HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1762

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to high school students.

Brief Description:  Allowing eleventh and twelfth grade students to take courses at institutions of higher education for high school credit.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Brough, Peery, Vance, Betrozoff, Brumsickle, Broback, Holland, P. Johnson, Dorn, Rasmussen, H. Sommers, Van Luven, Morton, Winsley, Jacobsen, Wineberry, Spanel, Tate, Miller, Bowman, Forner and D. Sommers.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Education, February 27, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1762 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 19 members:  Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Brough, Ranking Minority Member; Vance, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Betrozoff; Broback; Brumsickle; Cole; Dorn; Holland; P. Johnson; Jones; Neher; Orr; Phillips; Rasmussen; Roland; H. Sommers; and Valle.

Staff:  Susan Kirkpatrick (786-7291).

Background:  The Legislature created the Running Start Program in 1990.  This program allows 11th and 12th grade students to apply for enrollment at a community college or vocational-technical institute.  The student's school district is required to transmit to the community college or vocational-technical institute (VTI) the amount of state funds generated by a full time equivalent student and in proportion to the number of hours of instruction the student receives at the community college or VTI.

Under current law, the State Board for Community College Education is authorized to select up to five community college districts to participate in the Running Start Program during the 1990-1991 and 1991-1992 school years.  Beginning with the 1992-1993 school year, the program is available to all community colleges.

With respect to VTIs, they all could elect to participate in the Running Start Program in the 1990-1991 school year and are required to participate in the 1991-1992 school year.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The Running Start Program is expanded to include institutions of higher education, beginning with the 1992-93 school year.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill reinstates the RCW provision that the Running Start Program be implemented by pilot project in the community colleges through the 1991-92 school year and be applicable to all community colleges beginning with the 1992-93 school year.  It also changes the program implementation date in institutions of higher education to the 1992-93 school year.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 14, 1991.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Currently, many of the state's 4-year institutions of higher education allow high school students to take college courses.  Students are charged tuition for those classes.  Four-year institutions of higher education should be included to increase flexibility in the system and to meet individual student needs.

Testimony Against:  The Running Start program pilot projects in the community colleges should continue through the 1991-92 school year and not be opened up to all community colleges until the 1992-93 school year.  The basic education dollars that would be sent to the institutions of higher education are less than the amount of tuition.  The technical problems regarding the funding differential, difference in calendars, and release of grades should be resolved before the program is expanded to institutions of higher education.  Note:  The substitute bill addressed some of the issues raised in the testimony against.

Witnesses:  Ron Crossland, State Board for Community College Education (opposed); Marcia Costello, Superintendent of Public Instruction (opposed);  Judy McNickle, Western Washington University (opposed); Marilyn Baker, Higher Education Coordinating Board (opposed); and Walter Ball, Washington Association of School Administrators (opposed).