BILL REQ. #:  S-0334.1 

Read first time 01/16/09.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development.

     AN ACT Relating to an accelerated baccalaureate degree program; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that some students are eager to complete a degree in the shortest time possible in order to enter the job market. The legislature further finds that providing a streamlined path to a baccalaureate degree would shorten the time required for students to complete a degree, improve the graduation rate, and improve accessibility for students who have proven academic abilities. The legislature intends to provide an accelerated baccalaureate degree program that will allow academically qualified students to obtain baccalaureate degrees in three years. The legislature further intends that academically qualified students will be able to forgo some of the normal first-year general education requirements, enabling them to complete the accelerated baccalaureate degree program without attending summer courses or enrolling in more than a full-time class load during the regular academic year.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) State universities, regional universities, and The Evergreen State College shall develop accelerated baccalaureate degree programs that will allow academically qualified students to obtain a baccalaureate degree in three years without attending summer classes or enrolling in more than a full-time class load during the regular academic year. The programs must allow academically qualified students to begin course work within their academic field during their first term or semester of enrollment.
     (2) "Academically qualified student" means a student who either:
     (a) Graduated from high school with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher;
     (b) Scored in the top ten percent on both the critical reading and mathematics sections of the SAT; or
     (c) Scored in the top ten percent on both the mathematics and English sections of the ACT test.
     (3) The state universities, regional universities, and The Evergreen State College shall submit their plans for the accelerated baccalaureate degree programs to the higher education coordinating board by December 1, 2010, for approval.
     (4) The accelerated baccalaureate degree program shall be available to students admitted at the state universities, regional universities, and The Evergreen State College for the 2010-11 academic year.