Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Education Committee
HB 1302
Brief Description: Concerning college in the high school programs.
Sponsors: Representatives Berg, Ybarra, Johnson, J., Sutherland, Eslick, Morgan, Bergquist, Paul and Callan.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows students eligible for the ninth grade to participate in college in the high school programs.
  • Sets the maximum per college credit tuition fee for a college in the high school program course at $65, annually adjusted for inflation as specified.
Hearing Date: 2/5/21
Staff: Megan Wargacki (786-7194).
Background:

College in the high school (CHS) programs include both academic and career and technical education and are taught at a participating high school, by high school teachers, with college curriculum, college textbooks, and oversight by college faculty and staff.  Students eligible for the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades may participate in a CHS program.  If a student passes a CHS course, then the student must receive both high school credit and college credit.  

 

State statute permits school districts to offer CHS programs.  State rule permits charter schools and state-tribal compact schools to offer CHS programs. 

 

If a high school has a CHS program, then general information about CHS must be provided to students in grades nine through twelve and to their parents and guardians.

The institution of higher education participating in a CHS program may charge tuition fees per credit to CHS students.  When the state provides subsidies for CHS credit fees, the maximum per credit fee may not exceed the amount of the per credit subsidy.

Summary of Bill:

Ninth grade students are made eligible for CHS.  General information about CHS must be provided to students in eighth grade and to their parents and guardians.

 

Charter schools and state-tribal compact schools are allowed to offer CHS programs, to the same extent as school districts. 

 

The maximum per college credit tuition fee an institution of higher education may charge for a CHS course is $65, annually adjusted for inflation as specified.  The OSPI must calculate and post the maximum fee on its website,by July 1 annually.

 

Cross-references are corrected and other non-substantive changes are made, for example consistently referring to college credit, rather than postsecondary credit.

Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.