(Effective July 1, 2025.) (1)(a) The department shall license the living accommodations provided by residential private schools as defined in RCW 74.15.020. Accommodations include all areas and school operations that are intended to allow enrolled students to eat, sleep, bathe, recreate, or otherwise reside. (b) A residential private school is exempt from the licensing requirements of (a) of this subsection if: (i) The residential private school is accredited by an accrediting body approved by the state board of education in accordance with accreditation standards and procedures established by the state board of education under RCW 28A.305.130; and (ii) The accreditation covers the student living accommodations including examination of comparable criteria as listed in subsection (2) of this section as determined by the state board of education in consultation with the department. (2) The department shall engage in negotiated rule making pursuant to RCW 34.05.310(2)(a) with the state board of education and other affected interests to adopt minimum health and safety rules to implement this section. Rules must address the needs of children and youth during noninstructional hours, including but not limited to space allotted to each child or youth for sleeping, developmentally appropriate privacy requirements, personal storage, nutritional needs, cleanliness and hygiene of living quarters, social-emotional well-being during noninstructional hours, health and wellness accommodations, compliance with the Americans with disabilities act, and physical safety. [ 2023 c 441 s 2.]
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