wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > HB 1003 > Substitute Bill
The legislature finds that dual credit enrollment in high school improves college attendance, persistence, and completion, especially for low-income students. Students who enrolled in dual credit courses in high school improve their likelihood of college success. They are more likely to graduate college and more likely to complete their bachelor's degree within four years. However, the legislature also finds that low-income students are less likely to access dual credit opportunities in high school, and they are subsequently less likely to apply to college and to complete their bachelor's degree within four years. The legislature finds that when students who have financial need in college first obtain dual credits while in high school, they improve their likelihood of college success. In addition, students who are eligible for financial aid in college actually reduce costs to the state by pursuing dual credit enrollment while in high school.
Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to remove barriers to dual credit participation in high school, especially for low-income students, by subsidizing all dual credit costs and fees for students whose family incomes would make them eligible for state financial aid in college. It is also the intent of the legislature to encourage low-income students to complete dual credit courses in high school by sharing the savings to which these students' efforts contributed, in the form of a $1,000 payment to eligible students who complete their first year of college.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall administer a program to subsidize certain dual credit program costs for eligible students.
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For eligible students enrolled in running start courses, the program must subsidize:
Any student-voted fees, technology fees, course fees, laboratory fees, or other fees required for enrollment, up to 18 credits per quarter, that were not waived by the institution of higher education under RCW 28A.600.310; and
Textbooks and other course materials required by the institution of higher education.
To subsidize the costs required by (a) of this subsection, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must transmit to each institution of higher education $1,000 per full-time equivalent eligible student per academic year. At the end of the academic year, each institution of higher education must return any unused funds to the office of the superintendent of public instruction.
For the purposes of this subsection (2), "institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.600.300.
For eligible students enrolled in college in the high school program courses, the program must subsidize tuition fees permitted under RCW 28A.600.287.
For eligible students enrolled in career and technical education dual credit courses, the program must subsidize transcription fees assessed by the institution of higher education.
For eligible students taking advanced placement exams, international baccalaureate exams, and Cambridge international exams, the program must subsidize student fees related to exam registration and administration.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction must collaborate with institutions of higher education to facilitate identification of eligible students who qualify for fee waivers for running start program courses under RCW 28A.600.310.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction, school districts, institutions of higher education, and other recipients of program funds under this section may not use the funds to supplant federal and private funds that cover dual credit course costs or dual credit exam costs for eligible students.
The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in RCW 28B.10.016, and also means a public tribal college located in Washington and accredited by the northwest commission on colleges and universities or another accrediting association recognized by the United States department of education.
"Eligible student" means a student:
Who is eligible for free or reduced-price school meals based on the income of the student's household;
Who is categorically eligible for free school meals without an application and not subject to income verification; or
Whose parent or legal guardian attests that the student demonstrates financial need equivalent to the financial need required to receive the maximum Washington college grant under RCW 28B.92.205, using the attestation form developed as required under section 3 of this act.
The council, in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, public four-year institutions of higher education, and other interested parties, shall develop and publish an income attestation form to be used to determine student eligibility for: (1) The dual credit subsidy program under section 2 of this act; and (2) fee waivers for running start program courses under RCW 28A.600.310.
Prior to course scheduling or course registration for the next school term, public schools that serve students in any of grades nine through 12 must provide, via email and other methods, to students and their parents or legal guardians information on each available dual credit program, information about the dual credit subsidy program under section 2 of this act, including the income attestation form developed as required under section 3 of this act, and information about the dual credit incentive rebate under section 12 of this act. To the extent feasible, the dual credit program information must be translated into the primary language of each parent or legal guardian.
A public school may consolidate the notification required under subsection (1) of this section with the notifications required under RCW 28A.320.195, 28A.600.287, and 28A.600.320.
As used in this section, "public school" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.150.010.
College in the high school is a dual credit program located on a high school campus or in a high school environment in which a high school student is able to earn both high school and college credit by completing college level courses with a passing grade. A college in the high school program must meet the accreditation requirements in RCW 28B.10.035 and the requirements in this section.
A college in the high school program may include both academic and career and technical education.
Ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students, and students who have not yet received a high school diploma or its equivalent and are eligible to be in the ninth, 10th, 11th, or 12th grades, may participate in a college in the high school program.
A college in the high school program must be governed by a local contract between an institution of higher education and a school district, charter school, or state-tribal compact school, in compliance with the rules adopted by the superintendent of public instruction under this section. The local contract must include the qualifications for students to enroll in a program course.
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An institution of higher education may charge tuition fees per credit to each student enrolled in a program course as established in this subsection (5).
