Title: An act relating to child care programs for higher education students.

Brief Description: Regarding child care grants for students at institutions of higher education.

Sponsors: Senators McAuliffe, Schoesler, Kilmer, Eide, Shin, Marr, Kohl-Welles, Kline and Murray.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Higher Education: 2/15/07, 2/19/07 [DP-WM].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators Shin, Chair; Kilmer, Vice Chair; Delvin, Ranking Minority Member; Schoesler and Sheldon.

Staff: Aldo Melchiori (786-7439)

Background: The Institutional Child Care Grant program was established in 1999 to promote high-quality, accessible, and affordable child care for students attending the state's public four-year colleges and universities. For the 2005 to 2007 biennium, the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) awarded grants, totaling $150,000, to the following public colleges and universities: $66,000 to Washington State University for affordable evening child care, increased access to both day and evening child care programs including infants and toddlers, and increased efficiency and innovation at the campus child care center; $35,000 to Western Washington University to provide more affordable child care for low-income families, reduce the annual increase in parent fees, produce an outcome-based learning model, and create a day care newsletter; $23,636 to Central Washington University to support a portion of the costs associated with hiring an early childhood education specialist and maintaining infant-toddler child care services; and $25,364 to The Evergreen State College to maintain a sliding fee structure for low-income student parents, train two to three staff members to become STAR trainers, and implement a weekend Native American child care program. The grants do not provide direct child care funding to students.

The State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) administers the Institutional Child Care Grant program for the community and technical colleges. Up to $15,000 grants have been awarded to Big Bend Community College, Highline Community College, Olympic College, and Whatcom Community College.

Summary of Bill: The grant program is replaced. The HECB and SBCTC must award child care grants to state institutions of higher education. The amount of the grant for each institution is equal to the amount contributed by the student government associations. They are used exclusively for direct cost related to child care for children of students.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 14, 2007.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: Affordable child care is one of the top three barriers to higher education. This would increase accessibility to higher education for many students. The child care centers also provide training opportunities for future teachers. The demographic of parents returning to school is growing, so the demand is only going to increase. Child care is at the forefront of every parent's mind when he or she is considering a return to school.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Marcus Riccelli, Mike Bogatay, Washington Student Lobby; Jane Vroman, student at Western Washington University; Opio Dupree, Adrienne Andrew, Lisa Kremer, students at the University of Washington; Michelle Smith, student at Central Washington University.