(1) Satisfaction of the basic education program requirements identified in RCW 28A.150.210 shall be considered to be implemented by the following program:

     (a) Each school district shall make available to students enrolled in kindergarten at least a total instructional offering of four hundred fifty hours. The program shall include instruction in the essential academic learning requirements under *RCW 28A.630.885 and such other subjects and such activities as the school district shall determine to be appropriate for the education of the school district's students enrolled in such program;

     (b) Each school district shall make available to students enrolled in grades one through twelve, at least a district-wide annual average total instructional hour offering of one thousand hours. The state board of education may define alternatives to classroom instructional time for students in grades nine through twelve enrolled in alternative learning experiences. The state board of education shall establish rules to determine annual average instructional hours for districts including fewer than twelve grades. The program shall include the essential academic learning requirements under *RCW 28A.630.885 and such other subjects and such activities as the school district shall determine to be appropriate for the education of the school district's students enrolled in such group;

     (c) If the essential academic learning requirements include a requirement of languages other than English, the requirement may be met by students receiving instruction in one or more American Indian languages.

     (2) Nothing contained in subsection (1) of this section shall be construed to require individual students to attend school for any particular number of hours per day or to take any particular courses.

     (3) Each school district's kindergarten through twelfth grade basic educational program shall be accessible to all students who are five years of age, as provided by RCW 28A.225.160, and less than twenty-one years of age and shall consist of a minimum of one hundred eighty school days per school year in such grades as are conducted by a school district, and one hundred eighty half-days of instruction, or equivalent, in kindergarten: PROVIDED, That effective May 1, 1979, a school district may schedule the last five school days of the one hundred and eighty day school year for noninstructional purposes in the case of students who are graduating from high school, including, but not limited to, the observance of graduation and early release from school upon the request of a student, and all such students may be claimed as a full time equivalent student to the extent they could otherwise have been so claimed for the purposes of RCW 28A.150.250 and 28A.150.260.

     (4) The state board of education shall adopt rules to implement and ensure compliance with the program requirements imposed by this section, RCW 28A.150.250 and 28A.150.260, and such related supplemental program approval requirements as the state board may establish.

[1993 c 371 § 2; (1995 c 77 § 1 and 1993 c 371 § 1 expired September 1, 2000); 1992 c 141 § 503; 1990 c 33 § 105; 1982 c 158 § 1; 1979 ex.s. c 250 § 1; 1977 ex.s. c 359 § 3. Formerly RCW 28A.58.754.]

NOTES:

     *Reviser's note: RCW 28A.630.885 was recodified as RCW 28A.655.060 pursuant to 1999 c 388 § 607. RCW 28A.655.060 was subsequently repealed by 2004 c 19 § 206.

     Contingent expiration date -- 1995 c 77 § 1: "Section 1 of this act shall expire September 1, 2000. However, section 1 of this act shall not expire if, by September 1, 2000, a law is not enacted stating that a school accountability and academic assessment system is not in place." [1995 c 77 § 32.] That law was not enacted by September 1, 2000.

     Contingent effective date -- 1993 c 371 § 2: "Section 2 of this act shall take effect September 1, 2000. However, section 2 of this act shall not take effect if, by September 1, 2000, a law is enacted stating that a school accountability and academic assessment system is not in place." [1993 c 371 § 5.] That law was not enacted by September 1, 2000.

     Contingent effective date -- 1992 c 141 §§ 502-504, 506, and 507: See note following RCW 28A.150.205.

     Findings -- Part headings -- Severability -- 1992 c 141: See notes following RCW 28A.410.040.

     Severability -- 1982 c 158: "If any provision of this amendatory act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1982 c 158 § 8.]

     Effective date -- 1979 ex.s. c 250: "This amendatory act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and except as otherwise provided in subsection (5) of section 1, and section 2 of this amendatory act, shall take effect August 15, 1979." [1979 ex.s. c 250 § 10.]

     Severability -- 1979 ex.s. c 250: "If any provision of this amendatory act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1979 ex.s. c 250 § 11.]

     Effective date -- Severability -- 1977 ex.s. c 359: See notes following RCW 28A.150.200.