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The maximum per college credit tuition fee for a program course is $42.50 per college credit adjusted for inflation using the implicit price deflator for that fiscal year, using fiscal year 2021 as the base, as compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States department of labor for the state of Washington.
Annually by July 1st, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must calculate the maximum per college credit tuition fee and post the fee on its website.
The funds received by an institution of higher education under this subsection (5) are not tuition or operating fees and may be retained by the institution of higher education.
Enrollment information on persons registered under this section must be maintained by the institution of higher education separately from other enrollment information and may not be included in official enrollment reports, nor may such persons be considered in any enrollment statistics that would affect higher education budgetary determinations.
Each school district, charter school, and state-tribal compact school must award high school credit to a student enrolled in a program course if the student successfully completes the course. If no comparable course is offered by the school district, charter school, or state-tribal compact school, the chief administrator shall determine how many credits to award for the successful completion of the program course. The determination must be made in writing before the student enrolls in the program course. The awarded credit must be applied toward graduation requirements and subject area requirements. Evidence of successful completion of each program course must be included in the student's high school records and transcript.
An institution of higher education must award college credit to a student enrolled in a program course if the student successfully completes the course. The awarded college credit must be applied toward general education requirements or degree requirements at the institution of higher education. Evidence of successful completion of each program course must be included in the student's college transcript.
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A high school that offers a college in the high school program must provide general information about the program to all students in grades eight through 12 and to the parents and guardians of those students.
A high school that offers a college in the high school program must include the following information about program courses in the high school catalogue or equivalent:
There is no fee for students to enroll in a program course to earn only high school credit. Fees apply for students who choose to enroll in a program course to earn both high school and college credit;
A description and breakdown of the fees charged to students to earn college credit;
A description of fee payment and financial assistance options available to students; and
A notification that paying for college credit automatically starts an official college transcript with the institution of higher education offering the program course regardless of student performance in the program course, and most but not all institutions of higher education may recognize and accept this credit.
Full-time and part-time faculty at institutions of higher education, including adjunct faculty, are eligible to teach program courses.
Students enrolled in a program course may pay college in the high school fees 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.
The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules for the administration of this section. The rules must be jointly developed by the superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, the student achievement council, and the public baccalaureate institutions. The association of Washington school principals must be consulted during the rules development. The rules must outline quality and eligibility standards that are informed by nationally recognized standards or models. In addition, the rules must encourage the maximum use of the program and may not narrow or limit the enrollment options.
The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section.
"Charter school" means a school established under chapter 28A.710 RCW.
"High school" means a public school, as defined in RCW 28A.150.010, that serves students in any of grades nine through 12.
"Institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in RCW 28B.10.016, and also means a public tribal college located in Washington and accredited by the northwest commission on colleges and universities or another accrediting association recognized by the United States department of education.
"Program course" means a college course offered in a high school under a college in the high school program.
"State-tribal compact school" means a school established under chapter 28A.715 RCW.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the state board for community and technical colleges and institutions of higher education identified in RCW 28A.600.300(2)(c), shall administer the running start summer school program as described in this section.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction must:
In consultation with the state board for community and technical colleges, select up to six community colleges that choose to participate in the summer program. Two community colleges must be located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains and one must be located in a county with a population between 115,000 and 150,000; and
In consultation with the institutions of higher education identified in RCW 28A.600.300(2)(c), select one institution that chooses to participate in the summer program.
Participating institutions of higher education must establish agreements with the school districts of eligible students about data sharing, credit transfer, funds transfer, and other administrative matters.
Under the summer program, an eligible student may enroll in a participating institution of higher education tuition-free. Students who are eligible under subsection (6)(a)(ii) of this section may enroll for a maximum of 15 college credits per summer academic term. Provisions in RCW 28A.600.310 (6) and (7), which describe fees paid by running start students and fee waivers for running start students, apply to eligible students participating in the summer program.
By November 1, 2024, and in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, and the participating institutions of higher education shall jointly report to the appropriate committees of the legislature with findings from and recommendations regarding the summer program, including recommending whether to expand the summer program to include more institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28A.600.300.
The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Eligible student" means:
A student attending a participating high school who will be eligible to enroll in grade 11 or 12 in the subsequent school year; or
A student who graduated from a participating high school in the current school year and who has 15 or fewer college credits to earn before meeting associate degree requirements.
"Participating institution of higher education" means a community college or institution of higher education identified in RCW 28A.600.300(2)(c) that was selected, as described in subsection (2) of this section, to participate in the summer program.
"Participating high school" means a high school in a school district that has an agreement, as described under subsection (3) of this section, with a participating institution of higher education.
"Summer program" means the running start summer school program established in this section.
"Running start program" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.600.300.
