| Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research |
BILL ANALYSIS |
| Higher Education Committee | |
HB 1856
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
Brief Description: Regarding child care grants for students at institutions of higher education.
Sponsors: Representatives Roberts, Jarrett, Wallace, Upthegrove, Chase, Barlow, Hasegawa, Lovick, Kenney, Kessler, Kagi, Lantz and Simpson.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/22/07
Staff: Jennifer Thornton (786-7111).
Background:
The Institutional Child Care Grant program was established in 1999 to promote high-quality,
accessible, and affordable child care for students attending the state's public four-year colleges
and universities. During the 2005-07 biennium, the Higher Education Coordinating Board
(HECB) awarded grants totaling $150,000, to the following public colleges and universities:
$66,000 to Washington State University for affordable evening child care, increased access to
both day and evening child care programs for infants and toddlers, and increased efficiency and
innovation at the campus child care center; $35,000 to Western Washington University to
provide more affordable child care for low-income families, reduce the annual increase in parent
fees, produce an outcome-based learning model, and create a daycare newsletter; $23,636 to
Central Washington University to support a portion of the costs associated with hiring an early
childhood education specialist and maintaining infant-toddler child care services; and $25,364 to
The Evergreen State College to maintain a sliding fee structure for low-income student parents,
train two to three staff members to become Standardized Testing and Reporting trainers, and
implement a weekend Native American child care program. The grants do not provide direct
child care funding to students.
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) administers the Institutional
Child Care Grant program for the community and technical colleges. Grants of up to $15,000
have been awarded to Big Bend Community College, Highline Community College, Olympic
College, and Whatcom Community College.
Summary of Bill:
A competitive grant program is replaced with a program through which the HECB and the
SBCTC will award child care grants to state institutions of higher education in an amount
matching the amount that the institution's student government association contributes for child
care. The funds may only be used for the direct costs of providing child care for the children of
students.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 21, 2007.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.