Background:

A variety of education programs allow high school students to earn post-secondary course credit while also earning credit toward high school graduation. Students who participate in these dual credit programs have the opportunity to graduate from high school with all or a portion of college course work already completed as well as enhance their chances of entry into a chosen trade or profession. Running Start students have the opportunity to study on a college campus while acquiring credits that count toward both high school and college graduation. If the student passes the college course, he or she receives the same amount of credit as any other college student taking the course. The students do not pay tuition for Running Start classes. Rather, for a full-time Running Start student, a school district retains seven percent of the basic education allocation and provides the remainder to the higher education institution. A Running Start student cannot be charged fees except for consumable supplies, textbooks, and other materials to be retained by the student.

College in the High School permits students to complete college level work while staying on their high school campuses. High school teachers typically form a relationship with a college or university and receive adjunct, extension, or lecturer status. They work with a professor to align a particular high school course with a college level course published in the college catalog. The college course is then taught to high school students by the high school teacher during the regular school day. Students usually pay a fee for this program that varies based on the area of study. Other funding, fees, and eligibility requirements are negotiated by participating schools through a local contract. Tech Prep is a cooperative effort between K-12 schools, community and technical colleges, and the business community to develop applied integrated, academic and technical programs. These professional technical courses are taught on high school campuses by high school instructors. The instructors work with local colleges to assure the courses are taught at the college-level and articulate to the college program. Each of the state's 22 Tech Prep consortia have developed competency- based articulation agreements between high schools and colleges that help students transition from high school into post-secondary professional technical programs. Through Tech Prep articulation agreements, colleges award credit to students who successfully complete college-equivalent courses and programs with a "B" or better while still in high school.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate allow students to take college-level courses while staying on their high school campuses. For both of these programs, students complete courses taught by high school teachers but then must pass a standardized examination at the end of the course. Whether college credit is awarded depends upon a student's score on the exam. For Advanced Placement, students score from zero to five points. Minimum scores to qualify for college credit vary by college and by subject area. Students pay the exam fees.

Running Start for the Trades began in 2006 with the purpose of expanding apprenticeship opportunities for high-school students. High schools work closely with local apprenticeship programs to prepare students to enter apprenticeships immediately after graduation. Depending upon the program, students may earn direct entry into an apprenticeship program or enhance their chances of entry into a program.

Summary of Bill:

The Legislature recognizes the need for a well-prepared workforce and the value of the various dual credit programs to the state, its workforce, and the individual students and their families. It is important to increase the number of students in dual credit programs as well as the availability of the various programs.

Dual Credit Reporting Requirements

By September 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), in collaboration with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) , the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, and the public baccalaureate institutions, must report to the higher education committees in the Legislature regarding participation in dual credit programs. The report must include:

data about student participation rates and academic performance;
data on the total unduplicated head count of students enrolled in at least one dual credit program; and
the percentage of students who enrolled in at least one dual credit program as a percent of all students enrolled in grades nine through twelve.

College in the High School Rules Development and Governance

The OSPI, the SBCTC, and the public baccalaureate institutions must jointly develop, and each adopt, rules governing College in the High School. These rules must be written to encourage the maximum use of the program and may not narrow or limit enrollment options. College in the High School programs are to be governed by a local contract between a school district and an institution of higher education. The following requirements apply:

Student eligibility is determined by the high school and the institution of higher education.
Tuition may be charged.
No student may be reported for more than one full-time equivalent.
Funds received by the institution of higher education may not be deemed tuition or operating fees; they may be retained by the institution.
Enrollment information must be maintained separately from other information, may not be included in official enrollment reports, and high school students so enrolled may not be considered in any enrollment statistics that would affect higher education budgetary determinations.
School districts must award high school credit for successful completion and these credits shall be applied toward graduation and subject area requirements.
Institutions of higher education must grant college credit for successful completion and these credits shall be applied toward general education or major requirements.
Eleventh and twelfth grade students and those who have not yet received a high school diploma and are eligible to be in these grades may participate.
Participating school districts must provide information about the College in the High School program to the parents and guardians of tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders.
Full time and part time faculty at the institutions of higher education are eligible to teach courses in the program.

Dual Credit Advising Guidelines

The OSPI must develop advising guidelines to assure that students and parents understand that college credits earned in high school dual credit programs may impact eligibility for financial aid.

Running Start

The Running Start statutes are amended to reflect that such programs are not found just at the community and technical colleges but also may be offered by a public tribal college located in Washington that meets accreditation requirements and some of the four year public institutions.

Running Start students may be charged mandatory fees as established by each institution of higher education, such fees to be prorated based upon credit load. Institutions of higher education must make available fee waivers for low-income students.

Students enrolled in Running Start shall be counted for the purpose of determining enrollment targets imposed by the state on the institution of higher education but shall not be counted for purposes of higher education funding. Running Start students shall not displace any students currently enrolled.