Title 28A, COMMON SCHOOL PROVISIONS

(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…

(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, t…

(1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (a) "Alternative learning experience course" means a course, or for grades kindergarten through eight grade-level coursework, that is a delivery method for the prog…

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 learning experience course. The calculation shall be based on the estima…

The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules to bring consistency and uniformity to attendance and truancy definitions in the alternative learning experience setting, establish procedures for addressing truancy in all alternative learning experience courses, leverage …

The superintendent of public instruction is hereby authorized to receive and disburse federal funds made available by acts of congress for the assistance of private nonprofit organizations in providing food services to children and adults according to the provisions of 20 U.S.C. …

All reasonably ascertainable costs of performing the duties assumed and performed under RCW 28A.235.010 through 28A.235.030 and * 28A.235.140 by either the superintendent of public instruction or another state or local governmental entity in support of the superintendent of publi…

The superintendent shall have the power to promulgate such rules in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW as are necessary to implement this chapter. [ 1987 c 193 s 3. Formerly RCW 28A.29.030.]

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 17.] Notes: Conflict with federal requirements—2011 c 45: See note following RCW 28A.330.250.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law or chapter 39.32 RCW, the state superintendent of public instruction is hereby authorized to purchase, or otherwise acquire from the government of the United States or any property or commodity disposal agency thereof, surplus or donated…

The state superintendent of public instruction is hereby authorized to enter into any contract with the United States of America, or any agency thereof, for the purchase of any surplus or donated food commodities, without regard to the provisions of any other law requiring the ad…

In purchasing or otherwise acquiring surplus or donated commodities on the requisition of a school district the superintendent may advance the purchase price and other cost of acquisition thereof from the surplus and donated food commodities revolving fund and the superintendent …

There is created in the office of the state superintendent of public instruction a revolving fund to be designated the surplus and donated food commodities revolving fund. [ 1985 c 341 s 10; 1979 ex.s. c 20 s 1; 1969 ex.s. c 223 s 28A.30.040. Prior: 1967 ex.s. c 92 s 2. Formerly …

The surplus and donated food commodities revolving fund shall be administered by the state superintendent of public instruction and be used solely for the purchase or other acquisition, including transportation, storage and other cost, of surplus or donable food commodities from …

The surplus and donated food commodities revolving fund shall be deposited by the superintendent in such banks as he or she may select, but any such depository shall furnish a surety bond executed by a surety company or companies authorized to do business in the state of Washingt…

The superintendent of public instruction shall have power to adopt rules as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter. [ 1993 c 333 s 5; 1990 c 33 s 245; 1969 ex.s. c 223 s 28A.30.070. Prior: 1967 ex.s. c 92 s 6. Formerly RCW 28A.30.070, 28.30.070.]

Any provision of law, or any resolution, rule or regulation which is inconsistent with the provisions of RCW 28A.235.040 through 28A.235.110 is suspended to the extent such provision is inconsistent herewith. [ 1990 c 33 s 246; 1969 ex.s. c 223 s 28A.30.080. Prior: 1967 ex.s. c 9…

The directors of any school district may establish, equip and operate meal programs in school buildings for pupils; certificated and classified employees; volunteers; public agencies, political subdivisions, or associations that serve public entities while using school facilities…

The board of directors of any school district may cause to be furnished free of charge, in a suitable receptacle on each and every school day to such children in attendance desiring or in need of the same, not less than one-half pint of milk. The cost of supplying such milk shall…

(1)(a) In accordance with (b) and (c) of this subsection, beginning with the 2023-24 school year, each school district shall provide breakfast and lunch each school day to any student who requests a breakfast, lunch, or both. The school district must provide the meals at no charg…

State funds received by school districts under this chapter for school breakfast and lunch programs shall be used to support the operating costs of the program, including labor, unless specific appropriations for nonoperating costs are provided. [ 1993 c 333 s 2.]

