3226 Policy – Interviews of Students on School Premises

Bellingham Public Schools values its relationship with law enforcement, the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and the county health department. To minimize interruption of the instructional program, the district discourages interviews of students on school premises. As a rule, interviews by any agency, including law enforcement and the county health department(s) should take place at the agency or at the student’s home rather than school premises.

However, there are limited circumstances when an interview of students at school is warranted, for example, school-initiated investigations, child abuse investigations and/or serious crime investigations. When an onsite interview is warranted by the circumstances, the district will utilize the procedures and protocols associated with this policy, which were developed in cooperation with these agencies and ensure that students and parents/guardians are afforded all rights under law. The interviews of students as witnesses, victims and suspects are treated differently.

In contrast to the limited circumstances noted above, the work of immigration agents does not overlap with the work or duties of the district. This is because the district’s obligation to educate the children residing within its borders is not diminished by the children or parents’ immigration status. The district supports the federal immigration enforcement policy that directs immigration agents to avoid questioning and arrests at sensitive locations, including schools. Therefore, staff shall not grant information or access to immigration agents unless/until the district superintendent/general counsel determines the request complies with Plyler v. Doe and other applicable laws according to the criteria in the associated procedure.

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Cross References:

Policy 3231 - Student Records

Policy 3414 - Infectious Diseases

Policy 3432 - Emergencies

Policy 4310 - District Relationships with Law Enforcement and Other Government Agencies

Legal References:

RCW 28A.605.005 Parental rights

RCW 28A.635.020 Willfully disobeying school administrative personnel or refusing to leave public property, violations, when  Penalty.

RCW 26.44.115 Child taken into custody under court order  Information to parents.

RCW 26.44.110 Information about rights Custody without court order Written statement required  Contents.

RCW 26.44.050 Abuse or neglect of child Duty of law enforcement agency or department of social and health services Taking child into custody without court order, when.

RCW 26.44.030 Reports Duty and authority to make  Duty of receiving agency Duty to notify Case planning and consultation  Penalty for unauthorized exchange of information Filing dependency petitions Investigations  Interviews of children Records Risk assessment process.

Management Resources:

Policy News, July 2025 Legislative Impacts on Model Policies

Policy News, December 2021 Student Interviews & Interrogations on School Premises

Policy News, December 2018 Working with Law Enforcement and other Governmental Agencies.

Policy News, July 2013 New Law Required WSSDA to Adopt Protocol for Student Interviews/Interrogations on School Premises Related to Abuse or Neglect Cases

Policy News, April 2001 Compliance Office Provides FERPA Update

Policy News, February 1998 FERPA Limits Student Records Access

 

Adopted/Previous Revisions: 07/26/18; 10/01/19; 12/08/23

Last Revised: 09/26/25

Superintendent or Board Approved: Superintendent Approved