WSR 12-10-037

PROPOSED RULES

STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY

AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES

[ Filed April 26, 2012, 8:45 a.m. ]

     Original Notice.

     Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 12-05-119.

     Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 131-28-026 Tuition charges for certain ungraded courses.

     Hearing Location(s): Clover Park Technical College, 4500 Steilacoom Boulevard S.W., Tacoma, WA 98499-4098, on June 21, 2012, at 8:00 a.m.

     Date of Intended Adoption: June 21, 2012.

     Submit Written Comments to: Kathy Goebel, P.O. Box 42495, Olympia, WA 98504-2495, e-mail kgoebel@sbctc.edu, fax (360) 704-4359, by June 1, 2012.

     Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Julie Walter by June 1, 2012, (360) 704-4313.

     Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The WAC proposed changes will result in two effects:

     (1) The mandatory waiver of an eighty-five percent reduction from the standard per credit tuition and services activities fee charge will become a local option for each community and technical college. The individual college boards of trustees will have authority to determine whether or not to establish a waiver for parenting education classes. They will also have authority to set the rate of the waiver and eligibility requirements for students receiving the waiver.

     (2) The waiver option will be expanded to all delivery modes for parenting education classes and not limited to a cooperative preschool model currently required in the WAC, to better meet community needs.

     Reasons Supporting Proposal: The proposed WAC change will provide community and technical colleges with added flexibility to make fiscal decisions that best serve their communities and the needs of their students. The proposed change allows the colleges to develop budgets that respond to current economic conditions to create sustainable parenting programs. Under the current WAC, community and technical colleges are constrained in offering tuition and fee waiver opportunities to students participating in parenting classes outside the traditional cooperative preschool model. The proposed change in WAC 131-28-026 will allow the community and technical colleges to potentially offer waivers to more students.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 28B.15.069.

     Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

     Name of Proponent: State board for community and technical colleges, governmental.

     Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation and Enforcement: Kathy Goebel, 1300 Quince Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504-2495, (360) 704-4359.

     No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. No small business impact.

     A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. No additional costs.

April 26, 2012

Beth Gordon

Executive Assistant

Agency Rules Coordinator

OTS-4759.1


AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 05-14-070, filed 6/30/05, effective 7/31/05)

WAC 131-28-026   Tuition charges for certain ungraded courses.   (1) The state board shall designate ungraded courses. These courses may be offered at tuition rates that differ from the standard rates set by WAC 131-28-025. Ungraded shall mean courses not categorized by level of instruction and may be assigned degree credit or letter grades.

     (2) Ungraded courses shall meet the following qualifications:

     (a) The course has a specialized purpose in that it is intended to meet the unique educational needs of a specific category or group of students.

     (b) The course is offered for the purpose of providing the individual student with a discrete skill or basic body of knowledge that is intended to enhance potential for initial or continued employment, parenting skills or retirement.

     (c) The course cannot be administered as a contract course pursuant to WAC 131-28-027, 131-32-010, or 131-32-020.

     (d) The course is not one specifically or primarily intended to satisfy requirements for receiving a high school diploma.

     (3) Colleges may establish the amount of waiver for the following ungraded courses:

     (a) Farm management and small business management;

     (b) Emergency medical technician and paramedic continuing education;

     (c) Retirement;

     (d) Industrial first aid offered to satisfy WISHA and approved by the department of labor and industries;

     (e) Journeyperson training in cooperation with joint apprenticeship and training committees;

     (f) Parenting education including, but not limited to, cooperative preschool programs.

     (4) The waiver amounts for the following ungraded courses shall conform with the following schedule:

     (a) Adult basic education, English as a second language, GED preparation: An amount to be established by the state board.

     (b) ((Parent education involving a cooperative preschool program: Eighty-five percent reduction from the standard per credit tuition and services activities fee charge.

     (c))) Courses offered for the purpose of satisfying related or supplemental educational requirements for apprentices registered with the Washington state apprenticeship council or federal Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training: A college shall waive one-half of the standard per credit tuition and services and activities fee. The college may convert the credit hour charge to a rounded amount per clock hour. Colleges may deduct the tuition owed from training contracts with apprentice organizations.

     (5) Students taking both regular and ungraded courses will be charged separately for the courses.

     (6) Application of this section shall be subject to administrative procedures established by the state director with respect to maximum credit values of such ungraded courses, curriculum, or any unique circumstances related to enrollment in such courses.

     (7) Ungraded course fees received pursuant to this section shall be accounted for and deposited in local community college operating fee accounts established in RCW 28B.15.031.

     (8) Ungraded course fees may be paid by the sponsoring entity rather than an individual student.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 28B.50 RCW. 05-14-070, § 131-28-026, filed 6/30/05, effective 7/31/05; 04-11-027, § 131-28-026, filed 5/11/04, effective 6/11/04; 03-19-050, § 131-28-026, filed 9/10/03, effective 10/11/03; 98-22-062, § 131-28-026, filed 11/2/98, effective 12/3/98. Statutory Authority: Chapters 28B.15 and 28B.50 RCW. 96-03-049, § 131-28-026, filed 1/12/96, effective 1/12/96; 95-13-070, § 131-28-026, filed 6/20/95, effective 7/21/95. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.15.502 and 1992 c 231, 232 and 238. 92-14-033 (Order 139, Resolution No. 92-06-39), § 131-28-026, filed 6/23/92, effective 7/24/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.15.502. 91-21-011 (Order 133, Resolution No. 91-49), § 131-28-026, filed 10/4/91, effective 11/4/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.50.090 (7)(d) and (10), 28B.50.851, 28B.15.502(4), 28B.15.522, 28B.50.140(3) and 1990 c 29. 90-20-009 (Order 122, Resolution Nos. 90-42 and 90-43), § 131-28-026, filed 9/20/90, effective 10/21/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.15.502. 89-14-037 (Order 116, Resolution No. 89-16), § 131-28-026, filed 6/29/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.15.502 and 28B.15.740. 82-22-023 (Order 94, Resolution No. 82-37), § 131-28-026, filed 10/26/82. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.15.502. 82-11-035 (Order 93, Resolution No. 82-16), § 131-28-026, filed 5/11/82. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.15.500 as amended by chapter 257, Laws of 1981. 81-19-060 (Order 89, Resolution No. 81-65), § 131-28-026, filed 9/14/81. Statutory Authority: Chapter 34.04 RCW and WAC 1-12-065. 78-07-064 (Order 71, Resolution No. 78-29), § 131-28-026, filed 6/30/78; Order 63 and Emergency Order 64, § 131-28-026, filed 9/13/77, effective 9/13/77; Order 25, § 131-28-026, filed 4/22/74, effective 7/1/74.]

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