Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  "The legislature finds that international baccalaureate and Cambridge international coursework prepares students for postsecondary success and provides opportunities for them to earn college credit or secure placement in advanced courses.

Therefore, the legislature intends to establish a policy for granting as many undergraduate course credits as possible to students who have successfully completed international baccalaureate and Cambridge international exams and clearly communicate credit awarding policies and course equivalencies to students. This policy is intended to be similar to the credit policy adopted during the 2017 legislative session for AP examinations. The goal of the policy is to award course credit in all appropriate instances and maximize the number of college students given college credit for international baccalaureate exam scores and Cambridge international exam grades.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The institutions of higher education must establish coordinated evidence-based policies for granting as many undergraduate college credits as possible and appropriate for general education requirements or the equivalent to students who have successfully completed international baccalaureate (IB) or Cambridge international courses and demonstrated mastery of college-level curriculum, as shown by the students' examination scores or grades for those programs. The institutions shall take into account the evidence for student success and the relevance of the IB or Cambridge international curriculum and test scores or grades in consideration of granting college credit or waiving course requirements, with appropriate consideration of the institutions' degree distribution requirements or curriculum for specific degree programs. Policies may consider, for example:

(a) Whether a four on a standard-level or higher-level IB examination and whether a grade of E on a Cambridge international examination indicates that the student has mastered college-level coursework for which undergraduate college credits may be granted; and

(b) What test score or grade for specific subjects indicates if graduation distribution requirements or prerequisite courses may be waived, while preserving the integrity of the institutions' faculty process for determining degree and major curriculum requirements.

(2) The credit policies regarding IB and Cambridge international examinations must be posted on campus web sites effective for the fall 2018 academic term."

Correct the title.

EFFECT: (1) Requires the institutions of higher education to establish coordinated, evidence-based policies for granting credit for successfully completing International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge International examinations, but removed from the requirement is granting credit for a minimum score of 4 on standard-level IB examinations and a minimum score of E on Cambridge International examinations.

(2) Provides examples of what kinds of credit policies for IB and Cambridge International the higher education institutions may consider.

(3) Removes the requirement for the higher education institutions to conduct biennial reviews of their credit policies and report noncompliance to the Legislature each November, beginning November 1, 2020.

(4) Adds intent language stating that the credit policy adopted for IB and Cambridge International is intended to be similar to the credit policy adopted last session for AP examinations.