FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2375

                         C 166 L 00

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Addressing information technology literacy at baccalaureate institutions of higher education.

Sponsors:  Representatives Lantz, Esser, Carlson, Kenney, Dunn, O'Brien and Haigh.

House Committee on Higher Education

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:  Washington first began to focus on accountability in higher education with the 1986 Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) master plan.  The 1997-99 budget established performance goals and targets for the institutions of higher education, which were tied to the baccalaureate's non-instructional funding.  The performance goals included an undergraduate graduation efficiency index, an undergraduate student retention rate, a five-year graduation rate, and faculty productivity measures.  The 1999-2001 budget required the baccalaureate institutions to continue to report progress on the performance goals, but did not have any funds tied to the performance.  The budget also authorized the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to adopt mission-based accountability measures.

In 1999 accountability forums were co-sponsored by the HECB, the SBCTC and the Council of Presidents.  The baccalaureate institutions began to examine performance measures that would represent the "value-added" of a higher education.  Their focus was on writing, critical thinking, information and technology literacy, and quantitative and symbolic reasoning.

Summary of Bill:

Representatives from the public baccalaureate institutions, the SBCTC,  and the HECB must form a work group to develop a plan to improve student information and technology literacy.  This includes developing a definition, standards, and a financial assessment of implementation.  If the Legislature determines that implementation is feasible, a pilot program will occur during the 2003-2004 academic year.  If the pilot program is successful, system-wide implementation will begin in the 2004-2005 academic year.  The baccalaureate institutions and the HECB must deliver several reports to the Legislature.

Votes on Final Passage:

House961

Senate420

Effective:June 8, 2000