BILL REQ. #: H-4175.1
State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2008 Regular Session |
Prefiled 01/09/08. Read first time 01/14/08. Referred to Committee on Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to child care at institutions of higher education; amending RCW 28B.135.010 and 28B.135.030; adding a new section to chapter 28B.135 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 It is the intent of the legislature to
improve access to higher education for all residents and ensure that
students have the necessary resources and support services to attain
their educational goals while keeping families strong. For many
students, the lack of affordable, accessible, quality child care on or
in close proximity to colleges and universities is a barrier to their
completion of their higher education goals. Therefore, it is the
intent of the legislature to develop and support policies that, to the
extent possible, both leverage existing resources and maximize
educational outcomes by supporting affordable, accessible, and quality
child care programs.
Sec. 2 RCW 28B.135.010 and 1999 c 375 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
Two Washington accounts for student child care in higher education
are established. The higher education coordinating board and the state
board for community and technical colleges shall administer the
programs. Through these programs the boards ((may)) shall award ((on
a competitive basis)) either competitive and/or child care grants to
state institutions of higher education to encourage programs to address
the need for high quality, accessible, and affordable child care for
students at higher education institutions. The university or college
administration and student government association, or its equivalent,
of each institution receiving the award shall contribute financial
support in an amount equal to the child care grant received by the
institution. Student government associations may solicit funds from
private organizations, such as university or college foundations, as
part of their financial support for child care.
Sec. 3 RCW 28B.135.030 and 2005 c 490 s 8 are each amended to
read as follows:
The higher education coordinating board shall administer the
program for four-year institutions of higher education. The state
board for community and technical colleges shall administer the program
for community and technical colleges. The higher education
coordinating board ((and the state board for community and technical
colleges)) shall have the following powers and duties in administering
((each)) the program:
(1) To adopt rules necessary to carry out the program;
(2) To establish one or more review committees to assist in the
evaluation of proposals for funding. The review committees ((shall
include but not be limited to individuals from the Washington
association for the education of young children and the child care
resource and referral network)) may receive input from parents,
educators, and other experts in the field of early childhood education
for this purpose;
(3) To establish each biennium specific guidelines for submitting
grant proposals consistent with the overall goals of the program.
During the ((1999-2001)) 2009-2011 biennium the guidelines shall be
consistent with the following desired outcomes of increasing access to
quality child care for students, ((addressing the demand for infant and
toddler care,)) providing affordable child care alternatives((,
creating more cooperative preschool programs, creating models that can
be replicated at other institutions)) for students, creating a
partnership between university or college administrations, university,
or college foundations, and student government associations, or ((its))
their equivalents, and increasing efficiency and innovation at campus
child care centers;
(4) To establish guidelines for an allocation system based on
factors that include but are not limited to: The amount of money
available in the trust fund((; characteristics of the institutions
including the size of the faculty and student body; and the number of
child care grants received)) and the financial support for child care
received by the student government associations or their equivalents;
(5) To solicit grant proposals and provide information to the
institutions of higher education about the program; ((and))
(6) To establish reporting, evaluation, accountability, monitoring,
and dissemination requirements for the recipients of the grants;
(7) To complete and submit a report on child care at the four-year
institutions of higher education to the appropriate committees of the
legislature by December 1, 2008. The report shall include but not be
limited to information on the need for high quality, affordable, and
accessible child care for students; the extent to which child care is
a barrier to student access and completion of students' education; an
inventory of existing child care centers and services provided; and the
amount contributed by each university or college administration and
student government association for the purposes of child care; and
(8) To report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by
December 15, 2009, and every two years thereafter, on the status of
program design and implementation. The report shall include but not be
limited to summary information on the institutions receiving child
grant allocations, including expenditures and reports for the previous
biennium, services provided by each institutional child care center,
and the number of students using such services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 28B.135
RCW to read as follows:
The state board for community and technical colleges shall have the
following powers and duties in administering the program established in
RCW 28B.135.010:
(1) To adopt rules necessary to carry out the program;
(2) To establish, if deemed necessary, one or more review
committees to assist in the evaluation of proposals for funding. The
review committees may receive input from parents, educators, and other
experts in the field of early childhood education for this purpose;
(3) To establish each biennium specific guidelines for submitting
grant proposals consistent with the overall goals of the program.
During the 2009-2011 biennium the guidelines shall be consistent with
the following desired outcomes of increasing access to quality child
care for students, providing affordable child care alternatives for
students, creating more cooperative preschool programs, creating models
that can be replicated at other institutions, creating a partnership
between college administrations, college foundations, and student
government associations, or their equivalents, and increasing
innovation at campus child care centers;
(4) To establish guidelines for an allocation system based on
factors that include but are not limited to: The amount of money
available in the trust fund and the financial support for child care
received by the student government associations or their equivalent;
(5) To solicit grant proposals and provide information to the
institutions of higher education about the program;
(6) To establish reporting, evaluation, accountability, monitoring,
and dissemination requirements for the recipients of the grants;
(7) To complete and submit a report on child care at the public
two-year institutions of higher education to the appropriate committees
of the legislature by December 1, 2008. The report shall include but
not be limited to information on the need for high quality, affordable,
and accessible child care for students; the extent to which child care
is a barrier to student access and completion of their education,
including workforce training programs at community and technical
colleges; an inventory of existing child care centers and services
provided; and the amount contributed by each college administration and
student government association for the purposes of child care; and
(8) To report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by
December 15, 2009, and every two years thereafter, on the status of
program design and implementation within the community and technical
college system. The report shall include but not be limited to summary
information on the institutions receiving child grant allocations,
including expenditures and reports for the previous biennium, services
provided by each institutional child care center, and the number of
students using such services.