Title 28A, COMMON SCHOOL PROVISIONS

(1) School districts are responsible for providing a comprehensive system of instruction and services in reading and early literacy to kindergarten through grade four students that is based on the degree of student need for additional support. Reading and early literacy systems p…

All students in the common schools of the state of Washington shall be taught in the English language: PROVIDED, That nothing in this section shall preclude the teaching of students in a language other than English when such instruction will aid the educational advancement of the…

Every pupil attending grades one through eight of the public schools shall receive instruction in physical education as prescribed by rule of the superintendent of public instruction: PROVIDED, That individual pupils or students may be excused on account of physical disability, r…

All high schools of the state shall emphasize the work of physical education, and carry into effect all physical education requirements established by rule of the superintendent of public instruction: PROVIDED, That individual students may be excused from participating in physica…

(1) Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, all school districts must conduct an annual review of their physical education programs that includes: (a) The number of individual students completing a physical education class during the school year; (b) The average number of minutes p…

Students in the twelfth grade who have not completed a course of study in Washington's history and state government because of previous residence outside the state may have the requirement in RCW 28A.230.090 waived by their principal. [ 1991 c 116 s 7; 1969 ex.s. c 57 s 2; 1969 e…

(1) The life-threatening dangers of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and its prevention shall be taught in the public schools of this state. AIDS prevention education shall be limited to the discussion of the life-threatening dangers of the disease, its spread, and preve…

(1) Every school district board of directors shall develop a written policy regarding the district's role and responsibility relating to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. (2) Every school district shall, within the resources available to it: (a) Participate in the primar…

Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall make the curriculum included under RCW 28A.300.160(1)(b) available on its website. [ 2018 c 64 s 4.] Notes: Findings—Intent—2018 c 64: See n…

(1) In accordance with statutory authority of the state board of education provided in RCW 28A.305.130(4), the state board of education shall establish high school graduation requirements or equivalencies for students, except as provided in RCW 28A.230.122 and 28A.230.710 and exc…

Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall work with school districts, including teachers, principals, and school counselors, educational service districts, the Washington state schoo…

(1)(a) Beginning with or before the 2020-21 school year, each school district that operates a high school must provide a mandatory one-half credit stand-alone course in civics for each high school student. Except as provided by (c) of this subsection, civics content and instructi…

(1) By the end of the 2008-09 school year, school districts shall have in place in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools assessments or other strategies chosen by the district to assure that students have an opportunity to learn the essential academic learning requ…

(1) Each high school or school district board of directors shall adopt course equivalencies for career and technical high school courses offered to students in high schools and skill centers. A career and technical course equivalency may be for whole or partial credit. Each schoo…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the student achievement council, the state board for community and technical colleges, and the workforce training and education coordinating board, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW, to implement the…

(1) School districts shall issue diplomas to students signifying graduation from high school upon the students' satisfactory completion of all local and state graduation requirements. Districts shall grant students the option of receiving a final transcript in addition to the reg…

(1) A student who fulfills the requirements specified in subsection (3) of this section toward completion of an international baccalaureate diploma programme is considered to have met the requirements of the graduation pathway option established in *RCW 28A.655.250(1)(b)(iv) and …

(1)(a) Before the 2026-27 school year, the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the four-year institutions as defined in RCW 28B.76.020, the state board for community and technical colleges, the state board of education, and the workforce training and educat…

(1) All public high schools of the state shall provide a program, directly or in cooperation with a community college or another school district, for students whose educational plans include application for entrance to a baccalaureate-granting institution after being granted a hi…

The board of directors of every school district shall cause a United States flag being in good condition to be displayed during school hours upon or near every public school plant, except during inclement weather. They shall cause appropriate flag exercises to be held in each cla…

(1) On January 16th of each year or the preceding Friday when January 16th falls on a nonschool day, there shall be observed within each public school "Temperance and Good Citizenship Day." Annually the state superintendent of public instruction shall duly prepare and publish for…

