Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Ways & Means Committee

ESSB 5924

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.

Background:

The Running Start Program is available to 11th and 12th grade students who have not yet received a high school diploma. Participating institutions include all community and technical colleges, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, The Evergreen State College, Northwest Indian College, and Washington State University. Running Start students are currently required to pay all mandatory fees established by community and technical colleges. Students may also be required to pay the technology fee as required by other institutions of higher education and fees are prorated based on credit load. Institutions of higher education are required to offer fee waivers for low-income students.

Summary of Bill:

Institutions of higher education must charge Running Start students 10 percent of the cost of tuition, prorated based on credit load. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) will establish the tuition rate for Running Start students. The governing boards on the public four-years must establish the tuition rate for Running Start students. Institutions of higher education must make fee waivers available to low-income students. Low income is defined by participation in the K-12 free or reduced lunch program. Use of tuition and fee waivers for qualified low-income students is not included in determining total state tuition waiver authority for institutions of higher education.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, in collaboration with the SBCTC and the other institutions of higher education that participate in the Running Start program, must monitor enrollment in the Running Start program and report annually to the Governor and the Legislature regarding any enrollment declines that result from the increased costs of attendance required by this bill, focusing on any declines in the enrollment of students with family incomes at or below 125 percent of the state's median family income. The first report must be submitted no later than September 1, 2012. The four-year state institutions of higher education must accept the transfer of Running Start credits if the student seeking the transfer of credits has been admitted to the state institution of higher education and the courses are recognized as transferrable by the admitting institution of higher education.