Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

Requires all public high schools in the state to work toward the goal of offering a sufficient number of high school courses to give students the opportunity to earn the equivalent of one year's worth of postsecondary credit and must inform students and their families about these opportunities.
Requires institutions of higher education to develop a master list of postsecondary courses that can be fulfilled, for lower division general education requirements, by achieving an agreed-upon score on Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or other recognized college-level proficiency exams or by meeting demonstrated competencies.
Requires each institution to publicize its own list of qualifying courses and distribute it to the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in a form that the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction can distribute to school districts.
Requires the Higher Education Coordinating Board to annually publish on its website the agreed-upon list of high school courses qualifying for postsecondary credit and the exam scores and demonstrated competencies meeting postsecondary requirements.

Background:

Dual Credit Programs.

A variety of education programs allow high school students to earn postsecondary course credit while also earning credit toward high school graduation. Students who participate in these dual credit programs have the opportunity to graduate from high school with all or a portion of college course work already completed as well as enhance their chances of entry into a chosen trade or profession.

Running Start.

Running Start students have the opportunity to study on a college campus while acquiring credits that count toward both high school and college graduation. If the student passes the college course, he or she receives the same amount of credit as any other college student taking the course. The students do not pay tuition for Running Start classes. Rather, for a full-time Running Start student, a school district retains 7 percent of the basic education allocation and provides the remainder to the higher education institution. A Running Start student can be charged some fees.

College in High School.

College in the high school permits students to complete college level work while staying on their high school campuses. High school teachers typically form a relationship with a college or university and receive adjunct, extension, or lecturer status. They work with a professor to align a particular high school course with a college level course published in the college catalog. The college course is then taught to high school students by the high school teacher during the regular school day. Students usually pay a fee for this program which varies based on the area of study. Other funding, fees, and eligibility requirements are negotiated by participating schools through a local contract.

Tech Prep.

Tech Prep is a cooperative effort between K-12 schools, community and technical colleges, and the business community to develop applied integrated, academic, and technical programs. These professional technical courses are taught on high school campuses by high school instructors. The instructors work with local colleges to assure the courses are taught at the college level and articulate the college program. Each of the state's 22 Tech Prep consortia have developed competency-based articulation agreements between high schools and colleges that help students transition from high school into postsecondary professional technical programs. Through Tech Prep articulation agreements, colleges award credit to students who successfully complete college-equivalent courses and programs with a "B" or better while still in high school.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs.

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs allow students to take college level courses while staying on their high school campuses. For both of these programs, students complete courses taught by high school teachers but then must pass a standardized examination at the end of the courses. Whether college credit is awarded depends upon a student's score on the exam. For AP, students score from zero to five points. Minimum scores to qualify for college credit vary by college and by subject area. Students pay the exam fees.

Running Start for the Trades.

Running Start for the Trades began in 2006 with the purpose of expanding apprenticeship opportunities for high school students. High schools work closely with local apprenticeship programs to prepare students to enter apprenticeships immediately after graduation. Depending upon the program, students may earn direct entry into an apprenticeship program or enhance their chances of entry into a program.

In November 2010 the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) released a report regarding student participation in dual credit programs. Dual credit programs allow high school students to begin earning college credits while still in high school. An analysis of students' schedules for the 2009-2010 school year, as reported in the Comprehensive Education Data and Research System (CEDARS) show that 10.9 percent of all high school courses taken can earn dual credit. Whether or not a student will be able to leave high school with a full year of postsecondary credit will vary depending on the subject matter and program requirements in each apprenticeship program or institution of higher education.

The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) is a 10-member citizen board appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Established by the Legislature, the HECB provides vision, leadership, and coordination for the state's public colleges and universities. The HECB administers state and federal financial aid.

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) is governed by a nine-member board appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The SBCTC is responsible for providing leadership and coordination for Washington's public system of 34 community and technical colleges.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

Within existing resources, all public high schools in the state must work toward the goal of offering a sufficient number of high school courses to give students the opportunity to earn the equivalent of one year's worth of postsecondary credit toward a certificate, apprenticeship program, technical degree, or associate or baccalaureate degree. All public high schools must inform students and their families about the opportunities these courses provide to earn postsecondary credit, and get an advanced start on their career and postsecondary education, if they earn the qualifying score on the proficiency exam or through the demonstrated competencies.

By December 1, 2011, and biennially each June thereafter, institutions of higher education must develop a master list of postsecondary courses that can be fulfilled by taking the AP, IB, or other recognized college level proficiency exam and achieving an agreed-upon score or by meeting demonstrated competencies. Each institution must publish on its website and in its admissions materials its own list of courses that can qualify for credit for lower division general education requirements. Each institution must recognize at least one year of course credit that can be earned through proficiency exams or demonstrated competencies, including but not limited to AP and IB exams. The successful completion of the exam and award of credit must be noted on the student's college transcript.

Each institution of higher education must provide a list of postsecondary courses that can be fulfilled by proficiency exams or demonstrated competencies to the HECB and the SBCTC in a form that the OSPI is able to distribute to school districts.

The HECB must annually publish on its website the agreed-upon list of high school courses qualifying for postsecondary credit and the exam scores and demonstrated competencies meeting postsecondary requirements.

This is to be referred to as the Launch Year Act.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill is about providing opportunity. Sometimes high school students do not fully utilize their senior year. This will allow seniors to fully utilize their final year in high school and provide them hope that they can go on to the next level. Now, more than ever, high school students need opportunities to prepare for their future. Most students in high school take at least one dual credit course. It is also known, however, that many students do not take a full load of courses in the final high school year. The bill will make sure that information about these opportunities is presented to students and to make sure that they get the credit for rigorous work. Students will save both time and money. This information can be powerful, making sure that students fully realize the savings they can achieve and how they can make their time and effort count. Many students take Running Start courses but many students either do not have that opportunity due to distance or they just do not want to leave the high school campus. This bill provides opportunities for those students who stay on the high school campus to earn college credit through AP, IB, and other such dual credit opportunities. It is complementary to what is already in place with Running Start. One of the aims is to market these opportunities especially to students who do not usually take dual credit coursework. It is anticipated that the higher education institutions will continue to work on agreements with respect to qualifying scores so students know what to expect. This is exactly the right thing to do. The state currently spends $10,000 per student for senior year in high school. Students and their parents should be told exactly how much money can be saved. This only affects public institutions, not private ones. The rigor of these courses should be as high as college level rigor. Washington is seventeenth in the United States for AP coursework, and there are good demographic trends being seen as well. This will increase efficiencies in the system. Right now, some students take AP courses and tests only to find they do not receive college credit. There should be greater emphasis on career and technical opportunities. The bill will help with making sure that high school students entering college will be better prepared. Although in a small district, and a small high school, Davenport High School had 21 students taking AP Calculus. Running Start is great but many cannot afford it due to the cost of gas and books. Courses offered in the high school for which college credit can be earned are necessary for these students. This is not just directed at AP but also at Tech Prep.

(Opposed) None.