more restrictive school district policy; and
(ii) Has failed to meet the school district's policy for excused absences; or
(b) Has failed to comply with ((alternative))personalized learning experience program attendance requirements as described by the superintendent of public instruction.
(3) If a child transfers from one school district to another during the school year, the receiving school or school district shall include the unexcused absences accumulated at the previous school or from the previous school district for purposes of this section, RCW 28A.225.030, and 28A.225.015. The sending school district shall provide this information to the receiving school, together with a copy of any previous assessment as required under subsection (1)(c) of this section, history of any best practices or researched-based intervention previously provided to the child by the child's sending school district, and a copy of the most recent truancy information including any online or written acknowledgment by the parent and child, as provided for in RCW 28A.225.005. All school districts must use the standard choice transfer form for releasing a student to a nonresident school district for the purposes of accessing ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience program.
Sec. 3. RCW 28A.225.151 and 2017 c 291 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) As required under subsection (2) of this section, the office of superintendent of public instruction shall collect and school districts shall submit student-level truancy data in order to allow a better understanding of actions taken under RCW 28A.225.030. The office shall prepare an annual report to the legislature by December 15th of each year.
(2) The reports under subsection (1) of this section shall include, disaggregated by student group:
(a) The number of enrolled students and the number of unexcused absences;
(b) The number of enrolled students with ten or more unexcused absences in a school year or five or more unexcused absences in a month during a school year;
(c) A description of any programs or schools developed to serve students who have had five or more unexcused absences in a month or ten in a year including information about the number of students in the program or school and the number of unexcused absences of students during and after participation in the program. The school district shall also describe any placements in an approved private nonsectarian school or program or certified program under a court order under RCW 28A.225.090;
(d) The number of petitions filed by a school district with the juvenile court and, beginning in the 2018-19 school year, whether the petition results in:
(i) Referral to a community truancy board;
(ii) Other coordinated means of intervention;
(iii) A hearing in the juvenile court; or
(iv) Other less restrictive disposition (e.g., change of placement, home school, ((alternative))personalized learning experience, residential treatment); and
(e) Each instance of imposition of detention for failure to comply with a court order under RCW 28A.225.090, with a statement of the reasons for each instance of detention.
(3) A report required under this section shall not disclose the name or other identification of a child or parent.
(4) The K-12 data governance group shall develop the data protocols and guidance for school districts in the collection of data to provide a clearer understanding of actions taken under RCW 28A.225.030.
Sec. 4. RCW 28A.232.005 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 501 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Under Article IX of the Washington state Constitution, all children are entitled to an opportunity to receive a basic education. Although the state must assure that students in public schools have opportunities to participate in the instructional program of basic education, there is no obligation for either the state or school districts to provide that instruction using a particular delivery method or through a particular program.
(2) The legislature finds ample evidence of the need to examine and reconsider policies under which ((alternative))personalized learning that occurs outside the classroom using an individual student learning plan may be considered equivalent to full-time attendance in school, including for funding purposes. Previous legislative studies have raised questions about financial practices and accountability in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses. Since 2005, there has been significant enrollment growth in ((alternative))personalized learning experience online courses, with evidence of unexpected financial impact when large numbers of nonresident students enroll in courses. Based on this evidence, there is a rational basis on which to conclude that there are different costs associated with providing courses not primarily based on full-time, daily contact between teachers and students and not primarily occurring on-site in a classroom.
(3) For these reasons, the legislature intends to allow for continuing review and revision of the way in which state funding allocations are used to support ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses.
Sec. 5. RCW 28A.232.010 and 2018 c 56 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "((Alternative))Personalized learning experience course" means a course, or for grades kindergarten through eight grade-level coursework, that is a delivery method for the program of basic education and is:
(i) Provided in whole or in part independently from a regular classroom setting or schedule, but may include some components of direct instruction;
(ii) Supervised, monitored, assessed, evaluated, and documented by a certificated teacher employed by the school district or under contract as permitted by applicable rules; and
(iii) Provided in accordance with a written student learning plan that is implemented pursuant to the school district's policy and rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction for ((alternative))personalized learning experiences.
(b) "In-person" means face-to-face instructional contact in a physical classroom environment.
(c) "Instructional contact time" means instructional time with a certificated teacher. Instructional contact time must be for the purposes of actual instruction, review of assignments, testing, evaluation of student progress, or other learning activities or requirements identified in the student's written student learning plan. Instructional contact time must be related to ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course identified in the student's written student learning plan. Instructional contact time may occur in a group setting between the teacher and multiple students and may be delivered either in-person or remotely using technology.
(d) "Online course" means ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course that has the same meaning as provided in RCW 28A.250.010.
