H-3784

AN ACT Relating to accountability and collaboration in higher education and K-12 education; amending RCW 28B.10.016 and 28B.15.910; adding new sections to chapter 28B.10 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 28B.10.016 and 1992 c 231 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

For the purposes of this title:

(1) "State universities" means the University of Washington and Washington State University.

(2) "Regional universities" means Western Washington University at Bellingham, Central Washington University at Ellensburg, and Eastern Washington University at Cheney.

(3) "State college" means The Evergreen State College in Thurston county.

(4) "Institutions of higher education" or "postsecondary institutions" means the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, the community colleges, and the technical colleges.

(5) "Governing board" means the board of regents or the board of trustees of the institutions of higher education.

(6) "Baccalaureate institutions" means the state universities, regional universities, and the state college.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply throughout sections 3, 4, 5, and 6 of this act unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "State-supported" means an activity that is supported in whole or in part by money from the state general fund or student operating fees.

(2) "Precollege class or laboratory" means high school level classes or instruction intended to prepare postsecondary students for college level work. The classes or laboratories may offer high school level instruction in mathematics, grammar, reading, spelling, writing, and English. English as a second language shall not be included.

(3) "Institutions of higher education" means the baccalaureate institutions, the community colleges, and the technical colleges.

(4) "Recent high school graduate" means a person who graduated from a Washington high school sometime during the three years immediately before the student enrolled in a state-supported precollege class or laboratory at an institution of higher education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. By June 30th of each odd-numbered year, each baccalaureate institution, and for the community and technical colleges as a system, the state board for community and technical colleges, shall establish and report to the superintendent of public instruction an average per student instructional cost for state-supported precollege classes and laboratories offered by the institution or system.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) Beginning with the fall 2000 academic term, a charge shall be assessed to each Washington school district that, within the preceding three years, graduated a student enrolled in any state-supported precollege class or laboratory offered at an institution of higher education.

(2) At the beginning of each school year, the superintendent of public instruction shall subtract from the allotment of each school district, and provide to institutions of higher education, an amount equal to the average per-student instructional cost of each state-supported precollege class attended during the preceding fiscal year by each recent high school graduate who received a high school diploma from that school district. Funding shall first be reduced from nonbasic education funds, unless otherwise requested by the affected school district.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

The superintendent of public instruction shall reimburse institutions of higher education that, pursuant to section 4 of this act, provide instruction in precollege material.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:

Subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of each of the colleges and universities shall waive tuition fees for precollege classes taken by recent high school graduates.

Sec. 7. RCW 28B.15.910 and 1997 c 433 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except for revenue waived under programs listed in subsection (3) of this section, and unless otherwise expressly provided in the omnibus state appropriations act, the total amount of operating fees revenue waived, exempted, or reduced by a state university, a regional university, The Evergreen State College, or the community colleges as a whole, shall not exceed the percentage of total gross authorized operating fees revenue set forth below. As used in this section, "gross authorized operating fees revenue" means the estimated gross operating fees revenue as estimated under RCW 82.33.020 or as revised by the office of financial management, before granting any waivers. This limitation applies to all tuition waiver programs established before or after July 1, 1992.

(a) University of Washington 21 percent

(b) Washington State University 20 percent

(d) Central Washington University 8 percent

(e) Western Washington University 10 percent

(f) The Evergreen State College 6 percent

(g) Community colleges as a whole 35 percent

(2) The limitations in subsection (1) of this section apply to waivers, exemptions, or reductions in operating fees contained in the following:

(a) RCW 28B.10.265;

(b) RCW 28B.15.014;

(d) RCW 28B.15.225;

(e) RCW 28B.15.380;

(f) Ungraded courses under RCW 28B.15.502(4);

(g) RCW 28B.15.520;

(h) RCW 28B.15.526;

(i) RCW 28B.15.527;

(j) RCW 28B.15.543;

(k) RCW 28B.15.545;

(l) RCW 28B.15.555;

(m) RCW 28B.15.556;

(n) RCW 28B.15.615;

(o) RCW 28B.15.620;

(p) RCW 28B.15.628;

(q) RCW 28B.15.730;

(r) RCW 28B.15.740;

(s) RCW 28B.15.750;

(t) RCW 28B.15.756;

(u) RCW 28B.50.259;

(v) RCW 28B.70.050; ((~~and~~))

(w) RCW 28B.80.580; and

(x) Section 6 of this act.

(3) The limitations in subsection (1) of this section do not apply to waivers, exemptions, or reductions in services and activities fees contained in the following:

(a) RCW 28B.15.522;

(b) RCW 28B.15.535;

(d) RCW 28B.15.558.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 28B.10 RCW.