SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 5924

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5924 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Murray, Chair; Kilmer, Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair; Zarelli, Ranking Minority Member; Brown, Fraser, Hatfield, Hewitt, Honeyford, Kastama, Kohl-Welles, Pridemore, Regala, Rockefeller, Schoesler and Tom.

Background: The Running Start Program is available to 11th and 12th grade students who have not yet received a diploma. Participating institutions include all community and technical colleges, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, The Evergreen State College, Northwest Indian College, and Washington State University. Running Start students must currently pay all mandatory fees established by community and technical colleges. Students may also be required to pay the technology fee as required by other institutions of higher education. Fees are prorated based on credit load. Institutions of higher education must make available fee waivers for low-income students.

Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill: Running Start students must be charged 10 percent of the cost of tuition by institutions of higher education, prorated based on credit load. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges will establish the tuition rate for Running Start students. The governing boards on the public four-years must establish the tuition rate for Running Start students. Institutions of higher education must make fee waivers to low-income students available, determined by participation in the free or reduced lunch program. Use of tuition and fee waivers for qualified low-income students is not included in determining total state tuition waiver authority for institutions of higher education.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, in collaboration with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and the other institutions of higher education that participate in the Running Start program, must monitor enrollment in the Running Start program and report annually to the Governor and the Legislature any enrollment declines as a result of charging students 10 percent of the cost of tuition, particularly any declines in the enrollment of students with family incomes at or below 125 percent of the state's median family income. The first report must be submitted no later than September 1, 2012.

The four-year state institutions of higher education must accept the transfer of Running Start credits if the student seeking the transfer of credits has been admitted to the state institution of higher education and the courses are recognized as transferrable by the admitting institution of higher education.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill: OTHER: Would like to have language included that clarifies that the amount charged to these students is a fee, not tuition, in order to prevent them from qualifying for the State Need Grant. Would also like these students to continue to pay technology fees and other mandatory fees that they pay currently and to clarify that the amount charged to them is the operating and building fee, not the services and activities fees, which vary from school to school. With regard to eligibility for a waiver, qualifying for free and reduced priced lunch is just one way to provide eligibility. The schools have broad ability to waive for those who need it.