FINAL BILL REPORT

                            SB 5883

                          C 222 L 93

                      SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Changing funding procedures for high school students enrolled in the running start program in community or technical colleges.

SPONSORS: Senators Bauer, Erwin, M. Rasmussen and Roach; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

BACKGROUND:

The Running Start program was originally authorized in 1990.  The program allows students and parents the choice of including college level courses in their high school program at the junior and senior level.  Under the Running Start program, 11th and 12th grade students may enroll in a community college or technical college for high school and college credit.  The program directs the local school district to reimburse the college for the student with a proportionate share of the school district's state basic education funding.

As the program is presently constructed, separate arrangements for reimbursement must be made between each school district sending a student and each community or technical college receiving a student.  These reimbursements vary between districts and colleges because basic education funding varies between school districts.  Some small high school reimbursements are markedly less than the average basic education allocation, and may not fully fund all the costs of the receiving college.

Setting the reimbursement procedures and amounts at the state level would simplify the arrangements between school districts and colleges and provide for a consistent level of reimbursement.

SUMMARY:

The reimbursement from school districts to community and technical colleges for students in the Running Start program is determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction through the development of statewide uniform rates.  Criteria for developing the statewide uniform rates are provided.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction is required to consult the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges on the calculation and distribution of the Running Start funds.

References to vocational-technical institutes in the Running Start statute are changed to technical colleges.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate    43   2

House     97   0    (House amended)

Senate    41   1    (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:September 1, 1993