28A.340.080 - Innovation academy cooperatives -- Formation -- Student enrollment.

Innovation academy cooperatives — Formation — Student enrollment.

(1) Two or more nonhigh school districts may form an interdistrict cooperative, to offer an innovation academy cooperative, as defined in RCW 28A.340.085 and subject to the approval of the office of the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.340.090, for high school students residing in the participating nonhigh school districts.

     (2) Enrollment in an innovation academy cooperative is optional for students. For students residing in a participating nonhigh school district who enroll in a high school district rather than the innovation academy cooperative, the provisions of RCW 28A.540.110 and chapter 28A.545 RCW apply to the nonhigh school district.

     (3) Each innovation academy cooperative shall designate one of the participating nonhigh school districts to report enrolled students for funding purposes. The reporting district shall claim the monthly full-time equivalent students enrolled in the innovation academy cooperative and receive state funding allocations, including basic education allocations that are based on the small high school allocation under the appropriations act to the extent the number of students enrolled in the innovation academy cooperative meets the criteria for a small high school.

[2010 c 99 § 2.]

Notes: Implementation review -- Report -- 2010 c 99: "The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall review the implementation of RCW 28A.340.080 through 28A.340.090 to identify keys to success and any barriers to successful implementation of innovation academy cooperatives and submit a report to the education committees of the legislature by January 1, 2013." [2010 c 99 § 9.]

Findings -- Intent -- 2010 c 99: "The legislature finds that the availability of technology, online learning, and field and project-based curricula offer new opportunities for school districts to design innovative programs for high school students. However, the legislature also finds that while small, rural school districts desire to offer innovative learning options for students in their communities, they are constrained by state laws and rules that appear to prohibit nonhigh school districts from creating options for their high school students in cooperation with other nonhigh school districts. Therefore, the legislature intends to authorize and encourage innovative, cooperative high school programs for students from very small school districts." [2010 c 99 § 1.]