The bill aims to enhance the diversity of school boards in Washington by requiring school districts with enrollments exceeding 3,000 students to elect their school board directors from designated member districts. This change is intended to promote proportional representation, thereby encouraging more parents of school-aged children to participate in school governance. Specifically, districts with enrollments greater than 5,000 must elect at least four directors from these designated districts, while those with enrollments between 3,001 and 5,000 must elect at least three. Districts with 3,000 students or fewer are exempt from this requirement.

Additionally, the bill amends RCW 28A.343.300 to clarify the structure of school district boards. It specifies that each member of a board of directors is elected by ballot from the registered voters of the school district for a term of four years, with staggered terms to ensure continuity. The amendment also updates the population threshold for a first-class school district's board size, changing the population figure from "four hundred thousand" to "400,000." This legislative change reflects a commitment to ensuring that school boards are more representative of the communities they serve.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28A.343.300