HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 227

BYRepresentatives Jacobsen, Prince, K. Wilson, Nelson, Allen, Brough, Heavey, Miller, Locke, Niemi, Day and Dellwo

Authorizing nonresident fees to be waived for deaf students at community colleges.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:     Do pass.  (11)

     Signed by Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Heavey, Vice Chair; Allen, Barnes, Basich, Jesernig, Miller, Nelson, Prince, Unsoeld and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (22)

     Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Ebersole, Fuhrman, Grant, Grimm, Hine, Holland, McLean, McMullen, Nealey, Niemi, Peery, Sayan, Silver, L. Smith, H. Sommers, Sprenkle and B. Williams.

House Staff:    Bill Robinson (786-7142)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS/APPROPRIATIONS

MARCH 5, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The Regional Education Program for Deaf Students at Seattle Community College was established in 1969 to provide hearing impaired students access to college level educational programs.  The Program is funded through a federal grant from the United States Department of Education.  Since its beginning the Program has served more than 1000 students from 35 states and six foreign countries.

The Seattle district offers more than 120 vocational/technical programs, academic/college transfer programs, and specialized educational programs.  Deaf students are mainstreamed into regular college classes, following a one-quarter self-contained Preparatory Program.  The Preparatory Program provides students the opportunity to improve their academic skills, and begin career exploration.  Students enter mainstream classes with specialized support services provided by the Program.  Support services provided for hearing impaired students include interpreting, notetaking, tutoring, counseling, academic advising, and audiological services.

Students pay tuition to cover educational costs.  Federal funds cover the support services necessary to mainstream handicapped students.

The regional program serves about 100 students per year, some with multiple handicaps.  Approximately 30 of the students come from out of state, paying an additional $2225 per year in nonresident tuition and fees.  These students are generally wholly or partially subsidized by state or federal rehabilitation assistance programs.  Program managers claim that the dramatic increase in nonresident tuition rates in recent years is making human service counselors in other states reluctant to subsidize their student's entry into Washington's program.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Community College governing boards may waive the nonresident portion of tuition and fees for students enrolled in the regional education program for deaf students, as long as federal funding of the program continues.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Requires the tuition waiver granted to non-resident deaf students to be included within the three percent waiver authority of the community college system.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS/APPROPRIATIONS:  Substitute bill proposed.

Fiscal Note:    No Impact.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     (Higher Education)  Ronald LaFayette, Seattle Central Community College and Larry Petersen, Washington Association of the Deaf.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  Ronald LaFayette, Seattle Central Community College; Wilbur Yaska, Student and Larry Petersen, Washington Association of the Deaf.

House Committee - Testified Against: (Higher Education)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     (Higher Education)  Seattle Central Community College has one of the few programs for hearing impaired students in the country in which students are mainstreamed into college programs along with their hearing peers.

Since Washington has dramatically increased tuition for out of state students in recent years, the number of nonresident students enrolled in the program has declined.  The program's federal funding is very vulnerable to reduction or elimination due to federal budgeting changes.

Passage of this legislation will help the program attract more out of state students - help bring per student cost for support services down, and make the program more competitive for federal funding.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  If the number of nonresident students continues to decline, this program will no longer be competitive as a regional program.  Should this occur, the federal subsidy of more than $520,000 per year may be eliminated, requiring Washington State to either pick up the cost or close down the program.

House Committee - Testimony Against: (Higher Education)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.