Annually, during the month of October, each public school shall conduct or promote educational activities that provide instruction, awareness, and understanding of disability history and people with disabilities. The activities may include, but not be limited to, school assemblie…

During the school week preceding the eleventh day of November of each year, there shall be presented in each common school as defined in RCW 28A.150.020 educational activities suitable to the observance of Veterans Day. The responsibility for the preparation and presentation of t…

The study of the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Washington shall be a condition prerequisite to graduation from the public and private high schools of this state. The superintendent of public instruction shall provide by rule for the implem…

School districts are encouraged to prepare and conduct a program at least once a year to commemorate the history of civil rights in our nation, including providing an opportunity for students to learn about the personalities and convictions of heroes of the civil rights movement …

(1) Each school district that operates a high school must offer instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation to students as provided in this section. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be included in at least one health class…

If the board of directors of a school district provides access to the campus and the student information directory to persons or groups which make students aware of occupational or educational options, the board shall provide access to official recruiting representatives of the j…

(1) If students' scores on the test or assessments under RCW 28A.655.070 indicate that students need help in identified areas, the school district shall evaluate its instructional practices and make appropriate adjustments. (2) Each school district shall notify the parents of eac…

(1) Each student must have a high school and beyond plan to guide the student's high school experience and inform course taking that is aligned with the student's goals for education or training and career after high school. (2)(a) By grade seven, each student must be administere…

(1) The legislature finds that fully realizing the potential of high school and beyond plans as meaningful tools for articulating and revising pathways for graduation will require additional school counselors and family coordinators. The legislature further finds that the develop…

The superintendent of public instruction shall coordinate both the procedures and the content of the tests and assessments required by the state to maximize the value of the information provided to students as they progress and to teachers and parents about students' talents, int…

Any compliance reporting requirements as a result of laws in this chapter that apply to second-class districts may be submitted in accordance with RCW 28A.330.250. [ 2011 c 45 s 16.] Notes: Conflict with federal requirements—2011 c 45: See note following RCW 28A.330.250.

(1)(a) Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, public schools, for each school day that exceeds five hours in duration, must provide a minimum of 30 minutes of daily recess within the school day for all students in grades kindergarten through five and students in grade six that a…

(1) Beginning no later than the 2022-23 school year, each school district that operates a high school must, at a minimum, provide an opportunity to access an elective computer science course that is available to all high school students. School districts are encouraged to conside…

(1) Beginning with the 2023-24 school year, school districts with more than 200 enrolled students shall offer regular instruction in at least one visual art or at least one performing art, throughout the school year. Each student must receive instruction in at least one arts disc…

(1)(a) Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, all school districts with a high school must provide a financial aid advising day, as defined in RCW 28A.300.815. (b) Districts must provide both a financial aid advising day and notification of financial aid opportunities at the beg…

(1) Beginning with the class of 2020, the state board of education may authorize school districts to grant individual student emergency waivers from credit and subject area graduation requirements established in accordance with RCW 28A.230.090, the graduation pathway requirement …

(1) Any course in Washington state history and government used to fulfill high school graduation requirements established by the state board of education shall consider including information on the culture, history, and government of the American Indian peoples who were the first…

(1) The purpose of a high school diploma is to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, and citizenship, and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner. (2) Except as provided in RCW 28A.230.320, graduation from a publi…

(1) Each student graduating from a public high school and earning a high school diploma must meet the requirements of at least one graduation pathway option established in this section. The graduation pathway options are intended to provide a student with multiple ways, including…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall collect the following information from school districts: Which graduation pathway options established in *RCW 28A.655.250 are available to students at each school district; and the number of students using each graduation pathway…

(1) At the beginning of each school year, school districts must notify parents and guardians of enrolled students from eighth through twelfth grade about each student assessment required by the state, the minimum state-level graduation requirements, and any additional school dist…

(1) Unless requested otherwise by the student and the student's family, a student who has completed high school courses before attending high school must be given high school credit that is applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements if: (a) The course was taken wit…