HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                PSHB  2378

Title:  An act relating to accountability and collaboration in higher education and K‑12 education.

Brief Description:  Charging school districts for precollege classes taken at state‑supported institutions of higher education.

Sponsors:  Representatives Dunn, Carlson and D. Sommers.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  February 4, 1998.

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:  During the 1995-96 academic year, about 16 percent of students at Washington=s public colleges and universities received some remedial instruction.  About 96 percent of the students attended a community or technical college. 

About 20 percent of the students in community colleges enrolled in at least one remedial course.  Of those students, about 58 percent were over the age of 21 and had been out of high school for over three years.  The system typically offers remedial courses in mathematics, and some combination of the following:  English, writing, reading, grammar, and spelling.

About 11 percent of the freshmen at the public baccalaureate institutions enrolled in at least one remedial course.  The baccalaureates typically offer remedial courses in intermediate algebra and English composition.  The remedial course most frequently taken is mathematics.

All of the colleges and universities allow students to enroll concurrently in remedial and college-level courses.  The overwhelming majority of remedial students take one remedial course during their first college term.

During the 1995-96 academic year, the public colleges and universities spent almost $30,000,000 on remedial education.  This amounted to about 7 percent of their total expenditures for instruction that year.  Almost 97 percent of the money was expended at community and technical colleges.  These colleges spent $29,015,460 that year.  The public baccalaureates spent $870,635

Summary of Bill:  Beginning with the fall 1998 academic term, public colleges and universities will assess a charge to school districts that granted diplomas to recent high school graduates who subsequently enrolled in precollege classes in the college or university.     The precollege classes are defined as high school level classes or instruction in mathematics, grammar, reading spelling, writing, and English.  English as a Second Language is not considered a precollege class.  Recent high school graduates are students who, within three years of high school graduation, enroll in a high school level precollege class.

The school districts must reimburse the colleges and universities at the rate established for Running Start students, plus seven percent.  The districts must use funds from special levies or other nonstate sources to pay the charges.

The colleges may bill districts one of two ways.  Either they may bill the districts for students enrolled in the current academic term or for students enrolled in a prior academic term.  The governing boards of the baccalaureate institutions and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, in consultation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, will determine billing and reporting requirements.

Beginning with the fall 1998 academic term, recent high school graduates enrolled in high school level precollege classes will not pay tuition for those classes.  Colleges and universities will not include the students in official enrollment reports and will not receive any state funding for them.

Differences between Proposed Substitute and Original Bill: Charges to school districts will be based on funding levels established for the Running Start program rather than on the cost to the colleges of providing the precollege classes.  SPI is not required to become involved in collecting money from districts and distributing it to colleges.  Charges will begin in 1998 rather than 2000.  State funding cannot be used to pay the charges.  And colleges cannot receive state funding for recent high school graduates enrolled in precollege classes.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 29, 1998.

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