(e) "Remote course" means ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course that is not an online course where the written student learning plan for the course does not include a requirement for in-person instructional contact time. No minimum in-person instructional contact time is required.
(f) "Site-based course" means ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course where the written student learning plan for the course includes a requirement for in-person instructional contact time.
(g) "Total weekly time" means the estimated average hours per school week the student will engage in learning activities to meet the requirements of the written student learning plan.
(2) School districts may claim state funding under RCW 28A.232.020, to the extent otherwise allowed by state law including the provisions of RCW 28A.250.060, for students enrolled in remote, site-based, or online ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses. High school courses must meet district or state graduation requirements and be offered for high school credit.
(3) School districts that offer ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses may not provide any compensation, reimbursement, gift, reward, or gratuity to any parents, guardians, or students for participation in the courses. School district employees are prohibited from receiving any compensation or payment as an incentive to increase student enrollment of out-of-district students in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, providing funds to parents, guardians, or students for the purchase of educational materials, supplies, experiences, services, or technological equipment. A district may purchase educational materials, equipment, or other nonconsumable supplies for students' use in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses if the purchase is consistent with the district's approved curriculum, conforms to applicable laws and rules, and is made in the same manner as such purchases are made for students in the district's regular instructional program. Items so purchased remain the property of the school district upon program completion. School districts may not purchase or contract for instructional or cocurricular experiences and services that are included in ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience written student learning plan, including but not limited to lessons, trips, and other activities, unless substantially similar experiences and services are available to students enrolled in the district's regular instructional program. School districts that purchase or contract for such experiences and services for students enrolled in ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course must submit an annual report to the office of the superintendent of public instruction detailing the costs and purposes of the expenditures. These requirements extend to contracted providers of ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses, and each district shall be responsible for monitoring the compliance of its providers with these requirements. However, nothing in this subsection shall prohibit school districts from contracting with school district employees to provide services or experiences to students, or from contracting with online providers approved by the office of the superintendent of public instruction pursuant to chapter 28A.250 RCW.
(4) Each school district offering or contracting to offer ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses must:
(a) Report annually to the superintendent of public instruction regarding the course types and offerings, and number of students participating in each;
(b) Document the district of residence for each student enrolled in ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course; and
(c) Beginning in the 2013-14 school year and continuing through the 2016-17 school year, pay costs associated with a biennial measure of student outcomes and financial audit of the district's ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses by the office of the state auditor.
(5) A school district offering or contracting to offer ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course to a nonresident student must inform the resident school district if the student drops out of the course or is otherwise no longer enrolled.
(6) School districts must assess the educational progress of enrolled students at least annually, using, for full-time students, the state assessment for the student's grade level and using any other annual assessments required by the school district. Part-time students must also be assessed at least annually. However, part-time students who are either receiving home-based instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW or who are enrolled in an approved private school under chapter 28A.195 RCW are not required to participate in the assessments required under chapter 28A.655 RCW. The rules must address how students who reside outside the geographic service area of the school district are to be assessed.
(7) Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, school districts must designate ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses as such when reporting course information to the office of the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.300.500.
(8)(a) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section.
(b) Rules adopted for weekly direct personal contact requirements and monthly progress evaluation must be flexible and reflect the needs of the student and the student's individual learning plan rather than specifying an amount of time. In addition, the rules must reduce documentation requirements, particularly for students making satisfactory progress, based on the unique aspects of the ((alternative))personalized learning experience course types defined in this section and taking into consideration the technical and system capabilities associated with the different course types.
(c) The rules must establish procedures that address how the counting of students must be coordinated by resident and nonresident districts for state funding so that no student is counted for more than one full-time equivalent in the aggregate.
Sec. 6. RCW 28A.232.020 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 503 are each amended to read as follows:
The superintendent of public instruction shall separately calculate and allocate moneys appropriated under RCW 28A.150.260 to school districts for each full-time equivalent student enrolled in ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course. The calculation shall be based on the estimated statewide annual average allocation per full-time equivalent student in grades nine through twelve in general education, excluding small high school enhancements, and including applicable rules and provisions of the omnibus appropriations act.
