Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Education Committee |
HB 1526
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. |
Brief Description: Creating a pilot project to increase enrollment of underrepresented students in the running start program.
Sponsors: Representatives Orwall, Reykdal, Santos, Goodman, Upthegrove, Maxwell, Seaquist, Freeman, Bergquist, Lytton, Ryu, Kagi, Tarleton, Jinkins, Fey and Pollet.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/12/13
Staff: Luke Wickham (786-7146).
Background:
The Running Start Program (Running Start) allows juniors and seniors in high school to enroll in college courses offered at a community or technical college or a participating public baccalaureate, and receive both high school and college credit. Students must demonstrate that they are ready for college-level work, usually through a placement test administered by the participating institution. Institutions may use different tests or have different readiness standards.
The Running Start students do not pay tuition. Instead, the student is reported as enrolled in the school district for purposes of state funding allocations, and the district pays the institution an amount equal to the statewide average basic education allocation, minus seven percent, which is retained by the district. The allocation amount for the 2012-13 school year is $4,961.76 per full time equivalent student for regular courses, and $5,856.48 for vocational courses.
Students must purchase textbooks, provide for their own travel, and pay any fees associated with the course. Since 2009, students have also been required to pay other mandatory fees. Institutions must waive the mandatory fees for low-income students.
In the 2011-12 academic year, 18,604 students participated in the Running Start, primarily through a community or technical college.
Summary of Bill:
This bill creates three partnership pilot projects involving middle schools, high schools and higher education institutions that participate in the Running Start. The pilot project would last for six years, beginning in the 2014-15 school year. This pilot project has the following characteristics:
The pilot must include at least one partnering middle school, high school, and participating institution.
The schools and institution must purchase curriculum emphasizing college preparation in writing, inquiry collaboration, and reading.
Some teachers and faculty from each of the schools and the participating institution must attend a summer institute geared toward both closing the opportunity gap and college preparation of students.
Each school must identify and provide part-time funding for a lead teacher, whose duties must include:
conducting regular meetings with the other lead teachers to discuss the effectiveness of the pilot and identify supports for students;
interacting with and providing outreach to prospective students;
visiting the other partnering school or schools and participating institution to observe programming and develop ideas for improving collaboration; and
attending a summer institute geared toward both closing the opportunity gap and college preparation of students.
Each partnering school and participating institution must incorporate the college preparatory curriculum into its instruction.
Each partnering school and institution must collect and report data on the demographics of its participating students.
The school district must provide outreach to students regarding the Running Start.
The school district must provide incentives to students participating in the Running Start component of the pilot, which may include money to help pay for required Running Start textbooks, classroom fees, or transportation.
The curriculum and summer institute programming required for this pilot project must be provided by an organization that has at least thirty years of experience in secondary and postsecondary instructional services that have been implemented nationwide and evaluated, tested, and proven to be successful.
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) shall develop a competitive grant process for school districts and allocate grants to three applicants. One of the applicants must have already incorporated components of the pilot project in its school district and partnering Running Start institution. Of the remaining two applicants, one must be selected from east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains and one must be selected from west of the crest of the Cascade Mountains.
Participating institutions, in consultation with partnering school districts, may establish an alternative admission process for students participating in the pilot project who apply to the Running Start.
Each pilot must submit an annual progress report to the OSPI by December 1. The report must include demographic data of students involved in the pilot project and demographic data of students enrolled in the Running Start. The OSPI shall compile and summarize the reports in a standard format and forward them to the Legislature each year.
The OSPI will contract with a northwest educational research organization to conduct an evaluation of the pilot project using qualitative and quantitative analysis to identify successful practices in improving enrollment of underrepresented students in the Running Start program.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.