wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > HB 1316 > Original Bill
The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall administer a program to subsidize certain dual, or concurrent, enrollment course 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 or the semester equivalent, 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 whose tuition fees per college credit for program courses are charged in compliance with RCW 28A.600.287(5)(b)(i)(B), the program must subsidize tuition fees as described in RCW 28A.600.287(5)(b)(i)(B).
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.
The office of the superintendent of public instruction must collaborate with institutions of higher education to facilitate identification of eligible students who qualify for: (a) Reduced per college credit tuition fees for college in the high school program courses under RCW 28A.600.287; or (b) 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 funds that cover dual, or concurrent, enrollment course 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 meets federal eligibility requirements 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 2 of this act.
The student achievement 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, or concurrent, enrollment course cost subsidy program under section 1 of this act; (2) reduced per college credit tuition fees for college in the high school program courses under RCW 28A.600.287; and (3) fee waivers for running start program courses under RCW 28A.600.310.
Prior to course scheduling or course registration for the next school term, each public school that serves students in any of grades nine through 12 must provide all 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 and exam costs for students and their families. The information must be provided via email and other communication methods, and, to the extent feasible, must be translated into the primary language of each parent or legal guardian.
Public schools are encouraged to include in the notification required under subsection (1) of this section other information about advanced course taking that must be provided to parents and legal guardians 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 college credit to each student enrolled in a program course as established in this subsection (5).
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i.(A) The maximum per college credit tuition fee for a program course is $65 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.
(B) An institution of higher education is eligible for the subsidy program under section 1 of this act if, for eligible students, as defined in section 1 of this act, 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 of the United States department of labor for the state of Washington.
ii. Annually by July 1st, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must calculate the maximum per college credit tuition fees and post the fees on its website.
c. 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.
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 courses under RCW 28A.600.310(1) (2)(b), 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 5 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.