An associated student body (ASB) will be formed in each school within the district whenever one or more students in that school engage in money-raising activities with the approval and at the direction or under the supervision of the district.

An ASB will be a formal organization of students, including sub-components or affiliated student groups. Each ASB will submit a constitution and bylaws to the board for approval. The constitution and bylaws will identify how student activities become approved as student body activities and establish standards for their supervision, governance and financing. Subject to such approval process, any lawful activity that promotes the educational, recreational or cultural growth of students as an optional extracurricular, co-curricular activity may be considered for recognition as an ASB activity. Any lawful fundraising practices that are consistent with the goals of the district and that do not bring disrespect to the district or its students may be acceptable methods and means for raising funds for student body activities. The board may act or delegate the authority to a staff member to act as the ASB for any school which contains no grade higher than grade six. 

The school principal will designate a staff member as the primary advisor to the ASB and assure that all groups affiliated with the ASB have an advisor assigned to assist them. Advisors will have the authority and responsibility to intervene in any activities that are inconsistent with district policy, ASB standards, student safety or ordinarily accepted standards of behavior in the community. When in doubt, advisors will consult with the school principal regarding the propriety of proposed student activities. Student activities cannot include support or opposition to any political candidate or ballot measure. 

Each ASB will prepare and submit annually a budget for the support of the ASB program to the board for approval.  All property and money acquired by ASBs, except private nonassociated student body funds, will be district funds and will be deposited and disbursed from the dis­trict's ASB program fund. 

Money acquired by ASB groups through fundraising and donations for scholarships, student exchanges and charitable purposes will be private nonassociated student body fund moneys.  

Solicitation of funds for nonassociated student body fund purposes must be voluntary and must be accompanied by notice of the intended use of the proceeds and the fact that the district will hold the funds in trust for their intended purpose.  Nonassociated student body fund moneys will be disbursed as determined by the group raising the money. Private nonassociated student body funds will be held in trust by the district for the purposes indicated during the fundraising activities until the student group doing the fund raising requests disbursement of the funds and the accounts of the fundraising are complete and reconciled. 

The board may establish and collect a fee from students and nonstudents as a condition to their attendance at, or participation in, any optional noncredit extracurricular district event of a cultural, social, recreational, or athletic nature. If the board establishes such a fee or fees, the superintendent or designee will establish a procedure for waiving fees for students who are eligible to participate in the federal free or reduced-price meals program and for reducing fees for students’ family members and other nonstudents sixty-five or older who, by reason of their low income or unique circumstance, would have difficulty in paying the entire amount of such fees. Fees collected pursuant to this paragraph shall be deposited in the ASB program fund of the district.

Cross References: 
 Board Policy 2150         Co-Curricular Program
                   3515         Student Incentives
                   4200         Safe and Orderly Learning Environment
                   6020         System of Funds and Accounts 

Legal References: 

RCW 28A.325.010         Fees for optional noncredit extracurricular events – Disposition

RCW 28A.325.020         Associated student bodies – Powers and responsibilities affecting

RCW 28A.325.030         Associated student body program fund –Fundraising activities – Nonassociated student body program fund moneys

RCW 28A.325.050         Associated student body program fund – Publication of information on school district web site

WAC 392-138                Finance – Associated student body moneys 

Management Resources: Policy & Legal News      December 2014; August 2020 

ADOPTED: 09/24/1992

REVISED: 8/31/00; 12/14/00; 6/28/01; 12/16/04; 3/26/15; 12/17/20

Procedure No. 3510P Associated Student Bodies

The associated student bodies (ASBs) in the schools of the district will operate within the following guidelines: 

Structure 

1. ASBs are mandatory whenever one or more students engage in money-raising activities with the approval and at the direction or under the supervision of the district. The school principal is designated to act as the ASB for K-6 school buildings.
2. The board has authority over ASBs. ASBs are subject to the same laws as the district, including accounting procedures, budgets and warrants. 

Financial Operations 

1.  The district will have an ASB program fund budget approved by the board.
2.  All ASB money is accounted for, spent, invested and budgeted the same way as other public money.
3.  Disbursements may be made either by warrant, imprest bank accounts, or procurement card, or petty cash funds.
4.  ASB purchases must comply with state bid procedure as outlined in the law and district bid requirements policy and procedure. Purchases of the same goods or services for more than one school must be considered together when establishing the purchase amount   and applicability of bid requirements.
5.  All property acquired with ASB moneys becomes property of the school district.
6.  ASB groups may raise private nonassociated student body fund moneys through fundraising and donations for scholarships, student exchanges and charitable purposes. Such fundraising and donation solicitation will meet the requirements for other ASB fundraising   and those requirements specific to nonassociated student body funds, including clear notice to all donors of the purpose of the fundraising.  Students wishing to use district facilities to raise private nonassociated student body funds will comply with district policy and   procedures regarding community use of school facilities.  For handling the accounting for complex fundraising programs for private nonassociated student body fund money, the district will withhold or otherwise be compensated an amount adequate to reimburse the   district for its direct costs.
7.  Purposes that directly further or support the school district's program - both co-curricular, extracurricular are suitable use for ASB funds, if the activities are optional for students.
8.  ASB funds may not be used for gifts or recognition to individuals for private benefit. Private nonassociated student body funds may be raised for scholarships, student exchanges and charitable purposes, pursuant to district policy and procedure.                                                                              

Waiver or Reduction of Fees

For a student to have a fee waived or reduced, the student or the student’s parent or guardian shall request a waiver or reduction at the school.  Free and reduced-price meal students will automatically qualify for a waiver.  In making a determination to reduce a fee, the principal will consider the student’s unique circumstances in making a decision. 

Website Publication of Program Fund Information

The district will publish the following ASB program fund information on its website: 

1. The fund balance at the beginning of the school year;
2. Summary data about expenditures and revenues occurring over the course of the school year; and
3. The fund balance at the end of the school year. 

The information will be published for each ASB of the district and each account within the ASB program fund. If the district website contains separate websites for schools in the district, the information will be published on the website of the applicable school of the ASB. The district will add updated annual information to its website by each August 31st, except that the district is only required to maintain the information on its website from the previous five years. 

ADOPTED:  09/22/1994

REVISED: 08/31/00; 06/28/01; 11/20/01; 12/16/04; 12/17/20