SB 5181 — Amending the parents rights initiative to bring it into alignment with existing law.

ENGROSSEDS-0199.4 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5181 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators C.

Wilson, Pedersen, Dhingra, Frame, Liias, Lovick, Nobles, Stanford, Trudeau, and Wellman)Wellman READPrefiled FIRST01/08/25. TIME 01/24/25.

Read first time 01/13/25.

Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

and amending RCW 28A.605.005;28A.605.005.

and declaring an emergency.

(a) To access their child's classroom and school-sponsored activities to observe in accordance with RCW 28A.605.020 and to examine the curriculum, textbooks, ((curriculum)) instructional materials, and supplemental ((material)) instructional materials used in their child's classroom in accordance with school district policies and procedures;

1 ESSBSB 5181 (b)(i) To inspect and review their child's ((public school)) education records ((inin accordance with RCW 28A.605.030,))28A.605.030, and to request and receive a copy of their child's education records within((within ((1010 business days of submitting a written request, either electronically or on paper)) a reasonable period of time, but not more than 45 days, of submitting a request in accordance with the federal family educational rights and privacy act of 1974, Title 20 U.S.C.

1232g, as in effect on January 1, 2025, andwithin RCWa 28A.605.030.reasonable period of time.

(ii) Parents ((or))or and legal guardians ((must))must choosing to inspect and review their child's education records may not be required by a public school to appear in person for the purposes of requesting or validating a request for their child's ((public school)) education records,records. provided the public school can ascertain the identity of the requestor.

(iii) No charge may be imposed on a parent or legal guardian to ((receive such records electronically)) inspect or review their child's education records or for the costs of searching for or retrieving the education records.

Any charges for a ((paper)) copy of such records must be reasonable ((and)), not prevent a parent, legal guardian, or eligible child from exercising the right to inspect and review the child's education records, and be set forth in the official policies and procedures of the school districtdistrict. and public school.

and (H) Any other student-specific files, documents, or other materials that are maintained by the public school)) Education records means those official records, files, and data directly related to a student and maintained by the school including, but not limited to, records encompassing all the material kept in the child's cumulative folder, such as general identifying data, records of attendance and of academic work completed, records of achievement and p.

2 ESSBSB 5181 records means those official records, files, and data directly related to a student and maintained by the public school including, but not limited to, records encompassing all the material kept in the child's cumulative folder, such as general identifying data, records of attendance and of academic work completed, records of achievement and results of evaluative tests, disciplinary status, test protocols, and individualized education programs;

(f))) To receive immediate((immediate)) notification ((if a criminal action is deemed to have)) within a reasonable amount of time, but no later than 72 hours, of the school district receiving information that a criminal action has been committed against their child ((or by their child)) on school property during the school day,day including immediate notification if there has been a shooting on school property, or their child has been detained based on probable cause of involvement in criminal activity on school property during the school day;

(((g))) (d) To receive immediate((immediate)) notification within a reasonable amount of time, but no later than 72 hours, if law enforcement personnel question their child during a custodial interrogation at the school during the school day, except in cases where the parent or legal guardian has been accused of abusing or neglecting the child;

(((h))) (e) To receive ((immediate notification if their child is taken or removed from the public school campus without parental permission, including to stay at a youth shelter or "host home" as defined in RCW 74.15.020)) notification within a reasonable amount of p.

3 ESSBSB 5181 (((h)))time, (e)but Tono ((receivelater immediatethan notification72 hours, if their child is takenremoved from any school grounds or removedbuilding fromthereon during school hours, pursuant to the publicpolicies schoolestablished campusand withoutrequired parentalby permission,RCW including28A.605.010, toexcept staywhere atthe aprovisions youthof shelterRCW or74.15.020, "host13.32A.082, home"26.44.050, asor defined26.44.115 apply, in RCWwhich 74.15.020;case the notice provisions related to those statutes govern;

(i)(((i))) (f) To receive assurance their child's public school will not discriminate against their child based upon((upon the sincerely held religious beliefs of the child's family in accordance with chapter)) noton havethe theirbasis childof removedsex, fromrace, schoolcreed, groundsreligion, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or buildingsmilitary duringstatus, schoolsexual hoursorientation withoutincluding authorizationgender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a parenttrained dog guide or legalservice guardiananimal accordingby toa theperson provisionswith a disability in RCWaccordance 28A.605.010.with chapters 28A.640 and 28A.642 RCW;

