AN ACT Relating to high school students attending classes at institutions of higher education; and adding new sections to Title 28A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The purpose of sections 1 through 11 of this act is to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wider variety of options to high school pupils by encouraging and enabling secondary pupils to enroll full time or part time in courses or programs in state institutions of higher education. This program shall be called the academic advanced placement program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 1 through 11 of this act.

(1) "College or university" means a state institution of higher education under RCW 28B.10.016.

(2) "Course" means a course or program of study.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A pupil in the eleventh or twelfth grades may apply to a state institution of higher education to enroll in courses offered at that institution. If an institution accepts a secondary pupil for enrollment under this section, the institution shall send written notice to the pupil, the pupil's school district, and the superintendent of public instruction within ten days after accepting the pupil. The notice shall indicate the course and hours of enrollment of that pupil. If the pupil enrolls in a course for postsecondary credit, the institution shall notify the pupil about payment in the customary manner used by the institution.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) To the extent possible, the school district shall provide counseling services to pupils and their parents or guardians before the pupils enroll in courses under section 3 of this act to ensure that the pupils and their parents or guardians are fully aware of the risks and possible consequences of enrolling in college or university courses. The district shall provide information on the program including who may enroll; what institutions and courses are eligible for participation; the decision-making process for granting academic credits; financial arrangements for tuition, books, and materials; available support services; the need to arrange an appropriate schedule; the consequences of failing or not completing a course in which the pupil enrolls; the effect of enrolling in this program on the pupil's ability to complete the required high school graduation requirements; and the academic and social responsibilities that the pupils and their parents or guardians are required to assume. The persons providing counseling shall encourage pupils and their parents or guardians also to use available counseling services at the college or university before the quarter or semester of enrollment to ensure that anticipated plans are appropriate.

(2) Before enrolling in a course, the pupil and pupil's parents or guardian shall sign a form provided by the district that may be obtained from a state institution of higher education stating that they have received the information specified in this section and that they understand the responsibilities that they will assume in participating in the program. The superintendent of public instruction shall, upon request, provide technical assistance to a district in developing appropriate forms and counseling guidelines.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. By February 1 of each year, a school district shall provide general information about the program to all pupils in grades ten and eleven. To assist the district in planning, a pupil shall inform the district by February 28 of each year of the pupil's intent to enroll in courses at a state institution of higher education during the following school year. Failure to notify a district shall not affect the pupil's right to participate in the program or to decide to withdraw from the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A pupil who first enrolls in grade eleven may not enroll in courses at a state institution of higher education under section 3 of this act for secondary credit for more than the equivalent of two academic years. A pupil who first enrolls in grade twelve may not enroll in courses at a state institution of higher education under section 3 of this act for secondary credit for more than the equivalent of one academic year. If a pupil in grade eleven or twelve first enrolls in courses at state institutions of higher education for secondary credit during the school year, the time of participation shall be reduced proportionately.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A state institution of higher education shall give priority to its regular students when permitting eleventh and twelfth grade students to enroll in courses for secondary credit. However, once a pupil has been enrolled in a college or university course under section 3 of this act, the pupil shall not be displaced by another student.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. (1) A pupil may enroll in a course under section 3 of this act for either secondary or postsecondary credit. At the time a pupil enrolls in a course, the pupil shall designate whether the course is for secondary or postsecondary credit. A pupil taking several courses may designate some for secondary credit and some for postsecondary credit.

(2) A school district shall grant academic credit to a pupil enrolled in a course for secondary credit if the pupil successfully completes the course. A school district shall also grant academic credit to a pupil enrolled in a course for postsecondary credit if secondary credit is requested by a pupil. If no comparable course is offered by the district, the superintendent of public instruction shall determine the number of credits that shall be granted to a pupil who successfully completes a course. If a comparable course if offered by the district, the school board shall grant a comparable number of credits to the pupil. If there is a dispute between the district and pupil regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the pupil may appeal the school board's decision to the superintendent of public instruction. The superintendent of public instruction's decision regarding the number of credits shall be final.

(3) The credits granted to a pupil shall be counted toward the graduation and subject area requirements of the school district as applicable. Evidence of successful completion of each course and secondary credits granted shall be included in the pupil's secondary school records. Upon request of a pupil, the pupil's secondary school record shall also include evidence of successful completion and credits granted for a course taken for postsecondary credit. In either case, the record shall indicate that the credits were earned at a state institution of higher education.

(4) If a pupil enrolls in a state institution of higher education after leaving secondary school, the state institution of higher education shall award postsecondary credit for any course successfully completed for secondary credit at that institution. Other state institutions of higher education may award, after a pupil leaves secondary school, postsecondary credit for any courses successfully completed under this section. A state institution of higher education may not charge a pupil for the award of credit under this subsection.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. At the end of each school year, the superintendent of public instruction shall reimburse the applicable state institutions of higher education for courses that were taken for secondary credit under section 8 of this act. The amount of the tuition reimbursement shall equal the lesser of:

(1) The tuition directly related to the course or program taken by the secondary pupil for secondary credit; or

(2) A portion of the basic education allocation for that pupil based on the percentage of the school day that the student is enrolled in the state institution of higher education. The superintendent of public instruction shall not pay any tuition reimbursement or other costs of a course taken for postsecondary credit only.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. (1) If the pupil is enrolled in classes in the school district, the school district shall include the pupil in its student count for the portion of time during which the pupil is enrolled in courses in the secondary school and enrolled in courses at the state institution of higher education for secondary credit.

(2) A pupil enrolled in postsecondary courses for secondary credit is not eligible for any state support for transportation to and from the state institution for higher education or for state student financial aid.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the higher education coordinating board, shall collect and evaluate information about the implementation of the program established under sections 1 through 10 of this act. By January 1, 1990, the superintendent of public instruction shall submit a report to the education committees and higher education committees of the house of representatives and the senate on the implementation of this program. The report shall include but not be limited to:

(1) A description of participating pupils and other enrollment data;

(2) Results of surveys of pupils, parents, school districts, and state institutions of higher education;

(3) Results of any appeals to the superintendent of public instruction regarding credits for courses or programs taken under the program;

(4) Assessment of counseling services provided to pupils and their parents or guardians;

(5) The fiscal impact of the program;

(6) The feasibility of including summer school courses or programs in this program;

(7) The feasibility of implementing cooperative plans for offering postsecondary courses in the high schools;

(8) Current school district and higher education policies relating to advanced placement and other accelerated testing programs;

(9) Comparability of courses offered in secondary schools and state institutions of higher education;

(10) The feasibility of expanding offerings through alternative means when access to state institutions of higher education is geographically impossible; and

(11) Recommendations on the continuation or modification of the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. Sections 1 through 11 of this act are each added to Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.