3143: District Notification of Juvenile Offenders

Legally a court is required to notify the common school in which a student is enrolled if the student has been convicted, adjudicated, or entered into a diversion agreement for any of the following offenses: a violent offense, a sex offense, a firearms offense, inhaling toxic fumes, a drug offense, liquor offense, assault, kidnapping, harassment, stalking or arson. The principal must inform any teacher of the student and any other personnel who should be aware of the information. The information will be placed in a confidential file.

A student convicted, adjudicated, or entering into a diversion agreement for an assault, kidnapping, harassment, stalking, or arson against a teacher will not be assigned to that teacher’s classroom during the duration of the student’s attendance at that school or any school to which the teacher is assigned. Neither will the student be assigned to a classroom where another student who was his or her victim for the offense is enrolled.

Convicted juvenile sex offenders will not attend a school attended by their adjudicated victims or a victim’s sibling. The offender and his or her parent or guardian will be responsible for providing transportation or covering other costs related to the offender’s attendance at another school.

Legally, The state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is required to notify the board of directors in writing at least thirty days before a juvenile convicted of a violent offense, a sex offense or stalking is discharged, paroled, given authorized leave or otherwise released to reside in the district. The DSHS Sex Offender School Attendance Program assists with ensuring that juvenile sex offenders, committed to Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA), do not enroll in the same school as their victim or victims’ siblings. If there is a conflict in schools, DSHS program staff will work with JRA to have the offender moved to another school.

A community residential facility to which an adjudicated juvenile is transferred will provide written notice of the offender’s criminal history to the district if the juvenile is attending school in the district while residing at the community residential facility.

Cross References

• Board Policy 2161 Special Education and Related Services for Eligible Students
• 3140 Release of Resident Students
• 4315 Release of Information Regarding Sexual Offenders

• Legal References

• RCW 13.04.155 Notification to school principal of conviction, adjudication, or diversion agreement-provision of information to teachers and other personnel — Confidentiality
• RCW 13.40.215 Juveniles found to have committed violent or sex offense or stalking — Notification of discharge, parole, leave, release, transfer, or escape — To whom given — School attendance — Definitions
• RCW 28A.600.460 Classroom discipline — policies — classroom placement of student offenders — data on disciplinary actions

Management Resources

• Policy News, October 2010 Release of Sex Offender Information
• Policy News, June 1999 School Safety Bills Impact Policy
• Policy News, August 1997 Legislature addresses student discipline