Title: An act relating to high school completion programs.

Brief Description: Expanding high school completion programs.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Upthegrove, Hunter, Appleton, Hasegawa, Quall, Clibborn, Simpson, Green, Ormsby, Kenney, Hudgins and Kagi).

Brief History:

Education: 1/16/06, 2/1/06 [DPS];

Appropriations: 2/4/06 [DP2S(w/o sub ED)].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/9/06, 85-13.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 12 members: Representatives Quall, Chair; P. Sullivan, Vice Chair; Talcott, Ranking Minority Member; Curtis, Haigh, Hunter, McDermott, Priest, Santos, Shabro, Tom and Wallace.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 1 member: Representative Anderson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member.

Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: The second substitute bill be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass and do not pass the substitute bill by Committee on Education. Signed by 28 members: Representatives Sommers, Chair; Fromhold, Vice Chair; Alexander, Ranking Minority Member; McDonald, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Armstrong, Bailey, Buri, Chandler, Cody, Conway, Darneille, Dunshee, Grant, Haigh, Hinkle, Hunter, Kagi, Kenney, Kessler, Linville, McDermott, Miloscia, Pearson, Priest, Schual-Berke, P. Sullivan, Talcott and Walsh.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 2 members: Representatives Anderson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member and Clements.

Staff: Ben Rarick (786-7349).

Background:

High School Graduation Requirements. The State Board of Education (SBE) establishes minimum high school graduation requirements for public schools. Students must complete at least 19 credits in specified content areas, do a culminating project, and prepare a high school and beyond plan. Beginning with the class of 2008, students will also need to earn a Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) by meeting the state academic standards in reading, writing, and mathematics on the high school Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). Local school districts may establish additional requirements. Students can enroll in public schools until they complete a diploma or turn 21.

High School Programs in Community and Technical Colleges. Washington's community and technical colleges have a broad mission that includes workforce training, academic degrees, and adult education. The colleges also offer three types of high school programs:

(1)   High School Completion. High School Completion enables adults to earn a regular high school diploma issued by the college. Students can take both high school and college level courses to complete their requirements. The SBE graduation requirements apply, except that students over the age of 21 are exempt from the CAA under SBE rules.

The programs serve approximately 3,500 students per year, most of whom are over 21. Students under age 18 need a release from their high school to enroll. Students over the age of 19 are eligible for a tuition waiver; those under 19 pay tuition. The programs are funded with state funds through the community and technical college budget. State funding for all types of college programs is $4,400 per full-time equivalent (FTE) student, on average.

(2)   Drop-Out Retrieval. Seven colleges offer high school programs under contract with a local school district for students aged 16 to 21 to make up the credits they need to graduate. Students who complete the school district's graduation requirements earn their diploma from the district. About 1,700 students participate in these programs. The school district pays the college for the program under the terms of the contract using funds from the Basic Education Act (BEA) and other resources.

(3)   Technical High Schools. Bates, Lake Washington, and Clover Park Technical Colleges each operate a program for juniors and seniors that offers career-technical training and courses necessary to receive a diploma from the college. Approximately 950 students are enrolled. The colleges bill the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for BEA funding and are prohibited from charging tuition.

Running Start. The Running Start program provides a way to use BEA funds to support students who are dually enrolled in high school and college and are earning both high school and college credits for their courses. The BEA allocation for Running Start is $4,166 per FTE student.

Although the BEA represents the largest allocation of state funds for K-12 education, there are other funding programs. For example, school districts receive $764 for each student in the Transitional Bilingual Program. Funding for the Learning Assistance Program (LAP) is $188 per student. Funding for the Student Achievement Program (I-728) is $300 per FTE student.

Summary of Engrossed Second Substitute Bill:

Students under age 21 who have completed all state and local graduation requirements except the CAA or the Certificate of Individual Achievement (CIA) can enroll in a high school completion program at a community or technical college and earn a high school diploma.

Colleges must make the program available to any eligible student, but can implement it in the following ways:

• contract with a local school district, in which case the school district issues the diploma;
• deliver the program and courses directly and the college issues the diploma; or
• offer some combination of contracted program and direct delivery.

If the college delivers the program directly, it is reimbursed by the OSPI for each FTE student enrolled in high school completion courses. Funding is calculated based on the following programs:

• the BEA funding allocation, where reimbursement is calculated using a statewide average per FTE student, similar to the Running Start program;
• an amount per FTE student based on the state allocation for the LAP program;
• an amount per FTE student based on the state allocation for the Student Achievement Program; and
• for bilingual students, an amount per FTE student based on the state allocation for the Transitional Bilingual Program.

Colleges cannot charge students in the program tuition or fees for courses that lead to a diploma.

Colleges must offer the programs on the college campus, but can also offer them at additional locations other than a high school. Colleges, school districts, and Educational Service Districts (ESDs) are not precluded from offering high school completion programs for students who do not meet the criteria in the bill. Colleges and school districts are encouraged to consult with ESDs in developing and offering the new programs.

Student learning plans for high school students include this high school completion option, if applicable. School districts must provide information to 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students and their parents about this option. Any student who completes all state and local graduation requirements except the CAA can participate in high school graduation ceremonies.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: (Education) (Original bill) As we hold to our academic standards, there will be students who come into the school system late and those who need more time. This very important option gives students hope. Under the Basic Education Act, the state is still obligated to serve these students and would pay for them to enroll if they were in a high school. But that may not be the best place for them to learn. This option removes stigmas and barriers for these students to stay in school. We need to move forward and make options available for recent immigrants and other students.

Colleges don't have adequate funding to serve larger numbers of students who drop out of regular high school programs. This bill provides a funding mechanism to serve students. Having these students on the college campus could serve as a motivator for them to enroll in college and workforce training courses. This is an excellent way to serve students when traditional remediation strategies don't work. This adds a program to help students attain the skills they need after high school. It opens doors and provides an alternative way to receive a diploma. It does not restrict students from coming back to the high school as a fifth year senior if that's what they choose.

(With concerns) There is concern about placing an undue burden on community and technical colleges. Colleges are very committed to providing a rigorous and relevant diploma experience. We want to motivate students to stay in school. The proposed funding levels for colleges are less per student than what school districts receive.

Testimony For: (Appropriations) House Bill 2582 is designed to help students who would otherwise drop out, stay in school and earn their diploma. The OSPI estimates that this program could prevent 5,000 from dropping out. Of those, 1,000 are estimated to be Limited English Proficient students. This program will keep kids working toward their diploma. The program only costs money if it is successful in keeping kids in school – the fiscal note cost estimates are based on increases in enrollment.

Testimony Against: (Education) None.

Testimony Against: (Appropriations) None.

Persons Testifying: (Education) (In support) Representative Upthegrove, prime sponsor; Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction; Mark Okazaki, Neighborhood House; Andre Loh; Don Carlson, Public School Employees; Mary Kenfield, Washington State Parent Teacher Association; Don Rash, Association of Washington School Principals; and Marc Frazer, Washington State Roundtable.

(With concerns) Sally Zeiger Hanson, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Persons Testifying: (Appropriations) Representative Upthegrove, prime sponsor.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: (Education) None.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: (Appropriations) None