Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

College & Workforce Development Committee

HB 1734

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 any college or university currently offering concurrent enrollment programs to be nationally accredited by academic year 2027-28.
Prohibits a college or university from offering concurrent enrollment programs if the college or university has not attained or is not pursuing national accreditation.
Requires colleges and universities offering concurrent enrollment programs to undergo state authorization if the program is not yet accredited beginning in academic year 2019-20.

Background:

Concurrent Enrollment Programs.

College in the High School (CIHS) courses allow high school students to take college level curriculum. The CIHS programs are defined in contract between a high school and a college or university. Students who successfully complete a CIHS program course receive both high school credit and college credit. A CIHS course must fulfill general or major requirements at participating higher education institutions.

The Career Technical Education program, formerly known as Tech Prep, provides career pathways for high school students through classes which integrate academic and technical skills. The classes are taught at the high school or in a skills center, and a student earns both high school and college credit. The classes must either lead to a professional-technical two-year degree, certificate, or apprenticeship; lead to employment or further education; or provide technical preparation in a field, such as agriculture or information technology.

State Requirements for Concurrent Enrollment Program Accreditation.

In Washington, the Washington Administrative Code addresses CIHS standards. Current rule encourages National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) accreditation and mandates, at a minimum, that, in lieu of accreditation, participating higher education institutions must provide evidence that they meet the most recent NACEP standards for students, curriculum, assessment, faculty, and evaluation. The NACEP is the sole accrediting body for concurrent enrollment partnerships. The NACEP works to ensure that college courses offered by high school teachers are as rigorous as courses offered by the sponsoring college campus.

Currently accredited programs include the University of Washington—UW in the High School, Eastern Washington University—EWU in the High School, and Everett Community College—CIHS. Several other colleges are currently pursuing NACEP accreditation.

Summary of Bill:

Any college or university offering concurrent enrollment program courses at a public high school or under the CIHS program must obtain accreditation by a national accrediting body for concurrent enrollment by the 2027-28 school year. Any college or university engaged in concurrent enrollment program courses at a public high school or under the CIHS program on or before the 2019-20 academic year that are not accredited must continue to undergo the annual state authorization review by the CIHS Standards Report Review Committee until accredited. After the 2027-28 school year, any college or university not accredited or without an active application pending may not offer a concurrent enrollment program course. New college and university concurrent enrollment program courses implemented after the 2019-20 academic year have seven years from the beginning of the first term of classes to apply for accreditation. Colleges and universities are encouraged to provide institutional resources to support the transition to accreditation.

"Public high school" and "concurrent enrollment program" are both defined.