Administrative Resources

Regional Boundary Committee

The ESD Superintendent supervises the elections of the Regional Committee on School District Organization and serves as its secretary. Membership includes one representative from each ESD director district. The Committee reviews all local school district boundary questions and sends its recommendations to the State Board of Education.

(1) It is the purpose of this chapter to:

(a) Incorporate into a single, comprehensive, school district organization law all essential provisions governing:

(i) The formation and establishment of new school districts;
(ii) The alteration of the boundaries of existing districts; and
(iii) The adjustment of the assets and liabilities of school districts when changes are made under this chapter; and

(b) Establish methods and procedures whereby changes in the school district system may be brought about by the people concerned and affected.

(2) It is the state's policy that decisions on proposed changes in school district organization should be made, whenever possible, by negotiated agreement between the affected school districts. If the districts cannot agree, the decision shall be made by the regional committees on school district organization, based on the committees' best judgment, taking into consideration the following factors and factors under RCW 28A.315.205:

(a) A balance of local petition requests and the needs of the statewide community at large in a manner that advances the best interest of public education in the affected school districts and communities, the educational service district, and the state;
(b) Responsibly serving all of the affected citizens and students by contributing to logical service boundaries and recognizing a changing economic pattern within the educational service districts of the state;
(c) Enhancing the educational opportunities of pupils in the territory by reducing existing disparities among the affected school districts' ability to provide operating and capital funds through an equitable adjustment of the assets and liabilities of the affected districts;
(d) Promoting a wiser use of public funds through improvement in the school district system of the educational service districts and the state; and
(e) Other criteria or considerations as may be established in rule by the state board of education.

(3) It is neither the intent nor purpose of this chapter to apply to organizational changes and the procedure therefore relating to capital fund aid by non-high school districts as provided for in chapter 28A.540, RCW.

Bruce Hawkins
Superintendent
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
509.544.5785

Back to the top

Eduportal

Washington State EduPortal - New Site, New Features
For more than three years, the EduPortal has met the needs of administrators throughout the state. Recently, it has been redesigned to be more convenient, versatile and powerful to use; containing more than 12,000 resources specifically selected for Washington school leaders!
Check out these great resources:

Washington WACs and RCWs, up-to-date and searchable
Educational Research Services' e-Bulletin® Collection 1997-2005
OSPI Bulletins and Memoranda
OSPI Financial Reports and Budget Preparation Resources
OSPI Administrative Law Judge Decisions
Attorney Generals Opinions from 1985 to current
WASA Resources at Your Fingertips
http://www.transact.com/public/login.htm

Kuniko Votaw
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
509.544.5785

Investigations

According to WAC 180-86-105 it is the duty of educational service district superintendent to investigate complaints. Each educational service district superintendent shall cause to be investigated all written and signed complaints, from whatever source, that allege that a certificated education professional within his or her educational service district is not of good moral character or personal fitness or has committed an act of unprofessional conduct. If the educational service district superintendent investigates and determines the facts are reliable and further investigation by the superintendent of public instruction is warranted, the educational service district superintendent shall forward the written complaint and the results of his or her investigation to the superintendent of public instruction: Provided, That if the educational service district superintendent, after consultation with the assistant attorney general assigned to his or her educational service district, determines that the substance of the complaint would not constitute grounds for reprimand, suspension, or revocation if true, then such educational service district superintendent need not investigate the complaint: Provided further, That if the educational service district superintendent receives a written assurance from the superintendent of public instruction, a district superintendent, or a chief administrative officer of an approved private school that such official is investigating or will investigate the same or a substantially similar complaint, the educational service district superintendent shall be deemed to have caused an investigation in compliance with this section.

Bruce Hawkins
Superintendent
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
509.544.5785

Oath of Office Forms

RCW 28A.310.290
ESD superintendent's powers and duties -- Oaths and affirmations.
In addition to other powers and duties as provided by law, each educational service district superintendent shall:

(1) Administer oaths and affirmations to school directors, teachers, and other persons on official matters connected with or relating to schools, when appropriate, but not make or collect any charge or fee for so doing.

