SENATE BILL REPORT
E2SHB 1760
As of February 25, 2022
Title: An act relating to expanding access to dual credit programs.
Brief Description: Expanding access to dual credit programs.
Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Paul, Berg, Johnson, J., Valdez, Fey, Ramel, Santos, Sullivan, Slatter, Bergquist, Pollet, Stonier, Ormsby and Taylor).
Brief History: Passed House: 2/12/22, 98-0.
Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 2/26/22.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Makes the Running Start (RS) Program a year-round program and permits RS students to be funded up to a combined maximum enrollment of 1.6 full-time equivalents (FTEs).
  • Allows high school graduates who have 15 or fewer college credits to earn before meeting associate degree requirements to earn up to 15 college credits though the RS Program during the summer academic term following their high school graduation.
  • Modifies an annual report to the Legislature on the combined FTE experience of students participating in the RS Program to include enrollments by high schools and institutions of higher education.
  • Requires that public schools that serve high school students provide students and their parents or legal guardians with information about available dual credit courses and financial assistance available to reduce dual credit course costs.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS
Staff: Kayla Hammer (786-7305)
Background:

Dual Credit Program Notifications.  Dual credit programs allow high school students to earn high school and postsecondary credit at the same time.  Dual credit programs can be course-based or exam-based.  Course based dual credit programs can be offered at an institution of higher education, for example, the Running Start (RS) Program, or at a high school, for example, the College in the High School (CHS) Program.  Exam-based dual credit programs allow students who complete certain high school courses to have the chance to earn college credit or advanced placement into upper-level college courses by achieving minimum scores on course exams, for example, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge International.


School districts are required to notify students and their parents or guardians about advanced courses or programs available to students, including dual credit courses or programs.  High schools that offer CHS programs must provide general information about the CHS Program to all students in grades 8 through 12 and to their parents and guardians.  Specific information must be included in the high school catalog or equivalent, for example, a description and breakdown of the fees charged to students who choose to enroll in a CHS course to earn both high school and college credit.  School districts must provide general information about the RS Program to all students in grades 10 through 12 and their parents and guardians, including information about the opportunity to enroll in the RS Program through online courses available at institutions of higher education.


Running Start Programs.  Program Description.  The RS Program allows students in grades 11 and 12 to enroll in college courses at participating institutions of higher education and to simultaneously earn high school and college credit.  Students choosing to participate in the RS Program are responsible for applying for admission to a participating institution of higher education.  Students in the RS Program do not pay tuition, but do pay for educational materials, mandatory fees, and transportation costs.  Institutions of higher education must make fee waivers available for low-income RS students.  The waiver is funded out of each institution's operating budget, not additional state funding.  Many RS students receive book loan funds through college foundations.

 

Funding.  Statute directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to calculate and allocate moneys appropriated to school districts for RS Program enrollments based upon the estimated statewide annual average per full-time equivalent (FTE) high school student basic education allocations, excluding small high school enhancements.  Statute allows school districts to retain 7 percent of this amount to offset RS Program costs and requires school districts to transmit the remainder to the participating institution of higher education based on a statewide uniform FTE college student rate.  The operating budget specifies that students participating in RS programs may be funded up to a combined maximum enrollment of 1.2 FTE, including school district and institution of higher education enrollment.  When calculating the combined 1.2 FTE, the operating budget allows OSPI to average a RS student's September through June enrollment to account for differences in the start and end dates for courses provided by the high school and institution of higher education.


Reporting.  OSPI, in consultation with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the Washington Student Achievement Council, and the Education Research and Data Center, must annually track and report to the Legislature on the combined FTE experience of students participating in RS programs, including course load analyses at both the high school and community and technical college system.

 

Summer Pilot Program.  In 2020, legislation was enacted that created a two-year RS Summer School Pilot Program (RS Pilot) to evaluate interest in and barriers to expanding the RS Program to include the summer academic term.  Three community colleges are participating in the RS Pilot.  In addition to students eligible for the RS Program, people who graduated from a participating high school in the current school year and who have five or fewer college credits to earn before meeting associate degree requirements are eligible to earn a maximum of five college credits through the RS Pilot.  A report to the Legislature with findings and recommendations regarding the RS Pilot, including recommending whether to expand the RS Program to include the summer term, is required by November 10, 2022.
Summary of Bill:

Dual Credit Program Notifications.  Prior to course scheduling or course registration for the next school term, public schools that serve students in any of grades 9 through 12 must provide students and their parents or legal guardians with information about each available dual credit program and any financial assistance available to reduce dual credit course costs for students and their families, including fee waivers for RS Program courses.  The information must be provided via electronic mail and other communication methods and, to the extent feasible, must be translated into the primary language of each parent or legal guardian.  Public schools may consolidate this notification with other required dual credit program notifications.


Running Start Program.  Eligibility.  High school graduates who have 15 or fewer college credits to earn before meeting associate degree requirements may continue participation in the RS Program and earn up to 15 college credits during the summer academic term following their high school graduation.


Funding.  Students participating in RS programs may be funded up to a combined maximum enrollment of 1.6 FTEs, including school district and institution of higher education enrollment.  When calculating the combined FTEs, OSPI must adopt rules to fund a student's enrollment in RS courses provided by the institution of higher education during the summer academic term.


RS programs as a service delivery model, associated funding levels beyond 1.0 FTE per student, and funding for high school graduates enrolled in RS courses, are not part of the state's statutory program of basic education.

 

Reporting.  The report on the combined FTE experience of students participating in RS programs must include enrollments by high school and participating institutions of higher education.

 

Repealer.  The RS Pilot is repealed.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.  New fiscal note requested on February 9, 2022.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.