In addition to any other powers and duties as provided by law, the powers and duties of the superintendent of public instruction shall be:
(1) To have supervision over all matters pertaining to the public schools of the state;
(2) To report to the governor and the legislature such information and data as may be required for the management and improvement of the schools;
(3) To prepare and have printed such forms, registers, courses of study, rules for the government of the common schools, and such other material and books as may be necessary for the discharge of the duties of teachers and officials charged with the administration of the laws relating to the common schools, and to distribute the same to educational service district superintendents;
(4) To travel, without neglecting his or her other official duties as superintendent of public instruction, for the purpose of attending educational meetings or conventions, of visiting schools, and of consulting educational service district superintendents or other school officials;
(5) To prepare and from time to time to revise a manual of the Washington state common school code, copies of which shall be made available online and which shall be sold at approximate actual cost of publication and distribution per volume to public and nonpublic agencies or individuals, said manual to contain Titles 28A and 28C RCW, rules related to the common schools, and such other matter as the state superintendent or the state board of education shall determine;
(6) To file all papers, reports and public documents transmitted to the superintendent by the school officials of the several counties or districts of the state, each year separately. Copies of all papers filed in the superintendent's office, and the superintendent's official acts, may, or upon request, shall be certified by the superintendent and attested by the superintendent's official seal, and when so certified shall be evidence of the papers or acts so certified to;
(7) To require annually, on or before the 15th day of August, of the president, manager, or principal of every educational institution in this state, a report as required by the superintendent of public instruction; and it is the duty of every president, manager, or principal, to complete and return such forms within such time as the superintendent of public instruction shall direct;
(8) To keep in the superintendent's office a record of all teachers receiving certificates to teach in the common schools of this state;
(9) To issue certificates as provided by law;
(10) To keep in the superintendent's office at the capital of the state, all books and papers pertaining to the business of the superintendent's office, and to keep and preserve in the superintendent's office a complete record of statistics, as well as a record of the meetings of the state board of education;
(11) With the assistance of the office of the attorney general, to decide all points of law which may be submitted to the superintendent in writing by any educational service district superintendent, or that may be submitted to the superintendent by any other person, upon appeal from the decision of any educational service district superintendent; and the superintendent shall publish his or her rulings and decisions from time to time for the information of school officials and teachers; and the superintendent's decision shall be final unless set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction;
(12) To administer oaths and affirmations in the discharge of the superintendent's official duties;
(13) To deliver to his or her successor, at the expiration of the superintendent's term of office, all records, books, maps, documents and papers of whatever kind belonging to the superintendent's office or which may have been received by the superintendent's for the use of the superintendent's office;
(14) To administer family services and programs to promote the state's policy as provided in RCW 74.14A.025 ;
(15) To promote the adoption of school-based curricula and policies that provide quality, daily physical education for all students, and to encourage policies that provide all students with opportunities for physical activity outside of formal physical education classes;
(16) To ensure the effective delivery and administration of basic education services to justice-involved students and to improve their educational outcomes, both as required by RCW 28A.190.150 ; and
(17) To perform such other duties as may be required by law.
Findings — Intent — 2023 c 303: See note following RCW 28A.190.150 .
Effective date — Purpose — 2011 1st sp.s. c 43: See notes following RCW 43.19.003 .
Findings — Purpose — Part headings not law — 2006 c 263: See notes following RCW 28A.150.230 .
Findings — Intent — 2005 c 360: See note following RCW 36.70A.070 .
Intent — 1999 c 348: See note following RCW 28A.205.010 .
Severability — 1982 c 160: "If any provision of this amendatory act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1982 c 160 s 4 .]
Rights preserved — Severability — 1969 ex.s. c 176: See notes following RCW 28A.310.010 .
Studies — 1969 ex.s. c 283: "The superintendent of public instruction is directed to develop, prepare and make available information as follows:
(1) A budgetary study of the fiscal impact which would result from payment to substitute teachers, who are on a continuing basis of twelve or more days within any calendar month, at a rate of pay commensurate with their training and experience and at a per diem salary in proportion to the salary for which that teacher would be eligible as a full time teacher;
(2) A study showing the percentage of high school graduates who go on to an institution of higher education, including community colleges, the distribution of such students, and the percentage thereof which continue in higher education through the various grades or years thereof; and
(3) A study of the fiscal impact of establishing one hundred and eighty days as the base salary period for all contracts with certificated employees." [ 1969 ex.s. c 283 s 8 .]
Severability — 1969 ex.s. c 283: See note following RCW 28A.150.050 .