Nothing in this section affects the provisions in RCW 74.15.020, 13.32A.082, 26.44.050, or 26.44.115;

(f) To have their child receive a public education in a setting in which discrimination on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability is prohibited under chapters 28A.640 and 28A.642 RCW;

(i) Political affiliations or beliefs of the studentchild or the student'schild's parent or legal guardian;

(ii) Mental or psychological problems of the studentchild or the student'schild's family;

p.(iv) Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;

4 ESSB 5181 (iv) Illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;

(vi)p. Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers;

(vii)4 ReligiousSB practices,5181 affiliations,(vi) Legally recognized privileged or beliefsanalogous ofrelationships, thesuch studentas orthose student'sof parentlawyers, orphysicians, legaland guardian;ministers;

(vii) Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the child or child's parent or legal guardian;

Such calendar must be posted to the public school's website and must include, at a minimum, student attendance days and any known event that requires parent,parent legal guardian, or student attendance outside of normal school days or hours;

(((m))) (j) To receive in writing each year or to view on the public school's website a comprehensive listing of any required fee and its purpose and use and a description of how economic hardships may be ((addressed;addressed;

(n)))(((n))) considered(k) To receive in writing each year or to view on the administrationschool's website a description of fees;the school's required dress code or uniform established pursuant to the policies established and allowed by RCW 28A.320.140, if applicable, for students;

(k)and (((o))) (l) To receivebe ininformed writingif eachtheir yearchild's oracademic to((performance, viewincluding onwhether thetheir publicchild school'sis websiteprovided a descriptionstudent oflearning plan under RCW 28A.655.270)) progress, including the school'sright requiredto dressreceive codeperiodic orreports uniformon establishedtheir pursuantchild's educational growth and development in accordance with RCW 28A.150.240 and to thereceive policiesnotice establishedof their child's performance on state learning standards tests and allowedassessments byin accordance with RCW 28A.320.140,28A.230.195, ifand applicable,whether forthe students;performance, is such that it could threaten the child's ability to be promoted to the next grade level ((and to be offered)).

((andA (o)))parent (l)or Tolegal beguardian informedalso ifhas their child's academic ((performance, including whether their child is provided a student learning plan under RCW 28A.655.270)) progress, including the right to receiverequest periodican reportsin-person onmeeting theirwith the child's educationalclassroom growthteacher and developmentprincipal in accordance with RCW 28A.150.240 and to receivediscuss noticeany ofresources theiror child'sstrategies performanceavailable onto statesupport learning standards tests and assessmentsencourage in accordance with RCW 28A.230.195, and whether the performance, is such that it could threaten the child's abilityacademic toimprovement. be promoted to the p.

5p. ESSB 5181 next grade level ((and to be offered)).

A5 SB 5181 (3) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, a public school shall not be required to release any records or information regarding a student's ((medical or health records or mental health counseling)) health care, social work, counseling, or disciplinary records to a parent or legal guardian alsowho hasis the rightdefendant toin requesta ancriminal in-personproceeding meetingwhere withthe student is the child'snamed classroomvictim teacheror andduring principalthe topendency discussof an investigation of child abuse or neglect conducted by any resourceslaw enforcement agency or strategiesthe availabledepartment toof supportchildren, youth, and encouragefamilies where the child'sparent academicor improvement;legal guardian is the target of the investigation, unless the parent or legal guardian has obtained a court order.

(m) To file a complaint on behalf of their child under RCW 28A.600.477 relating to harassment, intimidation, and bullying;

(n) To have their child qualify for enrollment in a school district if they are transferred to, or pending transfer to, a military installation within the state in accordance with RCW 28A.225.216;

(o) To have their child qualify without a legal residence for enrollment in a school district in accordance with RCW 28A.225.215;

(p) To have their child whose primary language is not English access supplemental instruction and services through the transitional bilingual instruction program in accordance with RCW 28A.150.220;

(q) To receive annual notice of the public school's language access policies and services, the parents' rights to free language access services under Title IV of the civil rights act of 1964, 42 U.S.C.