SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 1936

          AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION, APRIL 4, 1991

Brief Description:  Allowing high school graduation requirements to satisfy coursework requirements for undergraduate admissions.

SPONSORS:House Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Dorn, Ferguson, Jacobsen, Orr, Grant, Roland, Rasmussen, Winsley, Broback and Rayburn).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Saling, Chairman; Patterson, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Jesernig, Skratek, Stratton, and von Reichbauer. 

Staff:  Jean Six (786‑7423)

Hearing Dates:March 28, 1991; April 4, 1991

BACKGROUND:

By law, the Higher Education Coordinating Board is directed to establish minimum admission standards for the four-year universities and college.  The board has adopted those standards.  They include a required number of high school courses in six core areas that each high school student must take before the student's freshman year in college.  The institutions may require additional courses.  The board's standards do not apply to students entering a community college.  

The courses required in core areas include four years of English, three years of social studies, two years of a foreign language, and three years of mathematics.  Also required are two years of science, with at least one of those a laboratory science, and one year of either a fine, visual or performing art, or a college prep elective from another core area.  Within those core areas, various types of courses are either required or recommended. 

In addition to the courses that meet current requirements in each core area, the board has created a process for approving additional courses that will meet the requirements.  The board has delegated the responsibility for course approval to the Interinstitutional Committee of Records and Admissions Officers (ICORA).  ICORA is in the process of refining its procedure for reviewing high school courses that do not meet current requirements.

The current standards are based on traditional subject matter delivered through traditional methods, e.g. carnegie units.  As high school curriculum is reformed, personnel in the K-12 system want to be assured that the procedure for approving high school coursework will be revised to recognize the reformed methods of delivering that coursework.  Some of these reforms include interdisciplinary classes, equivalency classes, measuring student competencies, and a curriculum that integrates vocational and academic instruction.

SUMMARY:

By May 15, 1991, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Superintendent of Public Instruction will convene a task force.  The purpose of the task force is to recommend a process for evaluating and accepting a student's high school coursework for entrance into a college or university. 

The six goals of the process are described.  They include giving college freshmen a reasonable assurance that their high school coursework has prepared them to succeed in college, and recognizing the changing nature of high school crediting and instruction.  The process should also recognize and award appropriate credit for measurable student competencies, and for curriculum and competencies learned in a variety of ways.  In addition, the process should achieve decisions in a reasonable amount of time, and, under special circumstances, provide for onsite reviews, and for an appeal process.

By December 20, 1991, the two agencies will report their recommendations to the Governor and the House and Senate Higher Education and Education Committees.  If the agencies are unable to reach agreement on a process, the report may include areas of agreement and disagreement.

The bill declares an emergency and takes effect immediately.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The task force shall include representation of the State Board of Education.

TESTIMONY FOR:

The purpose of admissions requirements is to predict who will succeed in higher education.  Vocational education provides an alternative way of learning.  Students need options.  While a task force is welcomed, some would like a stronger bill.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Lorraine Wilson, WASDA; Dennis Miliken, Bothell School District; Buck Evans, SPI; Jerry Bennett, teacher, Timberline High School; Kathleen Preston, WVA; Dennis Marone, WVA; Marilyn Baker, HECB; Tom Lopp, SPI