SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 2602

           AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 27, 1992

Brief Description:  Changing funding allocations for high school students attending technical colleges.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Dorn, Ebersole, Broback, Rasmussen, Tate, R. Meyers, Grant, Winsley, Riley, Basich, Franklin, Paris and Jacobsen)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Craswell, Metcalf, Murray, Pelz, and Rinehart.

Staff:  Leslie Goldstein (786‑7424)

Hearing Dates: February 27, 1992

BACKGROUND:

The transfer of vocational-technical institutes, now referred to as technical colleges, from the common schools to the community college system by the 1991 Legislature included provision for continuation of occupational and vocational programs for high school students.  Four of the five technical colleges offer programs which high school students attend for the full school day.

The transfer legislation required the school districts and technical colleges to maintain those programs in place at the time of the 1991 transfer to the community college system with future proportional adjustments for enrollments in participating school districts.  Students in these programs are considered the responsibility of the common schools.  The technical colleges are prohibited from charging tuition or other fees.  School districts and technical colleges enter into agreements for the transfer of funds.  Funds are apportioned for these students to local districts by the Superintendent of Public Instruction as if they were attending district schools.

SUMMARY:

Funds for high school students attending the technical colleges will be apportioned directly to the participating college by the Superintendent for Public Instruction, unless the technical college chooses to receive its allocation through the school district.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The school district may choose to receive the funds for the vocational high school student attending the technical college and then pay the technical college for its services or have the Superintendent of Public Instruction transmit those funds to the technical college.

TESTIMONY FOR:

This legislation helps technical colleges continue to serve high school students.  It reduces bureaucracy.  It is an option, not a mandate.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

This bill as passed by the House would hurt the ability of the Tacoma School District and Bates Technical College to operate a collaborative high school program.  The Legislature is not the best way to resolve disputes.  An interlocal agreement could be used.  This also would affect the Running Start program.

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Representative Randy Dorn, prime sponsor; Theresa Ceccarelli, Bates Technical College; Duane Linquist, Bates Technical College; Dan McConnon, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; CON:  John Kvamme, Tacoma School District