READ FIRST TIME 02/21/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to studying performance and funding of running start students; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature recognizes that students require a strong foundation of academic knowledge and skills to succeed in college-level, credit-bearing courses. The intent of the current educational reform is to provide all students of the state with those foundational skills essential for success beyond high school. Attainment of the certificate of academic achievement is evidence that students have achieved these foundational, essential skills and, in combination with a rigorous course of study throughout their high school experience, should form that basis of knowledge and skills to best ensure they are prepared for college-level coursework.
     (2) The legislature also recognizes that students need a variety of educational environments and options to perform to their potential. The running start program provides just such an environment for a segment of our high school students. The legislature intends to offer options and opportunity to students to pursue postsecondary education. In preparing all students for success beyond high school, our state's schools have been asked to perform at levels previously not expected of them. Particularly, these higher expectations of schools and students were implemented after the running start program was created.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) Within current budgets, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, with the assistance of the state board for community and technical colleges and the higher education coordinating board, shall conduct a study of public school student performance on the high school Washington assessment of student learning and subsequent performance at institutions of higher education for students participating in the running start program. The study shall include:
     (a) Correlations between public school students' scores on the high school Washington assessment of student learning and placement tests used at the state community and technical colleges and the baccalaureate institutions;
     (b) Correlations between public school students' scores on the high school Washington assessment of student learning, placement tests used at the state community and technical colleges and the baccalaureate institutions, and student performance in courses taken under the running start program;
     (c) Completion rates of courses taken by running start students at institutions of higher education when students have met the proficiency standard on the high school Washington assessment of student learning;
     (d) Causes for public school students not completing courses under the running start program; and
     (e) The current running start funding formulas and any recommendations for changes to the distribution of funds between school districts and institutions of higher education.
     (2) The study shall be completed by January 15, 2007, and the results reported to the governor, the state board of education, and the fiscal and education committees of the senate and the house of representatives.