BILL REQ. #: S-1584.2
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/21/11.
AN ACT Relating to the running start program; amending RCW 28A.600.310; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that there is
tremendous value in the running start program. The legislature further
finds that some community and technical colleges are resource-constrained and have record enrollments. As a result, it may be
difficult for some tuition-paying college students to complete
certificates and degrees. The legislature intends to mitigate the
challenges college students are facing by temporarily allowing the
colleges to establish policies to manage running start enrollments.
Sec. 2 RCW 28A.600.310 and 2009 c 450 s 8 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.
An institution of higher education with an enrollment in excess of
appropriations for full-time equivalent students may establish policies
to manage the number of running start students accepted for enrollment
or in a specific program of study at that institution if the running
start students comprise more than twelve percent of the full-time
equivalent enrollments. 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 community or
technical college all other mandatory fees as established by each
community or technical college; and all other institutions of higher
education operating a running start program may charge technology fees.
The fees charged shall be prorated based on credit load.
(3) The institutions of higher education must make available fee
waivers for low-income running start students. Each institution must
establish a written policy for the determination of low-income students
before offering the fee waiver. A student shall be considered low
income and eligible for a fee waiver upon proof that the student is
currently qualified to receive free or reduced-price lunch. Acceptable
documentation of low-income status may also 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 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 be counted
for the purpose of meeting enrollment targets in accordance with terms
and conditions specified in the omnibus appropriations act.
(5) The state board for community and technical colleges, in
collaboration with the other institutions of higher education that
participate in the running start program and the office of the
superintendent of public instruction, shall identify, assess, and
report on alternatives for providing ongoing and adequate financial
support for the program. Such alternatives shall include but are not
limited to student tuition, increased support from local school
districts, and reallocation of existing state financial support among
the community and technical college system to account for differential
running start enrollment levels and impacts. The state board for
community and technical colleges shall report the assessment of
alternatives to the governor and to the appropriate fiscal and policy
committees of the legislature by September 1, 2010.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 Section 2 of this act expires July 1, 2015.