WSSDA had many significant recommendations for policy updates and additions this summer. Some were substantive and required, others less so. Below are thirteen policies for revision and adoption. In addition, there are two procedures that will be implemented without policy modification and one policy that is being administratively updated (6100) to correct an RCW reference.
Policy 2195 Academic Acceleration (NEW). This is a new policy that is required by the state that details a pathway for academic acceleration, which we currently provide for students who qualify.
Policy 2410 High School Graduation Requirements (Revised). This policy update (and more particularly the procedure) reflects the changes in graduation requirements in the last legislative session. I have attached the DRAFT Procedure 2410, which is currently being reviewed by the HS administration.
Policy 2413 Equivalency Credit for Career and Technical Education Courses (Revised). This policy update reflects changes to state law in the last legislative session. In includes language for granting competency-based credits and courses taken before HS.
Policy 2418 Waiver of High School Graduation Credits (Revised). Minor WSSDA language adjustments for clarification
Policy 3115 Students Experiencing Homelessness- Enrollment Rights and Services (Revised). Title Change, the inclusion of a required point of contact at elementary level schools.
Policy 3120 Enrollment (Revised)— Modified to include language regarding the rights of students experiencing homelessness and children of military parents.
Policy 3207: Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying (Revised)— WSSDA has revised Model Policy and Procedure 3207 – Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying to clarify that while it is helpful to differentiate the behaviors of “harassment,” “intimidation,” and “bullying,” these distinctions are not part of the legal definition of harassment, intimidation, and bullying. The revisions move information about the expression of these behaviors to a separate section in the procedure to avoid confusion. Further, these revisions remove references to “mental well-being” and “psychological” or “social” harm within the information about the expression of these behaviors. This clarification is important because no type of emotional harm is included in the statutory definition of harassment, intimidation, or bullying. In addition, there are modifications to the Procedure 3207. The markup of the procedure has some misnumbering due to the MS Word Compare documents function, but the document shows the updates to the text.
Policy 3211 Gender Inclusive Schools (New)— The state is mandating adoption of this policy, which is reflective of state law. Also attached is the accompanying procedure 3211P.
Policy 3231 Student Records (Revised) — Modified to include language regarding the rights of students experiencing homelessness
Procedure 3413P Student Immunization and Life-Threatening Health Conditions (Revised) — Though board approval is not required this document is substantially updated, and I wanted to ensure the changes were presented to the board. The core of substantive changes is a result of changes in the immunization exceptions statute by the state legislature. The WSSDA Recommendation had wholesale changes to the procedure. Because of this, I have also included the "clean" revision copy.
Policy 3416 Medication at School (Revised) — This Policy has been cleaned up by WSSDA and includes updated references.
Policy 3423 Parental Administration of Marijuana for Medical Purposes (New) — Effective July 28, 2019, Washington state legislation specifically provides that parents of a child diagnosed with a terminal or debilitating medical condition can administer marijuana-infused products to their child on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or while attending a school-sponsored event. This policy provides a structure for this.
Policy 3520 Student Fees, Fines, or Charges (Revised) — Adds the sentence: "However, for students who meet the definition of homeless, the district will make all the student’s records readily available to the enrolling school regardless of outstanding fees or fines."
Procedure 4218P Language Access Plan Procedure (Revised) — This procedure has WSSDA recommended update regarding requirements for record-keeping and documentation. This will be implemented without board action. The MS Word "compare documents" function made the numbering off... this will be corrected when the clean copy is published.
Policy 5201 Drug-Free Schools, Community, and Workplace (Revised) — Revisions call out the prohibition of use or possession of cannabis and anabolic steroids.
Policy 6100 Revenues from Local, State, and Federal Sources (Revised) — The most minor of revisions.... there was an error on an RCW Citation. This policy is being modified administratively. Board approval is not needed.