BILL REQ. #:  H-1693.2 

Read first time 02/10/09.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to expanding dual credit opportunities; amending RCW 28A.225.290, 28A.600.160, 28A.600.300, and 28A.600.310; adding new sections to chapter 28A.600 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that the economy of the state of Washington requires a well-prepared workforce. To meet the need, more Washington students need to be prepared for postsecondary education and training. Further, the personal enrichment and success of Washington citizens increasingly relies on their ability to use the state's postsecondary education and training system. To accomplish those ends, the legislature desires to increase the number of students who begin earning college credits while still in high school.
     (2) The legislature further finds that dual credit programs introduce students to college-level work, provide a jump start on getting a college degree, and, perhaps most important, show students that they can succeed in college. Dual credit programs also provide another avenue of student financial aid, since many programs are offered for little or no cost to students.
     (3) The legislature also finds that students must be provided a choice when selecting a dual credit program that is right for them. Options should be available for the student who wants to learn on a college campus and the student who wants to stay at the high school and take college-level courses. Options must also be available for the hands-on learner who seeks to complete an apprenticeship program.
     (4) The legislature intends to blur the line between high school and college by articulating a vision to dramatically increase participation in dual credit programs. It is for this reason that the legislature should call on all education stakeholders to come together to coordinate resources, track outcomes, and improve program availability.
     (5) The legislature further intends to provide high schools, colleges, and universities with a set of tools for growing and coordinating dual credit programs. Institutions should be given some flexibility in determining the best methods to secure long-term, ample financial support for these programs, while students should be given some help in offsetting instructional costs.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.600 RCW to read as follows:
     The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with the state board for community and technical colleges, the workforce training and education coordinating board, and the public baccalaureate institutions, shall report by September 1, 2010, and annually thereafter to the education and higher education committees of the legislature regarding participation in dual credit programs. The report shall include:
     (1) Data about student participation rates and academic performance including but not limited to running start, college in the high school, tech prep, international baccalaureate, advanced placement, and running start for the trades;
     (2) Data on the total unduplicated head count of students enrolled in at least one dual credit program course; and
     (3) The percentage of students who enrolled in at least one dual credit program as percent of all students enrolled in grades nine through twelve.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.600 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, and the public baccalaureate institutions shall jointly develop and each adopt rules governing the college in the high school program. The rules shall be written to encourage the maximum use of the program and may not narrow or limit the enrollment options.
     (2) College in the high school programs shall each be governed by a local contract between the district and the institution of higher education, in compliance with the guidelines adopted by the superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, and the public baccalaureate institutions.
     (3) The college in the high school program must include the provisions in this subsection.
     (a) The high school and institution of higher education together shall define the criteria for student eligibility. The institution of higher education may charge tuition fees to participating students.
     (b) School districts shall report no student for more than one full-time equivalent including college in the high school courses.
     (c) The funds received by the institution of higher education may not be deemed tuition or operating fees and may be retained by the institution of higher education.
     (d) Enrollment information on persons registered under this section must be maintained by the institution of higher education separately from other enrollment information and may not be included in official enrollment reports, nor may such persons be considered in any enrollment statistics that would affect higher education budgetary determinations.
     (e) A school district must grant high school credit to a student enrolled in a program course if the student successfully completes the course. If no comparable course is offered by the school district, the school district superintendent shall determine how many credits to award for the course. The determination shall be made in writing before the student enrolls in the course. The credits shall be applied toward graduation requirements and subject area requirements. Evidence of successful completion of each program course shall be included in the student's secondary school records and transcript.
     (f) An institution of higher education must grant college credit to a student enrolled in a program course if the student successfully completes the course. The college credit shall be applied toward general education requirements or major requirements. If no comparable course is offered by the college, the institution of higher education at which the teacher of the program course is employed shall determine how many credits to award for the course and whether the course fulfills general education or major requirements. Evidence of successful completion of each program course must be included in the student's college transcript.
     (g) Eleventh and twelfth grade students or students who have not yet received a high school diploma or its equivalent and are eligible to be in the eleventh or twelfth grades may participate in the college in the high school program.
     (h) Participating school districts must provide general information about the college in the high school program to all students in grades ten, eleven, and twelve and to the parents and guardians of those students.
     (i) Full-time and part-time faculty at institutions of higher education, including adjunct faculty, are eligible to teach program courses.
     (4) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section.
     (a) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning in RCW 28B.10.016 and also includes a public tribal college located in Washington and accredited by the Northwest commission on colleges and universities or another accrediting association recognized by the United States department of education.
     (b) "Program course" means a college course offered in a high school under the college in the high school program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.600 RCW to read as follows:
     The superintendent of public instruction shall develop advising guidelines to assure that students and parents understand that college credits earned in high school dual credit programs may impact eligibility for financial aid.

