HOUSE BILL REPORT
2SHB 2864
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. |
As Passed House:
February 13, 2020
Title: An act relating to establishing a running start summer school pilot program.
Brief Description: Establishing a running start summer school pilot program.
Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Paul, Morgan, Valdez, Bergquist, Lekanoff and Santos).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Education: 1/30/20, 2/3/20 [DPS];
Appropriations: 2/8/20, 2/10/20 [DP2S(w/o sub ED)].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 2/13/20, 78-19.
Brief Summary of Second Substitute Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION |
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 13 members: Representatives Santos, Chair; Dolan, Vice Chair; Paul, Vice Chair; Bergquist, Caldier, Callan, Harris, Ortiz-Self, Rude, Stonier, Thai, Valdez and Ybarra.
Minority Report: Without recommendation. Signed by 3 members: Representatives McCaslin, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Volz, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Corry.
Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 1 member: Representative Steele, Ranking Minority Member.
Staff: Megan Wargacki (786-7194).
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS |
Majority Report: The second substitute bill be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass and do not pass the substitute bill by Committee on Education. Signed by 25 members: Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Robinson, 1st Vice Chair; Bergquist, 2nd Vice Chair; Rude, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Caldier, Chopp, Cody, Corry, Dolan, Fitzgibbon, Hansen, Hudgins, Kilduff, Macri, Mosbrucker, Pettigrew, Pollet, Ryu, Senn, Springer, Sullivan, Sutherland, Tarleton, Tharinger and Ybarra.
Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Stokesbary, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Dye, Hoff, Kraft, Schmick and Steele.
Staff: Jordan Clarke (786-7123).
Background:
Established in 1990, the Running Start Program (RS Program) allows students in grades 11 and 12 to enroll in college courses at community colleges and other participating institutions of higher education, and to simultaneously earn both high school and college credit. Students choosing to participate in the RS Program are responsible for applying for admission to the institution of higher education. Students in the RS Program do not pay for tuition, but do pay for educational materials, course fees, and transportation costs. Institutions of higher education must make fee waivers available for low-income students in the RS Program.
The pupil's school district shall transmit to the institution of higher education an amount per each full-time equivalent college student at statewide uniform rates for vocational and nonvocational students.
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) calculates and allocate moneys appropriated to school districts for RS Program enrollments based upon the estimated statewide annual average per full-time equivalent high school student basic education allocations, excluding small high school enhancements. School districts may retain 7 percent of this amount to offset RS Program costs, but must transmit the remainder to the institution of higher education based on a statewide uniform full-time equivalent (FTE) college student rate.
The OSPI, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), and the Washington Student Achievement Council are jointly responsible for developing and adopting rules governing the RS Program.
Summary of Second Substitute Bill:
Subject to state funding provided specifically for this purpose, the OSPI, in consultation with the SBCTC, must establish the RS Summer School Pilot Program (Pilot Program). The purpose of the Pilot Program is to evaluate interest in and barriers to expanding the RS Program to include the summer term.
The OSPI, in consultation with the SBCTC, must select up to three community colleges that choose to participate in the Pilot Program during the 2021 and 2022 summer academic terms. One community college must be located east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains and another must be located in a county with a population between 115,000 and 150,000. Participating community colleges must establish agreements with the school districts of eligible students about data sharing, credit transfer, funds transfer, and other administrative matters.
Under the Pilot Program, the following people may enroll in a participating community college tuition-free: students attending a participating high school who will be eligible to enroll in grade 11 or 12 in the subsequent school year and people who graduated from a participating high school in the current school year and who have five or fewer college credits to earn before meeting associate degree requirements. High school graduates may enroll for a maximum of five college credits per summer academic term. Participants in the Pilot Program, to the same extent as participants in the RS Program, are responsible for educational materials, course fees, and transportation costs, and low-income participants are eligible for fee waivers.
Requirements for the calculation, allocation, and distribution of funds for the Pilot Program are the same as requirements for the calculation, allocation, and distribution of funds for the RS Program, except that the funds must be appropriated for the purpose of the Pilot Program, rather than for the RS Program.
By November 10, 2022, the OSPI and SBCTC must jointly report to the Legislature with findings from and recommendations regarding the Pilot Program, including recommending whether to expand the RS Program to include the summer term.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available. New fiscal note requested on February 14, 2020.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Education):
(In support) The Program is tremendously successful. Running Start Program students are more likely to be successful than the average college student; they are high performing students who do very well.
The idea for a summer Program has been around for a long time. Summer classes at colleges are more likely to have open seats. This Pilot Program will allow high school students to try the Program, even just one class, before the start of their junior or senior year, without having the pressure of trying a college class for the first time during the regular school year.
Increasing equitable access to dual credit opportunities is a priority for the OSPI. This bill will allow students who are ready for dual credit to get those college level experiences. It will help students who are in need of additional high school credits to graduate on time.
Running Start Program students are not able to participate during the summer term because the funding for the Program is connected to the high school year. The state policy limits total high school and Running Start Program enrollment within an academic year. The Program funding limit will likely need to be looked at to ensure that the students taking advantage of the Pilot Program are not inadvertently left with tuition charges later in the year.
Running Start Program students are unable to participate in the Program after graduation because they are no longer basic education students. If this were to happen, it would have to be set up as a different program.
(Opposed) None.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Appropriations):
(In support) None.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying (Education): Representative Paul, prime sponsor; and Jason Boatwright, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Persons Testifying (Appropriations): None.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Education): None.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying (Appropriations): None.