HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5903

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to the allocation of funds for high school students enrolled in community and technical college programs.

Brief Description:  Allocating basic education funding to community and technical colleges for students enrolled in community or technical colleges.

Sponsors:  Senators Bauer, Winsley and von Reichbauer; by request of State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Education, March 30, 1993, DPA.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 18 members:  Representatives Dorn, Chair; Cothern, Vice Chair; Brough, Ranking Minority Member; Thomas, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brumsickle; Carlson; G. Cole; Eide; G. Fisher; Hansen; Holm; Jones; Karahalios; J. Kohl; Pruitt; Roland; Stevens; and Vance.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

Background:  The transfer of the vocational technical institutes from the common schools to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges by the 1991 Legislature provided for continuation of occupational and vocational programs for high school students at the newly designated technical colleges.  A number of technical colleges offer programs that high school students attend for a full school day.

The transfer legislation required school districts and technical colleges to maintain those high school programs in place at the time of the 1991 transfer with future proportional adjustments to be made for enrollments in participating school districts.  Students in these programs are considered the responsibility of the common schools.  The technical colleges are prohibited from charging tuition or other fees.  School districts and technical colleges enter into agreements for the transfer of funds.  Funds are apportioned for these students to local districts by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) as if they were attending district schools.

To reduce administrative paperwork, it has been recommended that funds be sent directly from SPI to the colleges instead of going through the school districts.

Summary of Amended Bill:  Funds for high school students attending technical or community college programs established by an interlocal agreement will be allocated directly to the participating college by the SPI unless the college chooses to receive its allocation through the school district.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The amendment clarifies that the bill does not apply to students who are enrolled in the Running Start Program.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 25, 1993.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This legislation will make it much easier to administer the funding for high school students who attend high school completion programs at technical and community colleges.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Jim Capelli, Clover Park Technical College (supports); and Ron Crossland, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (supports).