(1) School districts must incorporate the procedures in this section for the purpose of eliminating barriers and facilitating the on-time grade level progression and graduation of students who are homeless as described in RCW 28A.300.542, students who are the subject of a dependency proceeding, at-risk youth or children in need of services pursuant to chapter 13.32A RCW, and students who are in or have been released from an institutional education facility.

(2) School districts must waive specific courses required for graduation if similar coursework has been satisfactorily completed in another school district or must provide reasonable justification for denial. Should a waiver not be granted to a student who would qualify to graduate from the sending school district, the receiving school district must provide an alternative means of acquiring required coursework so that graduation may occur on time.

(3) School districts must consolidate partial credit, unresolved, or incomplete coursework and provide opportunities for credit accrual in a manner that eliminates academic and nonacademic barriers for the student.

(4) For students in or released from an institutional education facility, school districts must provide students with access to world language proficiency tests, American sign language proficiency tests, and general education development tests. Access to the tests may not be conditioned or otherwise dependent upon a student's request. School districts must award at least one high school credit to students upon meeting the standard established by the state board of education under subsection (9) of this section on a world language or American sign language proficiency test or a general education development test. Additional credits may be awarded by the district if a student has completed a course or courses of study to prepare for the test. If the school district has a local policy for awarding mastery-based credit on state or local assessments, the school district must apply this policy for students in or released from an institutional education facility.

(5) For students who have been unable to complete an academic course and receive full credit due to withdrawal or transfer, school districts must grant partial credit for coursework completed before the date of withdrawal or transfer and the receiving school must accept those credits, apply them to the student's academic progress or graduation or both, and allow the student to earn credits regardless of the student's date of enrollment in the receiving school.

(6) Should a student who is transferring at the beginning or during the student's junior or senior year be ineligible to graduate from the receiving school district after all alternatives have been considered, the sending and receiving districts must ensure the receipt of a diploma from the sending district if the student meets the graduation requirements of the sending district.

(7) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt and distribute to all school districts lawful and reasonable rules prescribing the substantive and procedural obligations of school districts to implement these provisions.

(8) Should a student have enrolled in three or more school districts as a high school student and have met state requirements but be ineligible to graduate from the receiving school district after all alternatives have been considered, the receiving school district must waive its local requirements and ensure the receipt of a diploma.

(9) The state board of education, in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall identify the scores students must achieve in order to meet the standard on world language or American sign language proficiency tests and general education development tests in accordance with subsection (4) of this section.

(10) For the purposes of this section, "institutional education facility" and "school district" have the same meaning as in RCW 28A.190.005.

(11) For the purposes of this section, "students who are the subject of a dependency proceeding" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.150.510.

Findings—Intent—2021 c 164: See note following RCW 28A.190.005.

Findings—Effective date—2012 c 163: See notes following RCW 28B.117.010.