BILL REQ. #:  S-4411.1 

Read first time 01/22/08.   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 completion of their higher education goals. Further, it is the intent of the legislature to adopt policies that 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 award on a competitive basis)) and shall award 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 or greater than 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)) and 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 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, and 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:)) proportionally distribute 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)) based on 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 administer the program for community and technical colleges and 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. 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 or other alternative parent education models, 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.