(2) Require the oath of office of all school district officers be filed as provided and furnish a directory of all such officers to the county auditor and to the county treasurer of the county in which the school district is located as soon as such information can be obtained after the election or appointment of such officers is determined and their oaths placed on file.

Click on the following link for forms:
http://www.k12.wa.us/ProfPractices/adminresources/forms.aspx

Kuniko Votaw
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
509.544.5785

Open Public Meetings Act

RCW 42.30.110 Executive sessions.

(1) Nothing contained in this chapter may be construed to prevent a governing body from holding an executive session during a regular or special meeting:

(a) To consider matters affecting national security;

(b) To consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real estate by lease or purchase when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of increased price;

(c) To consider the minimum price at which real estate will be offered for sale or lease when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of decreased price. However, final action selling or leasing public property shall be taken in a meeting open to the public;

(d) To review negotiations on the performance of publicly bid contracts when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a likelihood of increased costs;

(e) To consider, in the case of an export trading company, financial and commercial information supplied by private persons to the export trading company;

(f) To receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public officer or employee. However, upon the request of such officer or employee, a public hearing or a meeting open to the public shall be conducted upon such complaint or charge;

(g) To evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment or to review the performance of a public employee. However, subject to RCW 42.30.140(4), discussion by a governing body of salaries, wages, and other conditions of employment to be generally applied within the agency shall occur in a meeting open to the public, and when a governing body elects to take final action hiring, setting the salary of an individual employee or class of employees, or discharging or disciplining an employee, that action shall be taken in a meeting open to the public;

(h) To evaluate the qualifications of a candidate for appointment to elective office. However, any interview of such candidate and final action appointing a candidate to elective office shall be in a meeting open to the public;

(i) To discuss with legal counsel representing the agency matters relating to agency enforcement actions, or to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency litigation or potential litigation to which the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity is, or is likely to become, a party, when public knowledge regarding the discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency.

This subsection (1)(i) does not permit a governing body to hold an executive session solely because an attorney representing the agency is present. For purposes of this subsection (1)(i), "potential litigation" means matters protected by RPC 1.6 or RCW 5.60.060(2)(a) concerning:

(A) Litigation that has been specifically threatened to which the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity is, or is likely to become, a party;

(B) Litigation that the agency reasonably believes may be commenced by or against the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity; or

(C) Litigation or legal risks of a proposed action or current practice that the agency has identified when public discussion of the litigation or legal risks is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency;

(j) To consider, in the case of the state library commission or its advisory bodies, western library network prices, products, equipment, and services, when such discussion would be likely to adversely affect the network's ability to conduct business in a competitive economic climate. However, final action on these matters shall be taken in a meeting open to the public;

(k) To consider, in the case of the state investment board, financial and commercial information when the information relates to the investment of public trust or retirement funds and when public knowledge regarding the discussion would result in loss to such funds or in private loss to the providers of this information;

(l) To consider proprietary or confidential non-published information related to the development, acquisition, or implementation of state purchased health care services as provided in RCW 41.05.026;

(m) To consider in the case of the life sciences discovery fund authority, the substance of grant applications and grant awards when public knowledge regarding the discussion would reasonably be expected to result in private loss to the providers of this information.

(2) Before convening in executive session, the presiding officer of a governing body shall publicly announce the purpose for excluding the public from the meeting place, and the time when the executive session will be concluded. The executive session may be extended to a stated later time by announcement of the presiding officer.

Bruce Hawkins
Superintendent
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
509.544.5785

Superintendent Advisory Council

RCW 28A.310.430
Local school district superintendents to advise board and superintendent.
The superintendents of all local school districts within an educational service district shall serve in an advisory capacity to the educational service district board and superintendent in matters pertaining to budgets, programs, policy, and staff.

Educational Service District 123