FINAL BILL REPORT

2SHB 2379

PARTIAL VETO

                                  C 9 L 90 E1

BYHouse Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Peery, Betrozoff, Dorn, Jacobsen, Hargrove, Holland, Van Luven, P. King, H. Myers, Kirby, Wineberry, Ebersole, May, Ferguson and Rasmussen; by request of Governor Gardner)

Creating student enrollment options programs.

House Committe on Education

Senate Committee on Education

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Educational "choice" programs allow parents and students to choose the school the student will attend.  A basic tenet of choice programs is that the student's assigned school district may not prohibit the student from leaving the district to attend school in another district.  The receiving district, on the other hand, may restrict nonresident enrollment based on space availability and other factors.

Nationwide, choice programs vary widely, including programs that allow choice only within the public school district (intradistrict); programs that allow choice between public school districts (interdistrict); and programs that allow upper-level high school students to attend community colleges, public universities, and vocational-technical institutes (VTI). Generally, state education funding follows the student to the new school, district, VTI, or college.

Washington state statutes allow school districts wide flexibility in establishing intradistrict choice programs.  Interdistrict transfers are allowed in Washington for a number of reasons, including allowing a student to transfer if the Superintendent of Public Instruction finds that a special hardship or detrimental condition may be significantly alleviated by the transfer.  Cooperative exchange agreements between school districts also are common.

SUMMARY:

                                 FAMILY CHOICE

Interdistrict Transfer Criteria.

The statutes pertaining to student transfers between school districts in cases of hardship or detrimental conditions are amended.  Existing provisions are deleted that allow the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to order the transfer of a student if SPI finds that a special hardship or detrimental condition may likely be significantly improved.  New language is inserted that strongly encourages school districts to honor transfer requests, and directs school districts to release a student to a nonresident school district if:  1) a financial, educational, safety, or health condition affecting the student would likely be reasonably improved as a result of the transfer; 2) attendance at the school in the nonresident district is more accessible to the parent's place of work or to the location of child care; or 3) there is a special hardship or detrimental condition.

A district may deny the request of a resident student to transfer to a nonresident district if the transfer would adversely affect the district's existing desegregation plan.

Transfer Fees.

School districts may establish annual transfer fees for nonresident students, and SPI must pay from available funds any transfer fee for low-income students.  By December 1, 1990, SPI must make a recommendation to the Legislature on a formula for calculating the transfer fee and an estimate of the cost to the state for paying the fee for low-income students.  Until a formula is adopted, the fees will be determined as prescribed by SPI.

Selection of Nonresident Applications.

All districts accepting applications from nonresident students for admission to the district must consider equally all applications. Each school district must adopt a policy establishing rational, fair, and equitable standards for acceptance and rejection of applications by June 30, 1990.  If an application is rejected, the notification shall include the reasons for the denial and information on the parent's right to an appeal to SPI and the Superior Court.

Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities.

Eligibility of transfer students for extracurricular activities is subject to rules adopted by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.

Intradistrict Transfer Policies.

No later than June 30, 1990, school districts must adopt and implement a policy allowing intradistrict enrollment options.  Each district must establish its own policy for implementing the intradistrict enrollment options.

Parent Information.

SPI is required to prepare and annually distribute an information booklet outlining enrollment options.  Prior to the 1991-92 school year, the booklet will be distributed to each school in the state, school district office, and public library.  Each school district must annually inform parents of the district's intradistrict and interdistrict enrollment options and parental involvement opportunities.

Reports and Recommendations.

SPI must annually collect information on student transfers occurring under the act, and report its findings annually to the Legislature and governor beginning December 1, 1992.  By December 1, 1990, SPI is required to make recommendations on the responsibility of parents to provide their children transportation to nonresident schools, the cost of providing a transportation subsidy for low-income students, and whether the statewide information booklet should be distributed to all parents.

                        SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE CHOICE

If requested, a student who has completed high school courses while in seventh and eighth grade will be given high school credit, which will apply to fulfilling high school graduation requirements if:  1) the course was taken with high school students and the student successfully passed the course, or 2) the course would qualify for high school credit because the course is similar or equivalent to a high school course as determined by the district's board of directors.  If a student successfully completes the course, additional competency examinations or assignments may not be required.

Students enrolled in high school when these provisions take effect and who took courses while they were in the seventh and eighth grade may apply for credit.

                                 RUNNING START

Students in the eleventh and twelfth grade may apply to enroll at a community college or vocational-technical institute (VTI).  If the student is accepted, the pupil's school district must transmit to the community college or VTI the student's state basic education funds in proportion to the number of hours of instruction the student receives at the community college or VTI and high school. A student may not take more than the equivalent of two academic years of course work.  Both high school and postsecondary credit may be obtained.

Funds received for these high school students by a VTI or community college may be retained, and a student enrolled under the provisions of the act may not be counted for the purpose of determining enrollment restrictions.

SPI, the State Board for Community College Education, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board must jointly adopt rules to implement the Running Start program.

Up to five community college districts may implement the program during the 1990-91 and 1991-92 school years.  All community colleges must participate in the 1992-93 school year.  VTIs may implement the program beginning with the 1990-91 school year, and are required to implement the program in the 1991-92 school year.

A task force is created comprised of at least 13 members.  By June 1, 1991, the task force must report to the Legislature on, but not limited to, whether the Running Start program should be expanded to public four-year higher education institutions.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 68  25

First Special Session

      House 65  31

      Senate    28    18 (Senate amended)

      House 66  30 (House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:April 11, 1990

Partial Veto Summary:  The veto eliminates the task force that was to recommend to the Legislature whether the Running Start program should be expanded to include public four-year higher education institutions.  (See VETO MESSAGE)