H-1302              _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 640

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Silver, Jacobsen, Allen, K. Wilson, Prince, Betrozoff, May and Miller

Read first time 2/4/87 and referred to Committee on Higher Education.

AN ACT Relating to remedial courses at institutions of higher education; adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that a number of students are entering college without the basic skills necessary to successfully complete college level courses.  The legislature applauds institutional efforts to provide remedial and developmental classes for these students, but finds that since the taxpayers of the state have already provided funds to teach students this material during their elementary and high school years, no further state subsidy of the material should occur when the student attends a four-year institution of higher education.  The legislature also finds that any credits granted for successful completion of remedial courses should not count towards graduation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:

          State funds shall not be used for courses offered at four-year institutions of higher education which courses primarily cover material generally considered to be precollege material, except that state funds may be used for such courses offered to students enrolled in educational opportunity programs.  Such courses shall not be counted in meeting the graduation requirements at the four-year institutions of higher education.