PROVIDING LEARNING MATERIALS TO STUDENTS
ATTENDING STATE APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOLS

CURRENT STATUS:

Although variations of such access exist in seventeen (17) states today, through direct reimbursement, loaned materials, or tax deductions, it has not been a provision for students attending approved private schools in Washington state.

Currently, parents of students attending non-public schools pay various fees to provide all learning materials used by their child. Homeschoolers may access learning materials through the local school district at state expense.

AT ISSUE HERE ARE THE FOLLOWING:

1. The inability of non-public school parents to access state-approved learning materials already being paid for by their tax dollars.
2. Assuring current learning materials are accessible to all students, regardless of the school chosen to attend.
3. Does providing state approved learning materials to students infringe upon the state constitution? (i.e. that "All schools maintained or supported wholly or in part by the public funds shall be forever free from sectarian control or influence." Art.I|11)
4. The importance of creating & sustaining meaningful relationships between Washington's public and state approved private schools as, together, we serve all of the children as citizens of the state of Washington.

WFIS BELIEVES:

• State funding should provide eligible learning materials to all students attending a state approved school, regardless of where they elect to secure their education.
• We believe this because doing so would fulfill the intent of the constitution's preamble to "educate all children ..." and present law, requiring approved private schools to provide a basic education to their students (RCW28A.195). Learning materials are one of the methods used to provide a basic education.
• Loaning of learning materials may be the most appropriate method for achieving equitable access.
• We believe this because it is consistent with existing Federal methods (i.e. Title VI) and would be the easiest to implement.
• We believe it is vital for students attending approved private schools to be assured of current learning materials.
• We believe this because, in order to receive the highest level of basic education, up-to-date learning materials are critical to the learning process. In addition, using similar learning materials would facilitate effective transition of students as they move between our public & private schools.
• We believe that such a program is necessary to support a child's basic education ... not support of a type of school.
• Since eligible learning materials would be limited to those currently used by our public schools or those approved by the OSPI, we believe the issue is not one of "school type" or school support. Rather, it is the support of a student's learning.
• We believe such student support is within the purview of the state constitution as identified in it's preamble, identifying the state's paramount duty to educate all children of the state.