BILL REQ. #:  S-0638.2 

Read first time 01/24/2007.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to mathematics and science education; amending RCW 28A.230.090; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040; adding a new section to chapter 28A.655 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that the 2005 legislature created Washington learns to conduct a comprehensive review of the state's entire education system and to issue recommendations. The legislature further finds that Washington learns determined that Washington students are falling behind international standards in mathematics and science and that when high school students are not well-prepared in mathematics and science, they are unlikely to pursue the careers or college degrees that require those skills. The legislature further finds that the Washington learns report includes a strategy to increase the level of achievement of the state's students by increasing high school graduation requirements; and a strategy to expand incentives and opportunities for students seeking high-demand mathematics- and science-related certificates and degrees. The legislature further finds that the intent of this act is to implement both of these strategies.

Sec. 2   RCW 28A.230.090 and 2006 c 114 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The state board of education shall establish high school graduation requirements or equivalencies for students, except those equivalencies established by local high schools or school districts under RCW 28A.230.097 or as provided in section 3 of this act.
     (a) Any course in Washington state history and government used to fulfill high school graduation requirements shall consider including information on the culture, history, and government of the American Indian peoples who were the first inhabitants of the state.
     (b) The certificate of academic achievement requirements under RCW 28A.655.061 or the certificate of individual achievement requirements under RCW 28A.155.045 are required for graduation from a public high school but are not the only requirements for graduation.
     (c) Any decision on whether a student has met the state board's high school graduation requirements for a high school and beyond plan shall remain at the local level.
     (2) In recognition of the statutory authority of the state board of education to establish and enforce minimum high school graduation requirements, the state board shall periodically reevaluate the graduation requirements and shall report such findings to the legislature in a timely manner as determined by the state board. The state board shall reevaluate the graduation requirements for students enrolled in vocationally intensive and rigorous career and technical education programs, particularly those programs that lead to a certificate or credential that is state or nationally recognized. The purpose of the evaluation is to ensure that students enrolled in these programs have sufficient opportunity to earn a certificate of academic achievement, complete the program and earn the program's certificate or credential, and complete other state and local graduation requirements. The board shall ((reports [report])) report its findings and recommendations for additional flexibility in graduation requirements, if necessary, to the legislature by December 1, 2007.
     (3) Pursuant to any requirement for instruction in languages other than English established by the state board of education or a local school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation, students who receive instruction in American sign language or one or more American Indian languages shall be considered to have satisfied the state or local school district graduation requirement for instruction in one or more languages other than English.
     (4) If requested by the student and his or her family, a student who has completed high school courses before attending high school shall be given high school credit which shall be applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements if:
     (a) The course was taken with high school students, if the academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes, and the student has successfully passed by completing the same course requirements and examinations as the high school students enrolled in the class; or
     (b) The academic level of the course exceeds the requirements for seventh and eighth grade classes and the course would qualify for high school credit, because the course is similar or equivalent to a course offered at a high school in the district as determined by the school district board of directors.
     (5) Students who have taken and successfully completed high school courses under the circumstances in subsection (4) of this section shall not be required to take an additional competency examination or perform any other additional assignment to receive credit.
     (6) At the college or university level, five quarter or three semester hours equals one high school credit.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.655 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A mathematics/science scholar designation on the high school diploma is created. This designation shall be awarded to public school students, and approved private school students at the discretion of the approved private school, who complete the following requirements:
     (a) Successfully earn the following high school credits:
     (i) Four mathematics credits, including calculus;
     (ii) At least three science credits, including chemistry and physics; and
     (iii) At least three credits of world language other than English;
     (b) Receive advanced placement scores of three or higher on at least two advance placement tests;
     (c) Earn a high school grade point average of 3.5 or above; and
     (d) Meet the state standards in all content areas of the high school level Washington assessment of student achievement.
     (2) As used in this section, "high school credits" means a full school year of study or one hundred fifty hours of planned instructional activities, whichever is greater, or an equivalent as defined by the state board of education.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   (1) The higher education coordinating board shall award full tuition scholarships to students graduating from public and approved private high schools under chapter 28A.195 RCW who obtain a mathematics/science scholar designation on their high school diplomas, if the student pursues an undergraduate degree in a mathematics or science-related field and who qualify for a scholarship under the ranking system developed by the board.
     (2) The scholarships may only be used for undergraduate coursework beginning in the student's second year at accredited institutions of higher education in the state of Washington, except that the scholarships may be used for undergraduate coursework at Oregon institutions of higher education that are located in counties bordering Washington state.
     (3) The higher education coordinating board shall develop a ranking system to determine priority of the award of the mathematics/science scholarship. The ranking system shall consider the following factors:
     (a) The first year of course selection at institutions of higher education by the applicant. Applications shall be ranked higher based on the number of mathematics and science classes that the applicant enrolled and completed;
     (b) The grade point average of the applicant in the first year at an institution of higher education; and
     (c) Other criteria that the higher education coordinating board deems appropriate.
     (4) The higher education coordinating board shall award scholarships to as many eligible students as possible using the ranking system.
     (5) The scholarships may not be awarded to any student who is pursuing a degree in theology.
     (6) The higher education coordinating board may establish satisfactory progress standards for the continued receipt of the scholarship.
     (7) The higher education coordinating board shall establish the time frame within which the student must use the scholarship.
     (8) The higher education coordinating board may adopt rules to implement this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   (1) The mathematics/science high school scholar scholarship account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. The account shall be a nontreasury account retaining its interest earnings in accordance with RCW 43.79A.040.
     (2) The higher education coordinating board shall deposit in the account all money received for the program. The account shall be self-sustaining and consist of funds appropriated by the legislature for the mathematics/science high school scholar scholarship program, private contributions to the program, and refunds of scholarships under this chapter.
     (3) Expenditures from the account shall be used for scholarships to eligible students.
     (4) With the exception of the operating costs associated with the management of the account by the treasurer's office as authorized in chapter 43.79A RCW, the account shall be credited with all investment income earned by the account.
     (5) Disbursements from the account are exempt from appropriations and the allotment provisions of chapter 43.88 RCW.
     (6) Disbursements from the account shall be made only on the authorization of the higher education coordinating board.

