SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5727

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.

As of February 13, 2019

Title: An act relating to college bound scholarships for students in dual enrollment programs.

Brief Description: Concerning college bound scholarships for students in dual enrollment programs.

Sponsors: Senators Palumbo, Rivers, Mullet, Frockt and Wilson, C..

Committee Activity: Higher Education & Workforce Development: 2/07/19.

Brief Summary of Bill

Creates the Washington College Bound Dual Enrollment Scholarship program as a subprogram of the Washington College Bound Scholarship (CBS).
Clarifies the five-year period under the CBS that a student must use their award, does not start until after high school graduation and receipt of the CBS.
Permits students to pay College in the High School and Running Start fees and textbook costs with Washington College Bound Dual Enrollment Scholarship funds.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Staff: Alicia Kinne-Clawson (786-7407)

Background: College Bound Scholarship Program. The CBS program was established in 2007 to provide guaranteed four-year tuition to students from low-income families. The first CBS awards were granted to the graduating high school class of 2012. Eligible students for the CBS include those who:

qualify for free or reduced-price lunches in the seventh-grade; or
are dependent from parents or guardians, or are receiving extended foster care services.

In the seventh-grade, students become eligible for the CBS and are notified of their eligibility and the requirements for award of the scholarship. To be eligible to receive the CBS, a student must sign a pledge during the seventh- or eighth-grade that includes a commitment to graduate from high school with at least a C average and no felony convictions.

To receive the CBS, the student must graduate high school having fulfilled the CBS pledge requirements. Upon graduation, the student's family income will be assessed, and if it does not exceed 65 percent of the state median family income (MFI), the student will receive a scholarship.

CBS recipients attending public two-year or four-year higher education institutions receive an award to cover the cost of tuition and fees, minus any state-funded grant, scholarship, or waiver assistance, plus $500 for books and materials. CBS recipients attending private institutions receive an award based on the average award students at the corresponding public institution would receive. The student must maintain satisfactory academic progress and may not receive the scholarship for more than four full-time years.

College in the High School. College in the High School (CIHS) programs are dual-credit programs in which school districts contract with higher education institutions to offer college-level courses at high school campuses to qualified high school students. The programs are available to eleventh- or twelfth-grade students or students who have not yet received a high school diploma or its equivalent and are eligible to be in the eleventh- or twelfth-grade. The high school and the participating higher education institution together must define the criteria for student eligibility and the higher education institution may charge tuition fees to participating students. School districts participating in CIHS must provide general information about the program to all students in grades ten through twelve and the parents or guardians of those students. In the 2017-18 school year, over 23,000 students participated in CIHS programs.

Running Start. Running Start (RS) students enroll in courses or programs offered by participating higher education institutions. Students take RS courses on the campus of the higher education institution and online. Some institutions and school districts also offer RS courses in the high school. High school students do not pay tuition for RS classes, but may be charged fees. The higher education institution must provide fee waivers for low-income students, including those who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Summary of Bill: The Washington College Bound Dual Enrollment Scholarship program is created as a subprogram of the CBS. Students who are eligible for the CBS are eligible for the Dual Enrollment Scholarship.

Eligible students may enroll in in a dual credit program such as CIHS or RS and be awarded a scholarship equivalent to the cost of the student's fees and textbooks required for participation in the program. A student who receives a scholarship to participate in the dual credit program may still receive a CBS. For students who receive a dual enrollment scholarship and then receive a CBS, the five-year period under the CBS that a student must use their award does not start until after high school graduation and receipt of the CBS.

Students who complete fewer than two quarters in a RS program and do not meet the C average eligibility requirement for the CBS award are eligible to have the first quarter of RS grades excluded from the student's grade point average for purposes of determining scholarship eligibility.

The Washington Student Achievement Council and the higher education institutions are required to submit data to the Education Data Center which include the number of CBS recipients who also receive a dual enrollment scholarship.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 31, 2019.

Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: We know low-income students enroll in college at lower rates than their higher income peers. This bill helps to address those financial barriers by covering the fees associated with dual enrollment programs. This bill is an excellent way to address some of the financial barriers that low-income students face. We have added dual-credit course taking as part of our accountability framework at OSPI because it is very important to student success. When we look at the students we are currently serving with dual-enrollment programs, we realize we are leaving out the low-income students. You can take a dual enrollment class through South Puget Sound Community College for $95 but for a student in poverty that is not accessible. College Bound is a program students already know about and understand and this builds on the success of that program. These programs are especially valuable to rural students who do not live in close proximity to a running start school but want to participate in dual-credit programs and do not have the finances to do so.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Guy Palumbo, Prime Sponsor; Katherine Mahoney, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Lisa Cadero-Smith, Assistant Superintendent, Yelm Community Schools; Dr. Andrew Eyres, Assistant Superintendent, Capitol Region Education Service District #113; Steve DuPont, Central Washington University; David Buri, Eastern Washington University; Ruben Flores, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; Neil Strege, Washington Roundtable.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.