Sec. 5   RCW 28A.225.290 and 1990 1st ex.s. c 9 s 207 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall prepare and annually distribute an information booklet outlining parents' and guardians' enrollment options for their children.
     (2) Before the 1991-92 school year, the booklet shall be distributed to all school districts by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. School districts shall have a copy of the information booklet available for public inspection at each school in the district, at the district office, and in public libraries.
     (3) The booklet shall include:
     (a) Information about enrollment options and program opportunities, including but not limited to programs in RCW 28A.225.220, 28A.185.040, 28A.225.200 through 28A.225.215, 28A.225.230 through 28A.225.250, ((28A.175.090,)) 28A.340.010 through 28A.340.070 (small high school cooperative projects), and 28A.335.160.
     (b) Information about the running start ((- community college or vocational-technical institute)) choice program under RCW 28A.600.300 through ((28A.600.395)) 28A.600.400; and
     (c) Information about the seventh and eighth grade choice program under RCW 28A.230.090.

Sec. 6   RCW 28A.600.160 and 1998 c 225 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any middle school, junior high school, or high school using educational pathways shall ensure that all participating students will continue to have access to the courses and instruction necessary to meet admission requirements at baccalaureate institutions. Students shall be allowed to enter the educational pathway of their choice. Before accepting a student into an educational pathway, the school shall inform the student's parent of the pathway chosen, the opportunities available to the student through the pathway, and the career objectives the student will have exposure to while pursuing the pathway. Parents and students dissatisfied with the opportunities available through the selected educational pathway shall be provided with the opportunity to transfer the student to any other pathway provided in the school. Schools may not develop educational pathways that retain students in high school beyond the date they are eligible to graduate, and may not require students who transfer between pathways to complete pathway requirements beyond the date the student is eligible to graduate. Educational pathways may include, but are not limited to, programs such as work-based learning, school-to-work transition, tech prep, vocational-technical education, running start, college in the high school, and preparation for technical college, community college, or university education.

Sec. 7   RCW 28A.600.300 and 2005 c 207 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The program established in this section through RCW 28A.600.400 shall be known as the running start program.
     (2) For the purposes of RCW 28A.600.310 through 28A.600.400, "participating institution of higher education" or "institution of higher education" means:
     (((1))) (a) A community or technical college as defined in RCW 28B.50.030;
     (((2))) (b) A public tribal college located in Washington and accredited by the northwest commission on colleges and universities or another accrediting association recognized by the United States department of education; and
     (((3))) (c) Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, and The Evergreen State College, if the institution's governing board decides to participate in the program in RCW 28A.600.310 through 28A.600.400.

Sec. 8   RCW 28A.600.310 and 2005 c 125 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Eleventh and twelfth grade students or students who have not yet received the credits required for the award of a high school diploma and are eligible to be in the eleventh or twelfth grades may apply to a participating institution of higher education to enroll in courses or programs offered by the institution of higher education. A student receiving home-based instruction enrolling in a public high school for the sole purpose of participating in courses or programs offered by institutions of higher education shall not be counted by the school district in any required state or federal accountability reporting if the student's parents or guardians filed a declaration of intent to provide home-based instruction and the student received home-based instruction during the school year before the school year in which the student intends to participate in courses or programs offered by the institution of higher education. Students receiving home-based instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW and students attending private schools approved under chapter 28A.195 RCW shall not be required to meet the student learning goals, obtain a certificate of academic achievement or a certificate of individual achievement to graduate from high school, or to master the essential academic learning requirements. However, students are eligible to enroll in courses or programs in participating universities only if the board of directors of the student's school district has decided to participate in the program. Participating institutions of higher education, in consultation with school districts, may establish admission standards for these students. If the institution of higher education accepts a secondary school pupil for enrollment under this section, the institution of higher education shall send written notice to the pupil and the pupil's school district within ten days of acceptance. The notice shall indicate the course and hours of enrollment for that pupil.
     (2) In lieu of tuition and fees, as defined in RCW 28B.15.020 and 28B.15.041, running start students shall pay to the institution of higher education all other mandatory fees as established by each institution of higher education. The institution of higher education shall prorate the mandatory fees based on credit load.
     (3) The institution of higher education must make available fee waivers for low-income students. Each institution must establish a written policy for the determination of low-income students before offering the fee waiver. Acceptable may include, but is not limited to, documentation that a student has been deemed eligible for free or reduced-price lunches in the last five years, or other criteria established in the institution's policy.
     (4) The pupil's school district shall transmit to the institution of higher education an amount per each full-time equivalent college student at statewide uniform rates for vocational and nonvocational students. The superintendent of public instruction shall separately calculate and allocate moneys appropriated for basic education under RCW 28A.150.260 to school districts for purposes of making such payments and for granting school districts seven percent thereof to offset program related costs. The calculations and allocations shall be based upon the estimated statewide annual average per full-time equivalent high school student allocations under RCW 28A.150.260, excluding small high school enhancements, and applicable rules adopted under chapter 34.05 RCW. The superintendent of public instruction, the higher education coordinating board, and the state board for community and technical colleges shall consult on the calculation and distribution of the funds. ((The institution of higher education shall not require the pupil to pay any other fees.)) The funds received by the institution of higher education from the school district shall not be deemed tuition or operating fees and may be retained by the institution of higher education. A student enrolled under this subsection shall ((not)) be counted for the purpose of determining ((any)) enrollment ((restrictions)) targets imposed by the state on the institution of higher education, however, enrollments under this section shall not be counted for purposes of funding under chapter 28B.10 RCW and shall not displace any students currently enrolled.