Sec. 7. RCW 28A.232.030 and 2017 c 291 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules to bring consistency and uniformity to attendance and truancy definitions in the ((alternative))personalized learning experience setting, establish procedures for addressing truancy in all ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses, leverage existing systems to facilitate truancy actions between school districts and courts when the student has transferred out of his or her resident district to enroll in ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience course; and clarify the responsibility of school districts in the event of rescinding a student transfer.
Sec. 8. RCW 28A.250.070 and 2017 c 291 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
Nothing in this chapter is intended to diminish the rights of students to attend a nonresident school district in accordance with RCW 28A.225.220 through 28A.225.230 for the purposes of enrolling in ((alternative))personalized learning experience programs. The office of online learning under RCW 28A.250.030 shall develop a standard form, which must be used by all school districts, for releasing a student to a nonresident school district for the purposes of enrolling in ((an alternative))a personalized learning experience program.
Sec. 9. RCW 28A.340.080 and 2013 c 192 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Two or more nonhigh school districts may form an interdistrict cooperative to offer an innovation academy cooperative, as defined in RCW 28A.340.085 and subject to the approval of the office of the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.340.090, for high school students residing in the participating nonhigh school districts or for high school students residing in other school districts who enroll in the cooperative's reporting district under RCW 28A.225.220 through 28A.225.230. However, a high school student residing in a school district that is not a participating member of the cooperative may not enroll exclusively in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses or programs as defined by RCW ((28A.150.325))28A.232.010. Nothing in this section is intended to affect or otherwise modify the superintendent of public instruction's duty to approve and monitor online providers pursuant to RCW 28A.250.020.
(2) Enrollment in an innovation academy cooperative is optional for students. For students residing in a participating nonhigh school district who enroll in a high school district rather than the innovation academy cooperative, the provisions of RCW 28A.540.110 and chapter 28A.545 RCW apply to the nonhigh school district.
(3) Each innovation academy cooperative shall designate one of the participating nonhigh school districts to report enrolled students for funding purposes. The reporting district shall claim the monthly full-time equivalent students enrolled in the innovation academy cooperative and receive state funding allocations, including basic education allocations that are based on the small high school allocation under the appropriations act to the extent the number of students enrolled in the innovation academy cooperative meets the criteria for a small high school.
Sec. 10. RCW 28A.340.085 and 2010 c 99 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) For the purposes of RCW 28A.340.080 through 28A.340.090, an innovation academy cooperative is a high school program with one or more of the following characteristics:
(a) Interdisciplinary curriculum and instruction organized into subject-focused themes or academies. Programs are encouraged to provide an initial focus on academies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
(b) A combination of instructional service delivery models, including ((alternative))personalized learning experiences, online learning, work-based learning, experiential and field-based learning, and direct classroom instruction at multiple and varying locations;
(c) Intensive and accelerated learning to enable students to complete high school credits in a short time period; and
(d) Creative scheduling and use of existing school or community facilities in innovative ways to minimize facility and transportation costs and maximize access for students who may be geographically dispersed.
(2) Participating nonhigh school districts shall work with local community and technical colleges and four-year institutions of higher education to expand the learning options available for students in an innovation academy cooperative.
Sec. 11. RCW 28A.520.020 and 2014 c 155 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) There shall be a fund known as the federal forest revolving account. The state treasurer, who shall be custodian of the revolving account, shall deposit into the revolving account the funds for each county received by the state in accordance with Title 16, section 500, United States Code. The state treasurer shall distribute these moneys to the counties according to the determined proportional area. The county legislative authority shall expend fifty percent of the money for the benefit of the public roads and other public purposes as authorized by federal statute or public schools of such county and not otherwise. Disbursements by the counties of the remaining fifty percent of the money shall be as authorized by the superintendent of public instruction, or the superintendent's designee, and shall occur in the manner provided in subsection (2) of this section.
(2) No later than thirty days following receipt of the funds from the federal government, the superintendent of public instruction shall apportion moneys distributed to counties for schools to public school districts in the respective counties in proportion to the number of resident full-time equivalent students enrolled in each public school district to the number of resident full-time equivalent students enrolled in public schools in the county. In apportioning these funds, the superintendent of public instruction shall utilize the October enrollment count.
(3)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, if the amount received by any public school district pursuant to subsection (2) of this section is less than the basic education allocation to which the district would otherwise be entitled, the superintendent of public instruction shall apportion to the district, in the manner provided by RCW 28A.510.250, an amount which shall be the difference between the amount received pursuant to subsection (2) of this section and the basic education allocation to which the district would otherwise be entitled.
(b) If a school district has a poverty level of at least fifty-seven percent, the superintendent may not offset that district's basic education allocation by the amount of those federal forest revenues, to the extent that such revenues do not exceed seventy thousand dollars. The superintendent may offset the district's basic education allocations by the portion of the federal forest revenues that exceeds seventy thousand dollars. For purposes of this section, poverty is measured by the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch in the previous school year.
