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• Introduced by Rep. Dan Newhouse, (R-Sunnyside) (R) on January 16, 2009, to encourage and support school districts in providing innovative ways to reduce operating cost through the approval of waivers that would reduce a school week to four days per week. This bill would allow a school district to receive a waiver from the requirement of one-hundred eighty school days. Sections are dealing with the application of waiver are repealed.
  • Referred to the House Education Committee on January 16, 2009.
    • Substitute offered in the House on February 18, 2009, to only alllow that five districts may be granted such waivers and only those districts with under 500 students are eligible. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on February 18, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on March 2, 2009.
• Passed in the House (87 to 10) on March 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on March 7, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee on March 7, 2009.
    • Amendment offered in the Senate on March 30, 2009, to provide that the program is to allow for a flexible calendar school year rather than a four-day school week. Of the five waivers granted, two must be to school districts with under 150 students and three are to be granted to school districts with a student population between 151 and 500 students. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 30, 2009.
    • Amendment offered in the Senate on April 8, 2009, to add two more waivers to the program. The additional two waivers must be granted to school districts with a population between 501 and 5,000 students. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on April 8, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on March 30, 2009.
• Passed in the Senate (34 to 13) on April 8, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on April 20, 2009, House does not agree to Senate amendments and asks the Senate to reconsider. Passed in the House by voice vote on April 20, 2009.
• Received in the Senate on April 22, 2009, Senate removes original amendments and offers a new striking amendment regarding the flexibility in the scheduling of the school calendar. Passed in the Senate (32 to 13) on April 22, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on April 24, 2009, House accepts Senate action. Passed in the House (85 to 9) on April 24, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire on May 18, 2009, authorizes the State Board of Education to grant waivers from the 180-day school year requirement for purposes of economy and efficiency. Limits to five the number of districts to which waivers may be granted and limits the availability of these waivers to two school districts with student populations less than 150 and 3 districts with student populations between 150 and 500. Allows, under certain conditions, for 180-day waivers.Deletes references to a previously repealed statute and a section which is no longer operative, and repeals a statute which refers to a previously repealed statutory process .