S-4289.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6332
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State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1994 Regular Session
By Senators Bauer, West, Sutherland, Drew and Snyder
Read first time 01/19/94. Referred to Committee on Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to credit equivalencies for credits earned at institutions of higher education; amending RCW 28A.305.220; creating a new section; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. By May 1, 1994, or as soon as possible thereafter, the higher education coordinating board and the state board of education, in cooperation with the superintendent of public instruction, the commission on student learning, and the state board for community and technical colleges shall convene a task force to recommend a process for evaluating credits earned in an institution of higher education toward a high school diploma or certificate of mastery. In selecting members of the task force, the boards shall consult representatives of the school directors, school administrators, teachers, faculty, students, counselors, vocational directors, parents, and other interested organizations. The process shall be designed to accomplish goals that include but need not be limited to:
(1) Recognizing the changing nature of educational instruction and crediting, and awarding appropriate credit for knowledge and competencies learned in a variety of ways in both institutions of higher education and high schools;
(2) Encouraging students to enroll in programs and institutions that will best meet the students' needs and educational goals;
(3) Creating uniform articulation agreements between institutions of higher education and the common school system for granting appropriate credit for competencies and knowledge learned in high schools, colleges, or universities; and
(4) Creating a forum for ongoing discussion of curriculum issues that transect higher education and the common schools.
By December 15, 1994, after considering the advice of the task force, the higher education coordinating board and the state board of education shall report their recommendations on establishing credit equivalencies to the house of representatives and senate education and higher education committees.
Sec. 2. RCW 28A.305.220 and 1984 c 178 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The state board of education shall develop for use by all public school districts a standardized high school transcript. The state board of education shall establish clear definitions for the terms "credits" and "hours" so that school programs operating on the quarter, semester, or trimester system can be compared. For high school students who attend college and university classes, and for students enrolled in community college adult high school completion programs, five quarter or three semester hour credits successfully completed at the college or university level shall equal the credit generated by one hundred fifty hours of high school instruction.
(2) Transcripts are important documents to students who will apply for admission to postsecondary institutions of higher education. Transcripts are also important to students who will seek employment upon or prior to graduation from high school. It is recognized that student transcripts may be the only record available to employers in their decision-making processes regarding prospective employees. The superintendent of public instruction shall require school districts to inform annually all high school students that prospective employers may request to see transcripts and that the prospective employee's decision to release transcripts can be an important part of the process of applying for employment.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Section 2 of this act shall expire August 31, 1995.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.
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