HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                ESSB 6559

Title:  An act relating to notification of the availability of programs leading to college credit.

Brief Description:  Notifying parents of school programs leading to college credit.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl‑Welles, Swecker, McAuliffe, Finkbeiner, Eide, Hochstatter, Bauer, Zarelli, Goings, Rasmussen, Oke, Winsley and Roach).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  February 23, 2000

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:  There are five programs currently offered in Washington schools in which a high school student may earn college credit: Advance Placement, College in the High School, International Baccalaureate, Tech-Prep, and Running Start.  There are also a few highly selective programs that permit high school students  to enroll in public baccalaureate institutions on a full-time or part-time basis.

Currently there is no statutory requirement that high schools notify parents of programs that lead to college credit.  There are joint rules adopted by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board that require school districts to annually provide information on the Running Start program to 10^th and 11^th grade students and their parents.

Summary:  Beginning with the 2000-01 school year, the Superintendent of Public Instruction must notify high schools of entities offering programs leading to college credit, if the superintendent has knowledge of such entities and if the cost of reporting these entities is minimal.  Beginning in the 2000-01 school year, high schools must annually publish and deliver to parents information concerning the entrance requirements and availability of programs leading to college credit that are offered in the school.  The published information must also include information of other public or private entities offering such programs if the high school has knowledge of the entities and the cost of reporting this additional information is minimal.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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