Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Higher Education Committee

HB 2400

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 Summary of Bill

Finds that mentoring and service-learning opportunities help to improve the academic success of low-performing, high-risk students in K-12 and postsecondary education and outlines the intention to increase these opportunities.
Directs Western Washington University to host a statewide consortium of public and private institutions of higher education and develop and administer a state campus compact with the purpose of providing and increasing the number of campus-based mentoring and service-learning opportunities in K-12 education and at eligible institutions of higher education.
Outlines program design elements and accountability measures.
Appropriates $1.375 million for the year ending June 30, 2015, for the purposes of the act.

Background:

The Washington Campus Compact.

The mission of the Washington Campus Compact (Compact), hosted by Western Washington University, is to create academic and co-curricular service opportunities for students to develop the skills and habits of citizenship, encourage the engagement of students and faculty in community-based scholarship that addresses societal concerns, and foster the development of collaborative partnerships among campuses, and with communities. Membership of the Compact includes all six public baccalaureate institutions, private and non-profit baccalaureate degree granting institutions, and community and technical colleges in both eastern and western Washington.

A major project of the Compact is the Retention Project that was launched in 2006. Between 2010 and 2013 this project engaged over 10,000 college students to serve as mentors to low income, at-risk and first-generation college students and K-12 students. In 2013 the Retention Project served over 10,000 mentees.

Other programs of the Compact include "Students in Service" and "Connect2Complete". The "Students in Service" program, that operated between 2006 and 2011, was a national service-learning program that engaged students in part-time AmeriCorps programs. The "Connect2Complete" program, funded through the Gates Foundation, connected at-risk, first-generation students with peer advocates.

Summary of Bill:

The Legislature finds that mentoring and service learning opportunities help to improve the academic success of low-performing, high-risk students in K-12 and postsecondary education. Western Washington University is directed to host a statewide consortium of public and private institutions of higher education to develop and administer the state Campus Compact (Compact) with the purpose of providing and increasing the number of campus-based mentoring and service-learning opportunities in K-12 education and at eligible institutions of higher education.

The mentoring and service-learning opportunities developed under the Compact are intended to serve students in K-12 and higher education. For K-12 students:

those who are at risk of dropping out of school;
those who are not on track to complete their high school diploma on time;
students from low-income families;
students in or transitioning from foster care; or
students from a family with no previous experience in attending college.

Students who are targeted for this program in postsecondary education are:

students who are not on track to complete their degree or certificate on time;
students enrolled in one or more pre-college level course or program;
students from a low-income family;
students in or transitioning from foster care;
students from a family with no previous experience in attending college; or
veterans of the armed services.

The mentoring and service-learning opportunities of the Compact must be designed to increase student engagement in learning and postsecondary education; and develop workforce, financial literacy, and citizenship skills. They must be designed to improve student attitudes and behaviors, and improve academic success and retention. Training and outreach to postsecondary students to serve as mentors must be addressed. Accountability measures to assess the impact of mentoring programs include: measures of academic improvement; retention and completion rates; access to institutions of higher education; and development of workforce and citizenship skills, attitudes, and behaviors. The Compact is directed to disseminate best practices statewide.

An appropriation of $1.375 million is provided for the year ending June 30, 2015, for the purposes of the act.