Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Higher Education Committee

HB 2258

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requires the Higher Education Coordinating Board or its successor agency, in conjunction with the public baccalaureate institutions, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, to establish and maintain a statewide Online Transfer and Student Advising system.
Directs that the purpose of the Online Transfer and Student Advising system is to assist students to access higher education programs quickly and speed completion of their educational programs by clarifying and simplifying the process for exploring programs, resources, and transferability of courses.

Background:

State and national reports on higher education highlight the importance of improving advising and transfer opportunities for students in the higher education system as a method for increasing efficiency and raising overall attainment.

In Washington, the number of students transferring from community and technical colleges to baccalaureate institutions has increased. According to the 2011 transfer report by the Higher Education Coordinating Board, for the five-year period 2005-06 through 2009-10 there was a 13 percent increase in transfers of students from community and technical colleges to both public and private baccalaureate institutions, from 16,768 to 18,946 students. There was a 1.3 percent increase in community and technical college transfers to public baccalaureate institutions, and there was a 36.9 percent increase in transfers to private baccalaureates.

The development of statewide articulation agreements such as associate transfer degrees in science and engineering, and "major related programs" for specific majors, have contributed to increases in transfer rates and the reduction of students taking excess credits.

At the high school level there was a 50 percent increase in the number of students taking college-level courses and enrolling in dual credit programs between 2005 and 2009.

One model for online student advising is the Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students system also known as FACTS.org. It was launched in 2000 as a one-stop statewide student advising system. The system was designed by the Florida Department of Education for the purpose of providing an online service for students to access resources and assist high school and college students to make informed choices about their education. Students can use FACTS.org to monitor their high school progress, learn about postsecondary opportunities, plan their career objectives, apply to college online, choose majors, and evaluate their progress towards a degree. The system is administered by the Florida Center for Advising and Academic Support.

Summary of Bill:

The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) or its successor agency, in conjunction with the public baccalaureate institutions, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (Workforce Board), is required to establish and maintain a statewide Online Transfer and Student Advising system (OTSA). The purpose of the OTSA is to assist students to access higher education programs quickly and speed completion of their educational programs by clarifying and simplifying the process for exploring programs, resources, and transferability of courses. The purpose is also to create greater efficiency for higher education institutions though online transfer and advising.

The OTSA must provide an integrated system of online student advising, registration information, and comprehensive admissions and transfer information for transfer between community and technical colleges and public baccalaureate institutions. The OTSA must be easily accessible to all Washington high school students and their parents or guardians, higher education students, faculty, counselors, advisors and other professional staff.

There must be integration with websites maintained by four-year public baccalaureate institutions, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the Workforce Board, and other websites to provide an inventory of postsecondary degrees and certificates available in the state, including online options.

Various types of information must be available through the OTSA:

educational requirements for various occupations, including labor market information;
admissions requirements and pre-requisites for all postsecondary programs;
identification of course options that meet the requirements of a selected path toward a degree or certificate;
registration and admissions information for programs at any public higher education institution in the state; and
information regarding student financial aid and other services that assist students to complete degrees and certificates.

The OTSA must provide a method for students to assess which courses and programs are transferrable from one higher education institution to another, and which programs will transfer with credit towards completion of their chosen degree or certificate

The four-year public baccalaureate institutions, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the HECB or its successor agency, and the Workforce Board, are directed to sign a memorandum of understanding that specifies roles and responsibilities regarding the design, implementation, promotion, development, maintenance, and analysis of the effectiveness of the Online Transfer and Student Advising system.