(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose and commencing with the 2015-16 school year, funding may be allocated at an amount per college credit for eleventh and twelfth grade students or students who have not yet received a high school diploma or its equivalent and are eligible to be in the eleventh or twelfth grade who are enrolled in college in the high school courses under this section as specified in the omnibus appropriations act and adjusted for inflation from the 2015-16 school year. The maximum annual number of allocated credits per participating student shall be specified in the omnibus appropriations act, which must not exceed ten credits. Funding shall be prioritized in the following order:

(i) High schools offering a running start in the high school program in school year 2014-15. These schools shall only receive prioritized funding in school year 2015-16;

(ii) Students whose residence or the high school in which they are enrolled is located twenty driving miles or more as measured by the most direct route from the nearest eligible institution of higher education offering a running start program, whichever is greater; and

(iii) High schools eligible for the small school funding enhancement in the omnibus appropriations act.

(b)(i) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose and commencing with the 2015-16 school year, and only after the programs in (a) of this subsection are funded, a subsidy may be provided per college credit for eleventh and twelfth grade students or students who have not yet received a high school diploma or its equivalent and are eligible to be in the eleventh or twelfth grade who have been deemed eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and are enrolled in college in the high school courses under this section as specified in the omnibus appropriations act and adjusted for inflation from the 2015-16 school year. The maximum annual number of subsidized credits per participating student shall be specified in the omnibus appropriations act, which must not exceed five credits.

(ii) Districts wishing to participate in the subsidy program must apply to the office of the superintendent of public instruction by July 1st of each year and report the preliminary estimate of eligible students to receive the subsidy and the total number of projected credit hours.

(iii) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall notify districts by September 1st of each school year if the district's students will receive the subsidy. If more districts apply than funding is available, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall prioritize the district applications. The superintendent shall develop factors to determine priority including, but not limited to, the number of dual credit opportunities available for low-income students in the districts.

(c) Districts shall remit any allocations or subsidies on behalf of participating students under (a) and (b) of this subsection to the participating institution of higher education and those students shall not be required to pay for the credits.

(d) The minimum allocation and subsidy under this section is sixty-five dollars per quarter credit for credit-bearing postsecondary coursework. The office of the superintendent of public instruction, the student achievement council, the state board for community and technical colleges, and the public baccalaureate institutions shall review funding levels for the program every four years beginning in 2017 and recommend changes.

(e) Students may pay college in the high school fees with advanced college tuition payment program tuition units at a rate set by the advanced college tuition payment program governing body under chapter 28B.95 RCW.

(2) For the purposes of funding students enrolled in the college in the high school program in accordance with subsection (1) of this section, college in the high school is defined as a dual credit program located on a high school campus or in a high school environment in which a high school student is able to earn both high school and postsecondary credit by completing postsecondary level courses with a passing grade.

(3) College in the high school programs may include both academic and career and technical education.

(4) College in the high school programs shall each be governed by a local contract between the district and the participating institution of higher education, in compliance with the rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction under this section.

(5) The college in the high school program must include the provisions in this subsection.

(a) The high school and participating institution of higher education together shall define the criteria for student eligibility. The institution of higher education may charge tuition fees to participating students. If specific funding is provided in the omnibus appropriations act for the per credit allocations and per credit subsidies under subsection (1) of this section, the maximum per credit fee charged to any enrolled student may not exceed the amount of the per credit allocation or subsidy.

(b) The funds received by the participating institution of higher education may not be deemed tuition or operating fees and may be retained by the institution of higher education.

(c) Enrollment information on persons registered under this section must be maintained by the institution of higher education separately from other enrollment information and may not be included in official enrollment reports, nor may such persons be considered in any enrollment statistics that would affect higher education budgetary determinations.

(d) A school district must grant high school credit to a student enrolled in a program course if the student successfully completes the course. If no comparable course is offered by the school district, the school district superintendent shall determine how many credits to award for the course. The determination shall be made in writing before the student enrolls in the course. The credits shall be applied toward graduation requirements and subject area requirements. Evidence of successful completion of each program course shall be included in the student's secondary school records and transcript.

(e) A participating institution of higher education must grant college credit to a student enrolled in a program course if the student successfully completes the course. The college credit shall be applied toward general education requirements or degree requirements at institutions of higher education. Evidence of successful completion of each program course must be included in the student's college transcript.

(f) Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students or students who have not yet received a high school diploma or its equivalent and are eligible to be in the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grades may participate in the college in the high school program.

(g) Participating school districts must provide general information about the college in the high school program to all students in grades nine through twelve and to the parents and guardians of those students.

(h) Full-time and part-time faculty at institutions of higher education, including adjunct faculty, are eligible to teach program courses.

(6) The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules for the administration of this section. The rules shall be jointly developed by the superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, the student achievement council, and the public baccalaureate institutions. The association of Washington school principals must be consulted during the rules development. The rules must outline quality and eligibility standards that are informed by nationally recognized standards or models. In addition, the rules must encourage the maximum use of the program and may not narrow or limit the enrollment options.

(7) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section.

(a) "Institution of higher education" has the definition in RCW 28B.10.016, and also includes a public tribal college located in Washington and accredited by the Northwest commission on colleges and universities or another accrediting association recognized by the United States department of education.

(b) "Program course" means a college course offered in a high school under the college in the high school program.

[2015 c 202 § 3; 2012 c 229 § 801; 2009 c 450 § 3.]

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