Washington HB 1021: Promoting educational stability for children of military families.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to promoting educational stability for children 1
of military families; amending RCW 28A.225.216 and 28A.225.220; and 2
adding a new section to chapter 28A.225 RCW.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.225 5
RCW to read as follows:6
(1) If a change of residence is required by official military 7
orders for a student's active duty parent, the student in transition 8
must be permitted by the school district to remain enrolled in the 9
school the student attends through the end of the school year.10
(2) A student in transition whose status changes due to the end 11
of active duty status for the student's parent during the school year 12
must be permitted by the school district to remain enrolled in the 13
school the student attends through the end of the school year, or if 14
enrolled in grades nine through 12, through graduation.15
(3) Nonresident school districts are not required to provide 16
transportation to and from the school unless otherwise required by 17
state or federal law.18
(4) For the purposes of this section "active duty," "student," 19
and "transition" have the same meaning as in RCW 28A.705.010.20
H-0054.2
HOUSE BILL 1021
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Shavers, Ryu, Leavitt, Callan, Timmons, Simmons,
Peterson, Reeves, and Donaghy
Prefiled 12/09/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Education.
p. 1 HB 1021

Sec. 2. RCW 28A.225.216 and 2019 c 72 s 1 are each amended to 1
read as follows:2
(1)(a) A child of a military family complies with the residency 3
requirements for enrollment in a school district if a parent of the 4
child is transferred to, or is pending transfer to, a military 5
installation within the state while on active duty pursuant to 6
official military orders.7
(b) ((A)) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a 8
parent of the child must provide to the school district proof of 9
residence in the school district within ((fourteen)) 14 days of the 10
arrival date provided on official military documentation. The parent 11
may use the address of any of the following as proof of residence in 12
the school district:13
(i) A temporary on-base billeting facility;14
(ii) A purchased or leased residence, or a signed purchase and 15
sale agreement or lease agreement for a residence; or16
(iii) Any federal government housing or off-base military 17
housing, including off-base military housing that may be provided 18
through a public-private venture.19
(2) A school district shall accept, on a conditional basis, an 20
application for enrollment and course registration, including 21
enrollment in a specific school or program within the school 22
district, by electronic means for children of military families who 23
meet the requirements of subsection (1)(a) of this section. Upon 24
satisfaction of the requirements of subsection (1)(b) of this 25
section, the school district shall finalize the enrollment of 26
children of military families.27
(3) If a residence meeting the requirements of subsection 28
(1)(b)(i) or (ii) of this section is unavailable for more than 14 and 29
fewer than 90 days at the time of enrollment in a school district, 30
the child of a military family complies with the residency 31
requirements for enrollment in the school district where the 32
temporarily unavailable residence is located.33
(4) Nonresident school districts are not required to provide 34
transportation to and from the school unless otherwise required by 35
state or federal law.36
(5) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this 37
section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.38
(a) "Active duty" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.705.010.39
p. 2 HB 1021

(b) "Child of a military family" and "children of military 1
families" have the same meaning as "children of military families" in 2
RCW 28A.705.010.3
(c) "Military installation" has the same meaning as in RCW 4
28A.705.010.5
(d) "Parent" means a parent, guardian, or other person or entity 6
having legal custody of a child of a military family.7
Sec. 3. RCW 28A.225.220 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 510 are each 8
amended to read as follows:9
(1) Any board of directors may make agreements with adults 10
choosing to attend school, and may charge the adults reasonable 11
tuition.12
(2) A district is strongly encouraged to honor the request of a 13
parent or guardian for his or her child to attend a school in another 14
district or the request of a parent or guardian for his or her child 15
to transfer as a student receiving home-based instruction.16
(3) A district shall release a student to a nonresident district 17
that agrees to accept the student if:18
(a) A financial, educational, safety, or health condition 19
affecting the student would likely be reasonably improved as a result 20
of the transfer; ((or))21
(b) Attendance at the school in the nonresident district