HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5678

As Amended by the House

BYSenators Fleming, Patterson, Gaspard, Bauer, Tanner, Zimmerman and Bailey

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

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (10)

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

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (22)

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

House Staff:      Bill Robinson (786-7142)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 14, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The Regional Education Program for Deaf Students was established in 1969 to provide hearing impaired students equal access to college level educational programs.  Based at Seattle Central Community College, the Program for Deaf Students is funded through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education and has served more than one thousand students from thirty-five states and six foreign countries.

Deaf students begin the program by completing a one-quarter, self-contained preparatory program which provides them an opportunity to improve their academic skills and begin career exploration.  Then they are eligible to enroll in any of the more than 120 vocational/technical programs, academic/college transfer programs or specialized educational classes offered by the Seattle Community District on its three campuses.  To complement their enrollment in regular (or mainstream) classes, deaf students are provided with specialized support services, including interpreting, note-taking, tutoring, counseling, academic advising and audiological services.

Students pay tuition to cover their educational costs and federal funds are provided to cover the support services.

The regional program annually serves about 120 students, some of whom have multiple handicaps.  About 30 students come from out of state and are required to pay an additional $2,055 in nonresident tuition and fees.  Many of these students receive complete or partial subsidy from their home states or the federal government. Seattle program managers claim that the dramatic increase in nonresident tuition rates in Washington in recent years has made human service counselors in other states reluctant to subsidize their students' entry into the program, which has caused a reduction in the number of students enrolled.  If that number continues to decline, the program may lose its annual federal subsidy of more than $598,000, a loss which would force the state to either absorb those costs or close the program.

SUMMARY:

Community college boards of trustees are permitted to waive the nonresident portion of tuition and fees for students enrolled in the regional education programs for deaf students as long as federal funding of the program continues. The tuition waiver granted to non-resident deaf students is required to be included within the 3 percent waiver authority of the community college system.  The first 32 such students will be credited to the 3 percent of the entire system and any additional student waivers will be credited to Seattle Community College's share of the 3 percent general waiver.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Higher Education)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  Ronald H. LaFayette, Director, Regional Education Program for Deaf Students.

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

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.

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

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  Continuation of the federal funding is genuinely threatened because of a significant decline in the number of out-of-state students enrolled.  This decline is related to the increase in the out-of-state tuition.

Loss of the program would have a significant fiscal impact. To offset the loss of $510,000 in federal funds, the state would have to provide other forms of assistance to these people. 

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

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.