Sponsors: Representatives Kenney, Cox, Grant, Fromhold, Jarrett, Conway, McIntire, Benson, Berkey and Upthegrove; by request of State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Brief Summary of Amended Bill

• Reduces the required college match for the community and technical college Exceptional Faculty Awards Program from $25,000 to $10,000.

• Removes a $100,000 biennial limit on state match from statute and permits the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to set a limit.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Kenney, Chair; Fromhold, Vice Chair; Cox, Ranking Minority Member; Priest, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Boldt, Buck, Chase, Clements, Condotta, Gombosky, Jarrett, Lantz, McCoy and Morrell.

Endowment Fund: In 1990 the Legislature established the Exceptional Faculty Awards Program for community and technical colleges. The program is administered by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. When colleges and their foundations raise sufficient funds, they may apply to the state for matching funds. The combined funds form an exceptional faculty endowment that is managed by the college and its foundation. Only the interest earned on the endowment may be spent on awards. Awards can go to support faculty development and in-service training, special projects and research, or salary bonuses to recipients.

State Match History: The Legislature originally appropriated $1.35 million for the program. By 1995 the state matching funds had been virtually exhausted. Since 1998, 3.3 percent of the Education Savings Account has been directed to the program. The Education Savings Account receives unspent state general fund appropriations from each fiscal year. An additional $3 million has been awarded in state match since 1998.

Program Guidelines: To receive a state match, a college and its foundation must raise at least $25,000. A college can receive no more than $100,000 in a single biennium. Matching grants are made in $25,000 increments.

The program guidelines for the community and technical college Exceptional Faculty Awards Program are changed. To receive a state match for its endowment, a college and its foundation must raise at least $10,000 rather than $25,000. The biennial limit of $100,000 in matching funds for a single college is removed from statute. Instead, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges will establish a limit.

A current requirement is retained that colleges and their foundations must match state funds for exceptional faculty awards with equal cash donations.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Reducing the required match from a community college would make it easier for small colleges to raise the necessary funds in difficult times. Other than this program, there is very little funding available for faculty development. The exceptional faculty award program is a wonderful state and local partnership that encourages fund-raising at the local level and recognizes quality teaching.

Testified: (In support) Representative Kenney, prime sponsor; Loretta Seppanen, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; and Wendy Rader-Konofalski, Washington Federation of Teachers.