2024-2025 School Rule Review Project

Summary

During the 2024 session, the Legislature included a new budget proviso. The new proviso directs the Board to create new proposed school environmental health and safety rules. The Board initiated this process in May 2024 and will complete the drafting of the new proposed rules, an environmental justice assessment, a fiscal analysis, and implementation recommendations by June 30, 2025. The project will be completed in collaboration with other state agencies and interested parties. The goal is to create a proposed rule establishing minimum environmental health and safety standards for schools.

For More Information

Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050
State Board of Health Contact: Andrew Kamali, andrew.kamali@sboh.wa.gov
To receive updates about the Boards School Rules Review project, please sign up at SchoolEHS@sboh.wa.gov

Additional Background

During the 2024 legislative session, the Legislature included in the 2024 supplemental operating budget a proviso (Section 222, subsection 159 (page 492) that directs the State Board of Health (Board) to review and develop new proposed rules to set minimum health and safety standards for K-12 schools. The Legislature also required the Board to:

Conduct the rule review in collaboration with the Department of Health and a multi-disciplinary advisory committee. At a minimum, the committee must consist of representatives from:

  • Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI),
  • Small and Large School Districts,
  • Washington Association of School Administrators,
  • Washington State School Directors Association,
  • Washington Association of Maintenance and Operations Administrators, and,
  • Washington Association of School Business Officials.

In developing the draft rule, the Board must consider the size of school districts, regional cost differences, the age of schools, feasibility of implementing the proposed rules by section or subject area, and other variables that may affect rule implementation.

The Board must meet with the advisory committee to receive and discuss the committee’s comments on the proposed rules.

The proviso also directs the Board to collaborate with OSPI to develop a fiscal analysis regarding the implementation of the proposed rules. This analysis must consider school district size, regional cost differences, school age, and any other variables that may affect costs as identified by the advisory committee.

The Board must also work with the Department of Health to complete an environmental justice assessment on the proposed rules.

The Board must work collaboratively with OSPI, the Department of Health, the advisory committee, and local health jurisdictions to develop and provide a report to the office of the Governor and appropriate committees by June 30, 2025. The report will prioritize sections or subject areas of the proposed rules with the greatest health and safety benefits, and the order in which they should be implemented. The report will also include any additional recommendations for implementation.

The Board will receive funding to do this work starting July 1, 2024

What’s happening now? The Board is:

  • Currently working to hire staff to carry out the work of the proviso.
  • Updating our website and reaching out to interested parties and community partners.
  • Gathering information that may be helpful to the advisory committee’s work.
  •  Planning to convene the technical advisory committee in late summer or early fall.

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