SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5903

               AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 15, 1993

Brief Description:  Allocating basic education funding to community and technical colleges for students enrolled in community or technical colleges.

SPONSORS: Senators Bauer, Winsley and von Reichbauer; by request of State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Bauer, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Cantu, Jesernig, Quigley, Sheldon, von Reichbauer, and West.

Staff:  Jean Six (786‑7423)

Hearing Dates: March 1, 1993; March 3, 1993

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

BACKGROUND:

The transfer of the vocational technical institutes from the common schools to the State Board for Community and Technical colleges by the 1991 Legislature provided for continuation of occupational and vocational programs for high school students at the newly designated technical colleges.  A number of technical colleges offer programs that high school students attend for a full school day.

The transfer legislation required the school districts and the technical colleges to maintain those high school programs in place at the time of the 1991 transfer with future proportional adjustments to be made 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 (SPI) as if they were attending district schools.

To reduce administrative paperwork, it has been recommended that funds be sent directly from SPI to the technical colleges instead of going through the school districts.

SUMMARY:

Funds for high school students attending technical or community college programs established by an interlocal agreement will be allocated directly to the participating college by the Superintendent of Public Instruction unless the college chooses to receive its allocation through the school district.

Appropriation: none 

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note: requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

Decreases the paperwork and promotes student access to technical programs.  These are high school programs for high school students.  The programs are approved by OSPI.  Currently, a school district can prevent a student from enrolling in a program at a technical college.  Students should not confront these stumbling blocks.  We want to meet the needs of students.  The divorce between the technical colleges and OSPI is not yet resolved.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

Need special education funds to go through the school districts.  Do the TCs want the responsibility for IEPs?

TESTIFIED:  Dan McConnon, SBCTC (pro); Laurie Cleary, CPTC (pro); Duane Lindquist, CPTC (pro); Wendy Rader Konfalski, WFT (pro); Joe Rosendahl, Bates TC (pro); Erik Redal, Bates TC (pro); John Kvamme, Tacoma School District (con)

HOUSE AMENDMENT(S):

The House amendment clarifies that the bill does not apply to students who are enrolled in the Running Start program.