Juvenile Sex Offenders in Schools

Juvenile sex offenders in Washington have a continued right to a public education after their conviction, and many return to public schools after periods of confinement with the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration or at a county detention facility. All sex offenders are assigned a risk level on their release, with Level 1 being the lowest likelihood to re-offend and Level 3 being most likely to re-offend.

Convicted juvenile sex offenders in Washington state must register with their local sheriff and must notify the sheriff before attending any public or private school in Washington. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs maintains links to sex offender registration pages for all counties in Washington state.

State Law on Sex Offender Notification

In the interest of school safety, the law on registration of sex offenders and kidnapping offenders requires that school principals be promptly notified any time a sheriff has information that a registered sex offender intends to enroll in a public or private school. School principals may only disseminate information about registered sex offenders in accordance with state law RCW 9A.44.130.

Model Policy and Procedures

• Model Policy 3144
• Model Procedures 3144

Resources for Families, the Public, and Schools

• Notification to Schools of Registered Juvenile Sex or Kidnapping Offenders (PDF)
• How to Identify Grooming Activity and Prevent Sexual Assault (PDF)
• Indicators of a Child in Crisis (PDF)
• Keeping Communities Safe (PDF)
• As an Adult, Should I be Concerned About my Own Safety? (PDF)

Talking to Young People

• Talking to Children About Sexual Abuse (3-9 year olds) (PDF)
• Talking to Children About Sexual Abuse (9-12 year olds) (PDF)
• Talking to Pre-Teens and Teens About Sexual Abuse (12 and up) (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions

• FAQ on Classification of Sex Offenders (PDF)
• FAQ on Notification of Sex Offenders (PDF)
• FAQ on Registration and Restrictions of Sex Offenders (PDF)