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Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, and unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the requirements established in RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.400 apply to the running start summer school program.
The provisions of RCW 28A.600.385 relating to cooperative agreements with community colleges in Oregon and Idaho do not apply to this section.
Students participating in running start programs may be funded up to a combined maximum enrollment of 1.6 full-time equivalents, including school district and institution of higher education enrollment.
In calculating the combined full-time equivalents, the office of the superintendent of public instruction:
Must adopt rules to fund the participating student's enrollment in running start courses provided by the institution of higher education during the summer academic term; and
May average the participating student's September through June enrollment to account for differences in the start and end dates for courses provided by the high school and the institution of higher education.
Running start programs as a service delivery model, associated funding levels beyond 1.0 full-time equivalent per student, and funding for high school graduates enrolled in running start summer courses under section 6(6)(a)(ii) of this act are not part of the state's statutory program of basic education under chapter 28A.150 RCW.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the state board for community and technical colleges, the participating institutions of higher education, the student achievement council, and the education data center, must annually track, and report to the fiscal committees of the legislature, the combined full-time equivalent experience of students participating in running start programs, including course load analyses and enrollments by high school and participating institutions of higher education.
(1) Every school district must allow eligible students as described in subsection (2) of this section to participate in the running start program.
The superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, and the student achievement council shall jointly develop and adopt rules governing RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.380 and section 7 of this act, if rules are necessary. The rules shall be written to encourage the maximum use of the program and shall not narrow or limit the enrollment options under RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.380.
RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.390 are in addition to and not intended to adversely affect agreements between school districts and institutions of higher education in effect on April 11, 1990.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Council" means the student achievement council.
"Dual credit incentive rebate" means a one-time, lump sum grant provided in addition to the Washington college grant to provide supplementary financial support to low-income students.
"Dual credit program" means a program in which a student qualifies for both postsecondary and high school credit upon either successfully completing a dual credit course or by passing a dual credit exam.
"Financial aid" means either loans, grants, or both, to students who demonstrate financial need enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student at institutions of higher education.
"Financial need" means a demonstrated financial inability to bear the total cost of education as directed in rule by the office.
"Institution" or "institutions of higher education" means:
Any public university, college, community college, or technical college operated by the state of Washington or any political subdivision thereof;
Any other university, college, school, or institute in the state of Washington offering instruction beyond the high school level that is a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the council for the purposes of this section and that agrees to and complies with program rules adopted pursuant to RCW 28B.92.150. However, any institution, branch, extension or facility operating within the state of Washington that is affiliated with an institution operating in another state must be:
A separately accredited member institution of any such accrediting association;
A branch of a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the council for purposes of this section, that is eligible for federal student financial aid assistance and has operated as a nonprofit college or university delivering on-site classroom instruction for a minimum of 20 consecutive years within the state of Washington, and has an annual enrollment of at least 700 full-time equivalent students; or
A nonprofit institution recognized by the state of Washington as provided in RCW 28B.77.240; or
An approved apprenticeship program under chapter 49.04 RCW.
"Maximum Washington college grant":
For students attending two or four-year institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, is tuition and estimated fees for 15 quarter credit hours or the equivalent, as determined by the office, including operating fees, building fees, and services and activities fees.
For students attending private four-year not-for-profit institutions of higher education in Washington, in the 2019-20 academic year, is $9,739 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor.
For students attending two-year private not-for-profit institutions of higher education in Washington, in the 2019-20 academic year, is $3,694 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor.
For students attending four-year private for-profit institutions of higher education in Washington, in the 2019-20 academic year, is $8,517 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor.
For students attending two-year private for-profit institutions of higher education in Washington, in the 2019-20 academic year, is $2,823 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor.
For students attending Western Governors University-Washington, as established in RCW 28B.77.240, in the 2019-20 academic year, is $5,619 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor.
For students attending approved apprenticeship programs, beginning in the 2022-23 academic year, is the same amount as the maximum Washington college grant for students attending two-year institutions of higher education as defined in (a) of this subsection to be used for tuition and fees, program supplies and equipment, and other costs that facilitate educational endeavors.
"Office" means the office of student financial assistance.
"Tuition growth factor" means an increase of no more than the average annual percentage growth rate of the median hourly wage for Washington for the previous 14 years as the wage is determined by the federal bureau of labor statistics.
The dual credit incentive rebate is created. The office shall award a dual credit incentive rebate of $1,000 to a Washington college grant recipient who:
Earned at least 24 quarter credits or the equivalent at the postsecondary level through one or more dual credit programs; and
Earned at least an additional 24 quarter credits or the equivalent at the postsecondary level after graduating high school.