CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1973

Chapter 176, Laws of 2019

66TH LEGISLATURE

2019 REGULAR SESSION

DUAL ENROLLMENT SCHOLARSHIP PILOT PROGRAM

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 28, 2019

SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1973

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

ByHouse Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Paul, Pollet, Bergquist, Sells, and Riccelli)

AN ACT Relating to establishing the Washington dual enrollment scholarship pilot program; amending RCW 28A.600.310; adding a new section to chapter 28B.76 RCW; and adding new sections to chapter 43.131 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.76 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The legislature recognizes that dual credit programs reduce both the cost and time of attendance to obtain a postsecondary degree. The legislature intends to reduce barriers and increase access to postsecondary educational opportunities for low-income students by removing the financial barriers for dual enrollment programs for students.

(2) The office, in consultation with the institutions of higher education and the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall create the Washington dual enrollment scholarship pilot program. The office shall administer the Washington dual enrollment scholarship pilot program and may adopt rules as necessary.

(3) Eligible students are those who meet the following requirements:

(a) Qualify for the free or reduced-price lunch program;

(b) Are enrolled in one or more dual credit programs, as defined in RCW 28B.15.821, such as college in the high school and running start; and

(c) Have at least a 2.0 grade point average.

(4) Subject to availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, beginning with the 2019-20 academic year, the office may award scholarships to eligible students. The scholarship award must be as follows:

(a) For eligible students enrolled in running start:

(i) Mandatory fees, as defined in RCW 28A.600.310(2), prorated based on credit load;

(ii) Course fees or laboratory fees as determined appropriate by college or university policies to pay for specified course related costs; and

(iii) A textbook voucher to be used at the institution of higher education's bookstore where the student is enrolled. For every credit per quarter the student is enrolled, the student shall receive a textbook voucher for ten dollars, up to a maximum of fifteen credits per quarter, or the equivalent, per year.

(b) An eligible student enrolled in a college in the high school program may receive a scholarship for tuition fees as set forth under RCW 28A.600.290(5)(a).

(5) The Washington dual enrollment scholarship pilot program must apply after the fee waivers for low-income students under RCW 28A.600.310 and subsidies under RCW 28A.600.290 are provided for.

Sec. 2. RCW 28A.600.310 and 2015 c 202 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) Eleventh and twelfth grade students or students who have not yet received the credits required for the award of a high school diploma and are eligible to be in the eleventh or twelfth grades may apply to a participating institution of higher education to enroll in courses or programs offered by the institution of higher education.

(b) The course sections and programs offered as running start courses must also be open for registration to matriculated students at the participating institution of higher education and may not be a course consisting solely of high school students offered at a high school campus.

(c) A student receiving home-based instruction enrolling in a public high school for the sole purpose of participating in courses or programs offered by institutions of higher education shall not be counted by the school district in any required state or federal accountability reporting if the student's parents or guardians filed a declaration of intent to provide home-based instruction and the student received home-based instruction during the school year before the school year in which the student intends to participate in courses or programs offered by the institution of higher education. Students receiving home-based instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW and students attending private schools approved under chapter 28A.195 RCW shall not be required to meet the student learning goals, obtain a certificate of academic achievement or a certificate of individual achievement to graduate from high school, or to master the essential academic learning requirements. However, students are eligible to enroll in courses or programs in participating universities only if the board of directors of the student's school district has decided to participate in the program. Participating institutions of higher education, in consultation with school districts, may establish admission standards for these students. If the institution of higher education accepts a secondary school pupil for enrollment under this section, the institution of higher education shall send written notice to the pupil and the pupil's school district within ten days of acceptance. The notice shall indicate the course and hours of enrollment for that pupil.

(2)(a) In lieu of tuition and fees, as defined in RCW 28B.15.020 and 28B.15.041:

(i) Running start students shall pay to the community or technical college all other mandatory fees as established by each community or technical college and, in addition, the state board for community and technical colleges may authorize a fee of up to ten percent of tuition and fees as defined in RCW 28B.15.020 and 28B.15.041; and

(ii) All other institutions of higher education operating a running start program may charge running start students a fee of up to ten percent of tuition and fees as defined in RCW 28B.15.020 and 28B.15.041 in addition to technology fees.

(b) The fees charged under this subsection (2) shall be prorated based on credit load.

(c) Students may pay fees under this subsection with advanced college tuition payment program tuition units at a rate set by the advanced college tuition payment program governing body under chapter 28B.95 RCW.

(3)(a) The institutions of higher education must make available fee waivers for low-income running start students. ((Each institution must establish a written policy for the determination of low-income students before offering the fee waiver.)) A student shall be considered low income and eligible for a fee waiver upon proof that the student is currently qualified to receive free or reduced-price lunch. Acceptable documentation of low-income status may also include, but is not limited to, documentation that a student has been deemed eligible for free or reduced-price lunches in the last five years, or other criteria established in the institution's policy.

(b)(i) By the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, school districts, upon knowledge of a low-income student's enrollment in running start, must provide documentation of the student's low-income status, under (a) of this subsection, directly to institutions of higher education.

(c) Institutions of higher education, in collaboration with relevant student associations, shall aim to have students who can benefit from fee waivers take advantage of these waivers. Institutions shall make every effort to communicate to students and their families the benefits of the waivers and provide assistance to students and their families on how to apply. Information about waivers shall, to the greatest extent possible, be incorporated into financial aid counseling, admission information, and individual billing statements. Institutions also shall, to the greatest extent possible, use all means of communication, including but not limited to web sites, online catalogues, admission and registration forms, mass email messaging, social media, and outside marketing to ensure that information about waivers is visible, compelling, and reaches the maximum number of students and families that can benefit.

(4) The pupil's school district shall transmit to the institution of higher education an amount per each full-time equivalent college student at statewide uniform rates for vocational and nonvocational students. The superintendent of public instruction shall separately calculate and allocate moneys appropriated for basic education under RCW 28A.150.260 to school districts for purposes of making such payments and for granting school districts seven percent thereof to offset program related costs. The calculations and allocations shall be based upon the estimated statewide annual average per full-time equivalent high school student allocations under RCW 28A.150.260, excluding small high school enhancements, and applicable rules adopted under chapter 34.05 RCW. The superintendent of public instruction, participating institutions of higher education, and the state board for community and technical colleges shall consult on the calculation and distribution of the funds. The funds received by the institution of higher education from the school district shall not be deemed tuition or operating fees and may be retained by the institution of higher education. A student enrolled under this subsection shall be counted for the purpose of meeting enrollment targets in accordance with terms and conditions specified in the omnibus appropriations act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.131 RCW to read as follows:

The Washington dual enrollment scholarship pilot program is terminated July 1, 2025, as provided in section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 43.131 RCW to read as follows:

The following acts or parts of acts, as now existing or hereafter amended, are each repealed, effective July 1, 2026:

Section 1 of this act.

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