HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1179

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Higher Education

Title:  An act relating to accountability and collaboration in higher education and K-12 education.

Brief Description:  Charging school districts for remedial higher education classes.

Sponsors:  Representatives Jacobsen, Ogden and Ludwig.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Higher Education, February 23, 1993, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 16 members:  Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Quall, Vice Chair; Brumsickle, Ranking Minority Member; Sheahan, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Carlson; Casada; Finkbeiner; Flemming; Kessler; J. Kohl; Mielke; Ogden; Orr; Shin; and Wood.

Minority Report:  Without recommendation.  Signed by 2 members:  Representatives Bray; and Rayburn.

Staff:  Susan Hosch (786-7120).

Background:  According to a national survey of colleges and universities released by the National Center for Educational Statistics, 30 percent of college freshmen took at least one remedial or precollege course in the fall of 1989.

During the fall of 1990, 13,284 students who had graduated from high school within the previous three years were enrolled in Washington's community colleges.  Of those students, 44 percent were enrolled in precollege classes.  Most students were enrolled in a single course, generally in reading, writing, or mathematics.

During the fall of 1991, at Washington State University, 573 students were enrolled in state supported precollege algebra, and 51 students were enrolled in Basic Skills in English.  The English course was essentially an English as a second language class.

During the fall of 1991, 391 students at Central were enrolled in state supported precollege classes in English, writing, spelling, reading and mathematics.  In the fall of 1991, 48 students at Western were enrolled in a state supported precollege math class, and at Eastern, 219 students were enrolled in precollege English and mathematics classes.

State supported precollege classes at the University of Washington (UW) are restricted to participants in the Educational Opportunity Program for disadvantaged students.  During the 1990-91 academic year, 589 students were enrolled in precollege mathematics and English classes.  Other UW students may take precollege classes offered at the university by Seattle Central Community College.  The Evergreen State College does not offer state supported precollege classes.  However, in unusual circumstances, individual students may arrange for such instruction.  From 1990 to 1992, about six students have made arrangements for credit-bearing precollege instruction.

The above statistics are based on student headcount.  They may count some students more than once.  The double counting will occur if a student was enrolled in more than one precollege class.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  By May 1 of each year, each community and technical college will provide a report on precollege class enrollment to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC).  By June 30 of each year, each state four-year university and college, and the SBCTC will provide a report on precollege class enrollment to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Commission on Student Learning.

The report will contain three elements on students who, within three years of graduating from a Washington high school, enrolled in a state supported precollege class.  These elements are:  the numbers of students enrolled in the listed precollege classes; the types of classes in which each student was enrolled; and the name of the Washington high school from which each student graduated.

Each college and university will report on precollege class enrollment to certain Washington high schools.  The report will be given to Washington high schools who, within the previous three years, graduated a person who then enrolled in a state-supported precollege class at a state college or university.  The report will include the number of students who, within three years of graduating from that high school enrolled in a precollege class, and the types of classes taken by each student.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  A school district will not be charged for the precollege classes taken by students who recently graduated from a high school in the district.  Colleges and universities will instead report information on precollege class enrollments to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Commission on Student Learning, and the Washington high school from which each recent graduate received his or her diploma.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 2, 1993.

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

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  (Original bill)  The legislation attempts to address an issue that has many parents and educators extremely frustrated.  However, charging school districts for the costs of precollege classes taken by recent high school graduates is not the answer.  That approach will not foster the partnership efforts necessary to effect educational reform.

Witnesses:  (opposed) Dwayne Slate and John Kuamme, Washington School Directors Association.