Sec. 6   RCW 43.79A.040 and 2006 c 311 s 21 and 2006 c 120 s 2 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, invested, and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.84.080 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the money were in the state treasury.
     (2) All income received from investment of the treasurer's trust fund shall be set aside in an account in the treasury trust fund to be known as the investment income account.
     (3) The investment income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking services on behalf of treasurer's trust funds including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state treasurer or affected state agencies. The investment income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to financial institutions. Payments shall occur prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.
     (4)(a) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings credited to the investment income account to the state general fund except under (b) and (c) of this subsection.
     (b) The following accounts and funds shall receive their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period: The Washington promise scholarship account, the college savings program account, the Washington advanced college tuition payment program account, the agricultural local fund, the American Indian scholarship endowment fund, the foster care scholarship endowment fund, the foster care endowed scholarship trust fund, the students with dependents grant account, the basic health plan self-insurance reserve account, the contract harvesting revolving account, the Washington state combined fund drive account, the commemorative works account, the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund, the developmental disabilities endowment trust fund, the energy account, the fair fund, the fruit and vegetable inspection account, the future teachers conditional scholarship account, the game farm alternative account, the grain inspection revolving fund, the juvenile accountability incentive account, the law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' plan 2 expense fund, the local tourism promotion account, the mathematics/science high school scholar scholarship account, the produce railcar pool account, the regional transportation investment district account, the rural rehabilitation account, the stadium and exhibition center account, the youth athletic facility account, the self-insurance revolving fund, the sulfur dioxide abatement account, the children's trust fund, the Washington horse racing commission Washington bred owners' bonus fund account, the Washington horse racing commission class C purse fund account, the individual development account program account, the Washington horse racing commission operating account (earnings from the Washington horse racing commission operating account must be credited to the Washington horse racing commission class C purse fund account), the life sciences discovery fund, and the reading achievement account. However, the earnings to be distributed shall first be reduced by the allocation to the state treasurer's service fund pursuant to RCW 43.08.190.
     (c) The following accounts and funds shall receive eighty percent of their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period: The advanced right of way revolving fund, the advanced environmental mitigation revolving account, the city and county advance right-of-way revolving fund, the federal narcotics asset forfeitures account, the high occupancy vehicle account, the local rail service assistance account, and the miscellaneous transportation programs account.
     (5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state Constitution, no trust accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   Sections 4 and 5 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.