(4) All federal forest funds shall be expended in accordance with the requirements of Title 16, section 500, United States Code, as now existing or hereafter amended.
(5) The definition of resident student for purposes of this section shall be based on rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction, which shall consider and address the impact of ((alternative))personalized learning experience students on federal forest funds distribution.
Sec. 12. RCW 28A.525.162 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 513 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Funds appropriated to the superintendent of public instruction from the common school construction fund shall be allotted by the superintendent of public instruction in accordance with this chapter.
(2) No allotment shall be made to a school district until such district has provided local funds equal to or greater than the difference between the total approved project cost and the amount of state funding assistance to the district for financing the project computed pursuant to RCW 28A.525.166, with the following exceptions:
(a) The superintendent of public instruction may waive the local requirement for state funding assistance for districts which have provided funds for school building construction purposes through the authorization of bonds or through the authorization of excess tax levies or both in an amount equivalent to two and one-half percent of the value of its taxable property, as defined in RCW 39.36.015.
(b) No such local funds shall be required as a condition to the allotment of funds from the state for the purpose of making major or minor structural changes to existing school facilities in order to bring such facilities into compliance with the barrier free access requirements of section 504 of the federal rehabilitation act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 706) and rules implementing the act.
(3) For the purpose of computing the state funding assistance percentage under RCW 28A.525.166 when a school district is granted authority to enter into contracts, adjusted valuation per pupil shall be calculated using headcount student enrollments from the most recent October enrollment reports submitted by districts to the superintendent of public instruction, adjusted as follows:
(a) In the case of projects for which local bonds were approved after May 11, 1989:
(i) For districts which have been designated as serving high school districts under RCW 28A.540.110, students residing in the nonhigh district so designating shall be excluded from the enrollment count if the student is enrolled in any grade level not offered by the nonhigh district;
(ii) The enrollment of nonhigh school districts shall be increased by the number of students residing within the district who are enrolled in a serving high school district so designated by the nonhigh school district under RCW 28A.540.110, including only students who are enrolled in grade levels not offered by the nonhigh school district; and
(iii) The number of preschool students with disabilities included in the enrollment count shall be multiplied by one-half;
(b) In the case of construction or modernization of high school facilities in districts serving students from nonhigh school districts, the adjusted valuation per pupil shall be computed using the combined adjusted valuations and enrollments of each district, each weighted by the percentage of the district's resident high school students served by the high school district;
(c) The number of kindergarten students included in the enrollment count shall be counted as one headcount student; and
(d) The number of students residing outside the school district who are enrolled in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses under RCW 28A.232.010 shall be excluded from the total.
(4) In lieu of the exclusion in subsection (3)(d) of this section, a district may submit an alternative calculation for excluding students enrolled in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses. The alternative calculation must show the student headcount use of district classroom facilities on a regular basis for a regular duration by out-of-district ((alternative))personalized learning experience students subtracted by the headcount of in-district ((alternative))personalized learning experience students not using district classroom facilities on a regular basis for a reasonable duration. The alternative calculation must be submitted in a form approved by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The office of the superintendent of public instruction must develop rules to define "regular basis" and "reasonable duration."
(5) The superintendent of public instruction, considering policy recommendations from the school facilities citizen advisory panel, shall prescribe such rules as are necessary to equate insofar as possible the efforts made by school districts to provide capital funds by the means aforesaid.
(6) For the purposes of this section, "preschool students with disabilities" means children of preschool age who have developmental disabilities who are entitled to services under RCW 28A.155.010 through 28A.155.100 and are not included in the kindergarten enrollment count of the district.
Sec. 13. RCW 28A.525.166 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 3 s 7018 are each amended to read as follows:
Allocations to school districts of state funds provided by RCW 28A.525.162 through 28A.525.180 shall be made by the superintendent of public instruction and the amount of state funding assistance to a school district in financing a school plant project shall be determined in the following manner:
(1) The boards of directors of the districts shall determine the total cost of the proposed project, which cost may include the cost of acquiring and preparing the site, the cost of constructing the building or of acquiring a building and preparing the same for school use, the cost of necessary equipment, taxes chargeable to the project, necessary architects' fees, and a reasonable amount for contingencies and for other necessary incidental expenses: PROVIDED, That the total cost of the project shall be subject to review and approval by the superintendent.
(2) The state funding assistance percentage for a school district shall be computed by the following formula:
The ratio of the school district's adjusted valuation per pupil divided by the ratio of the total state adjusted valuation per pupil shall be subtracted from three, and then the result of the foregoing shall be divided by three plus (the ratio of the school district's adjusted valuation per pupil divided by the ratio of the total state adjusted valuation per pupil).
 
