On page 1, after line 14, insert the following:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. "(1) The student achievement council, in collaboration with the state board for community and technical colleges and the statewide faculty union organizations, shall study the benefit of allowing community and technical colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees. The study must analyze baccalaureate degree demand compared to the populations served by current baccalaureate degree programs. The study must also include a discussion of alternatives regarding the following:

(a) Pricing and cost models addressing different levels of tuition and state support and in relation to the goal of increasing the number of courses taught by full-time tenure track faculty;

(b) Providing adequate student advising and support services to ensure student success, including financial aid and other financial support services;

(c) Accreditation and academic quality, including acceptance of applied baccalaureate and baccalaureate degrees offered by community and technical colleges for purposes of postgraduate programs and employer demand;

(d) Regional demand for additional baccalaureate degrees, including areas underserved by the public and private nonprofit four-year institutions of higher education; and

(e) Any other factors that the student achievement council or the state board for community and technical colleges deems relevant.

(2) The student achievement council shall conduct the study using existing resources, but may contract with a third-party organization, or request assistance from faculty and graduate research students from the institutions of higher education, for research and analysis services.

(3) The student achievement council shall report the study to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by November 1, 2018, in accordance with the reporting requirements in RCW 43.01.036.

(4) This section expires August 1, 2019."