(1)(a) To the extent funds are appropriated for this specific purpose, the superintendent of public instruction may award grants to school districts to: (i) Increase awareness of and participation in school breakfast and lunch programs, including breakfast after the bell programs…

(1) The superintendent of public instruction shall administer funds for the federal summer food service program. (2) The superintendent of public instruction may award grants, to the extent funds are appropriated, to eligible organizations to help start new summer food service pr…

(1) For the purposes of this section: (a) "Free or reduced-price lunch" means a lunch served by a school district participating in the national school lunch program to a student qualifying for national school lunch program benefits based on family size-income criteria. (b) "Lunch…

(1) The Washington grown fresh fruit and vegetable grant program is created in the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The purpose of the program is to facilitate consumption of Washington grown nutritious snacks in order to improve student health and expand the m…

Public schools, as defined in RCW 28A.150.010, providing school meals to students are encouraged to buy Washington produced food whenever practicable and cost is comparable to non-Washington produced food. [ 2023 c 379 s 3.] Notes: Intent—2023 c 379: See note following RCW 28A.23…

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction may coordinate with the department of agriculture to promote and facilitate new and existing regional markets programs, including farm-to-scho…

The definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 28A.235.210 and 28A.235.220 unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Breakfast after the bell" means a breakfast that is offered to students after the beginning of the school day. Examples of breakfast after the bell…

(1)(a) In accordance with RCW 28A.235.230 and except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, beginning in the 2019-20 school year, each high-needs school shall offer breakfast after the bell to each student and provide adequate time for students to consume the offered food…

(1) Before January 2, 2019, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop and distribute procedures and guidelines for the implementation of RCW 28A.235.210 that comply with federal regulations governing the school breakfast program. The guidelines and proc…

The office of the superintendent of public instruction, school districts, and affected schools shall implement sections 2 through 4, chapter 8, Laws of 2018 only in years in which funding is specifically provided for the purposes of chapter 8, Laws of 2018, referencing chapter 8,…

(1) The joint legislative audit and review committee shall conduct an analysis of breakfast after the bell programs established in schools in accordance with RCW 28A.235.210. The analysis of the schools establishing breakfast after the bell programs shall include a review of any …

(1)(a) Except as provided otherwise in subsection (2) of this section, each school that participates in the national school lunch program, the school breakfast program, or both, shall annually distribute and collect an application for all households of children in kindergarten th…

If a student has not paid for five or more previous meals, the school shall: (1) Determine whether the student is categorically eligible for free meals; (2) If no application has been submitted for the student to determine his or her eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, m…

(1) No school or school district personnel or school volunteer may: (a) Take any action that would publicly identify a student who cannot pay for a school meal or for meals previously served to the student, including but not limited to requiring the student to wear a wristband, h…

(1) Local liaisons for homeless children and youths designated by districts in accordance with the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act 42 U.S.C. Sec. 11431 et seq. must improve systems to identify homeless students and coordinate with the applicable school nutrition pr…

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall initiate and oversee the development and implementation of a statewide electronic repository of household income information that is required for a student's enrollment in, or eligibility for, the national school lu…

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop and implement a plan to increase the number of schools participating in the United States department of agriculture community eligibility provision for the 2018-19 school year and subsequent years. The offic…

(1)(a) Except as provided otherwise by this section, each public school that has an identified student percentage of at least 40 percent as determined annually by April 1st, must participate in the United States department of agriculture's community eligibility provision in the s…

The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall identify or develop open educational resources for use by schools to integrate mathematics, science, social-emotional, environmental and sustainability, and social studies content standards to help support and prioritiz…

By January 1, 2027, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must leverage existing programs to identify food waste reduction educational best practices and ways to overcome food waste reduction barriers in schools. [ 2025 c 314 s 9.] Notes: Findings—Intent—2025 c 3…

The legislature finds that student access to programs offered at skill centers can help prepare them for careers, apprenticeships, and postsecondary education. The legislature further finds that current limits on how school districts and skill centers report full-time equivalent …

A skill center is a regional career and technical education partnership established to provide access to comprehensive industry-defined career and technical programs of study that prepare students for careers, employment, apprenticeships, and postsecondary education. A skill cent…

(1) Beginning in the 2007-08 school year and thereafter, students attending skill centers shall be funded for all classes at the skill center and the sending districts, up to one and six-tenths full-time equivalents or as determined in the omnibus appropriations act. The office o…

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall review and revise the guidelines for skill centers to encourage skill center programs. The superintendent, in cooperation with the workforce training and education coordinating board, skill center directors, and the…

Subject to available funding, skill centers shall provide access to late afternoon and evening sessions and summer school programs, to rural and high-density area students aligned with regionally identified high-demand occupations. When possible, the programs shall be specificall…