 
District adjusted
Total state
 
 
 
 
3-valuation
÷
adjusted valuation
 
Computed
 
per pupil
 
per pupil
 
State
State
=
————
= - %
Funding
Ratio
 
District adjusted
Total state
 
Assistance
 
 
3+valuation
÷
adjusted valuation
 
 
 
per pupil
 
per pupil
 
 
PROVIDED, That in the event the state funding assistance percentage to any school district based on the above formula is less than twenty percent and such school district is otherwise eligible for state funding assistance under RCW 28A.525.162 through 28A.525.180, the superintendent may establish for such district a state funding assistance percentage not in excess of twenty percent of the approved cost of the project, if the superintendent finds that such additional assistance is necessary to provide minimum facilities for housing the pupils of the district.
(3) In addition to the computed state funding assistance percentage developed in subsection (2) of this section, a school district shall be entitled to additional percentage points determined by the average percentage of growth for the past three years. One percent shall be added to the computed state funding assistance percentage for each percent of growth, with a maximum of twenty percent.
(4) In computing the state funding assistance percentage in subsection (2) of this section and adjusting the percentage under subsection (3) of this section, students residing outside the school district who are enrolled in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses under RCW 28A.232.010 shall be excluded from the count of total pupils. In lieu of the exclusion in this subsection, a district may submit an alternative calculation for excluding students enrolled in ((alternative))personalized learning experience courses. The alternative calculation must show the student headcount use of district classroom facilities on a regular basis for a reasonable duration by out-of-district ((alternative))personalized learning experience students subtracted by the headcount of in-district ((alternative))personalized learning experience students not using district classroom facilities on a regular basis for a reasonable duration. The alternative calculation must be submitted in a form approved by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The office of the superintendent of public instruction must develop rules to define "regular basis" and "reasonable duration."
(5) The approved cost of the project determined in the manner prescribed in this section multiplied by the state funding assistance percentage derived as provided for in this section shall be the amount of state funding assistance to the district for the financing of the project: PROVIDED, That need therefor has been established to the satisfaction of the superintendent: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That additional state funding assistance may be allowed if it is found by the superintendent, considering policy recommendations from the school facilities citizen advisory panel that such assistance is necessary in order to meet (a) a school housing emergency resulting from the destruction of a school building by fire, the condemnation of a school building by properly constituted authorities, a sudden excessive and clearly foreseeable future increase in school population, or other conditions similarly emergent in nature; or (b) a special school housing burden resulting from projects of statewide significance or imposed by virtue of the admission of nonresident students into educational programs established, maintained and operated in conformity with the requirements of law; or (c) a deficiency in the capital funds of the district resulting from financing, subsequent to April 1, 1969, and without benefit of the state funding assistance provided by prior state assistance programs, the construction of a needed school building project or projects approved in conformity with the requirements of such programs, after having first applied for and been denied state funding assistance because of the inadequacy of state funds available for the purpose, or (d) a condition created by the fact that an excessive number of students live in state owned housing, or (e) a need for the construction of a school building to provide for improved school district organization or racial balance, or (f) conditions similar to those defined under (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this subsection, creating a like emergency.
(6) For the 2015-2017 biennium, schools determined to have a lack of sufficient space to provide science classrooms or labs, to meet the requirements of law, have a special housing burden condition similar to those defined under subsection (5)(b) of this section, creating a like emergency. For the 2015-2017 biennium, school districts are entitled to additional percentage points for school construction projects that have a special housing burden condition only and have received private donations in the form of cash, in-kind, or equipment of more than one hundred thousand dollars. The additional percentage points are determined by (a) school district student enrollments in the free and reduced-price meals program, (b) school district class as defined by RCW 28A.300.065, and (c) the funding assistance percentage as calculated in subsection (2) of this section. The additional percentage points under (a) of this subsection are twenty percent of the percent of student enrollments eligible and enrolled in the free and reduced-price meals program. The additional percentage points under (b) of this subsection are ten for second class school districts. The additional percentage points under (c) of this subsection are ten for school districts with funding assistance percentages of more than fifty percent.
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