By the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, each school district shall develop, maintain and, if necessary, implement a continuity of operations plan that ensures delivery of basic education services during disruptions to basic education delivery resulting from an "emergency or disaster" as defined in RCW 38.52.010. "Emergency" may also include a national declaration of emergency by an authorized federal official.

(1) The continuity of operations plan shall describe the following:

(a) The process for the school district to decide how to transition to modalities other than in-person instruction if needed in the event of an emergency or disaster in order to ensure equitable delivery of the program of basic education to all students;

(b) The roles of school district staff responsible for executing the continuity of operations plan during an emergency;

(c) The process for the school district to decide how to transition to offering each student in-person instruction when the disruptions to basic education delivery due to the emergency have ended; and

(d) The schedule for routine review of the continuity of operations plan by the district.

(2) The following apply during implementation of the continuity of operations plan:

(a) Days in which instructional hours are offered shall count as school days for the purpose of meeting the requirements of RCW 28A.150.220; and

(b) Nothing in this section supersedes other applicable law.

(3) Each school district that implements its continuity of operations plan shall notify the state board of education and the office of superintendent of public instruction within five days of the decision to implement the continuity of operations plan by email and postal mail of the following:

(a) Date that the disruptions to basic education delivery began or will begin if there is an impending emergency situation and the estimated duration of the emergency or disaster;

(b) Documentation of the emergency or disaster, such as a declaration of emergency, and information that describes the disruption to basic education delivery due to the emergency;

(c) Contact information for school district staff who are responsible for executing the continuity of operations plan; and

(d) Further information or assurances upon request, at the discretion of the state board of education or the office of superintendent of public instruction staff.

(4) At the discretion of state board of education staff, each school district's compliance with the requirements of the program of basic education is subject to review under WAC 180-16-195.

(5) This continuity of operations plan may be used as a component of the comprehensive emergency management plan under RCW 38.52.030.