DOCUMENT RESUME ED 388 370 JC 950 557 TITLE 1993-94 Running Start: A Progress Report to the 1995 Legislature. INSTITUTION Washington Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia.; Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Olympia. PUB DATE Jan 95 NOTE 26p.; For a 1991 progress report, see ED 338 288. PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Statistical Data (110) EDRS PRICE MFOI/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Acceleration (Education); Advanced Placement; *College Bound Students; *College Credits; College Preparation; *College School Cooperation; Community Colleges; *Dual Enrollment; Grade Point Average; High Schools; *High School Students; Partnerships in Education; Program Effectiveness; Student Characteristics; Two Year Colleges IDENTIFIERS *Washington ABSTRACT The Running Start program was created by the Washington State Legislature in 1990 to allow qualified Ilth and 12th grade high school students to take college-level courses at community and technical colleges. In fall 1994, 5,334 high school students were enrolled in college classes through the program, representing about 4% of the total high school juniors and seniors in the state. The colleges arc reimbursed by K-12 districts at a rate of $74 per credit in academic and $96 per credit in vocational programs. The fall 1994 Running Start students had the following characteristics:(1) 66% of the participants were attending college full-time;(2) 61% were female and 12% were students of color;(3) 48% were working part-time while attending, while 27. were working full-time;(4) 90% were taking academic classes; (5) 17. were disabled; (6) the average grade point average of program students was approximately 2.8, approximately the same as the average of regular college freshmen; and (7) low-income students appear to be less likely than higher income students to participate in the program, an issue which is being addressed by the provision of assistance for books and fees by two-year colleges. Recommendations by the Legislature to improve the program include defining 5 quarter or 3 semester credits as equivalent to1 high school credit and providing financial assistance to participating high schools. Tables of student characteristics and numbers of students by high school district for 1993-94 are included. (TGI) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***************************************************k* 1993-94 Running Start A Progress Report to the 1995 Legislature State Board for Community and Technical Colleges U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION January 1995 Once ol Educahonat Research and ,rnrao...ernent PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION MATERIAL HAI.; BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER (ERIC; hlrusclOCuroent has been reproduced as received from the person or orgaruzahon S eppanen onginatIng C Wool changes have peen rnacle to rnp,ove reprOduChoo gusitty PontsoIveworoPOnSSIatedthSdo1u ment do not necessenly represent pun- at TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES OERI pos.hon 0 PW.Cy INFORMATION CENTER rERICI BEST COPY AVAILABLE Prepared by The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in cooperation with The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction The Running Start Program Table of Contents Smart Investment-Executive Summary 1 1993-94 Progress Report 3 Enrollment and Student Characteristics 6 University of Washington Statistics 7 . -Running Start, 4,"RUNNING START A progress report from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Decemoer 1994 Background sif The Running Start program was created by the 1990 Legislature to expand educational options tor public school students. Running Start allows itth and 12th grade high school students to take college-level courses at the 32 community and technical colleges, for which they can earn both high school and coilege credits. The 1994 Legislature expanded Running Start to give several public four-year universities the option to offer the program. The program now includes Washington State University at Pullman. Running Start students repre- Eastern Washington University at Cheney and Centrat Washington sent about 2 percent of the University at Ellensburg. No existing community or technical total number of full-time college has its main campus in those cities. juniors and seniors in Wash- The Legislature initiated Running Start with a two-year pilot ington public high schools. program from 1990-92. Statewide operation began in 1992-93. In the first tull year of statewide operation, about 3,508 high school students enrolled full- or part-time at the community and technical colleges. That number increased to more than 5,000 for the 1993- 94 year. Running Start students represent about 2 percent of the total number of full-time iuniors and seniors in Washington public high schools. These students can attend the colleges free of tuition By allowing students to earn charges. However, they must provide their own transportation, high school and college cred- books, and supplies. its simultaneously, Running Start has reduced the amount The Running Start Option of time they have to spend in khool and has held down More than 5,000 high school students around Washington state participated in Running Start in 1993-94. By allowing them to college costs for students and earn high school and college credits simultaneously, Running Start their families. has reduced the amount of time they have to spend in school and has held down college costs for students and their families. Also flexibility in class scheduling has enabled Running Start students to meet other commitments for education, jobs, or family responsi- bilities. Students may obtain information about Running Start from their high school counselors or their local college's admissions office. To preserve the college envi- To participate in Running Start at most colleges, students must pass a standardized test to determine whether they have the skills ronment for adults while needed to succeed at college. accommodating the younger To preserve the college environment for adults while accommo- students, most colleges limit dating the younger students, colleges limit the number of Running the number of Running Start Start students who may take any one class. Also, colleges have students who may take any worked to ensure that their registration procedures do not result in one class. Running Start students displacing adults at community and techni- 1 LA cat colleges. in tact. the enroilment or new Running Start students Running Start has enabled colleges to add sections of existing classes, expanding Enrollments by College enroilment opportunities tor adults as well as Running Start partici- Academic Year 1993-94 pants. Who participates in Running Start? Research by the State Board for College Headcountrims Community and Technical Colleges indicates that 56 percent of Peninsula 172 106.16 Running Start studenq attend college full time; 61 percent are Grays Harbor 75 40.71 female; 12.5 percent are students of color; and 48 percent work Olympic 131 74.47 part-time while attending college. Skagit Valley 380 167.09 The academic performance of Running Start students-and the Everett 255 155.58 District support for the program among students and parents-has taf:en Seattle Central 116 42.48 very positive. The average grade point of Running Start students is North Seattle 80 35.57 2.78, about the same as the average of regular community and South Seattle 51 21.35 technical college students. The University of Washington reports Shoreline 127 62.30 that the 284 Running Start students who transferred to the Univer- Bellevue 221 117.79 sity have an average GPA of 3.13 and are averaging 15 credits per High line 97 50.35 quarter. And 89 percent of ail Running Start students surveyed in 236 113.37 Green River 1992 said they would participate again. Pierce 307 146.94 Centralia 115 61.98 Funding for Running Start is designed to compensate colleges for Lower Columbia 36.72 the cost of educating K-12 students. Colleges are being reimbursed Clark 431 204.00 about $74 per credit for academic programs and $96 per credit for Wenatchee Valley 80 29.94 vocational programs by K-12 districts whose students participate in Yakima Valley 172 82.53 Running Start. The K-12 districts retain 7 percent of those funds for District 17 administrative overhead and student counseling. Spokane 71 37.02 Spokane Falls 261 136.92 Big Bend 128 71.60 Ongoing issues in Running Start Columbia Basin 144 87.15 Walla Walla 198 171.16 The Running Start program represents a major departure from Whatcom 353 103.43 traditional education practices and the program has raised the Tacoma 204 95.65 visibility of several issues related to students' movement between 131.97 Edmonds 225 the K-12 and college system. South Puget Sound 369 131.97 Bellingham 99 72.45 The main focus of statewide Running Start policy discussions Lake Washington* 0 during 1994-95 will be on the way college credits are used to Renton 20 6.74 meet students' high school graduation requirements. Currently, Bates 170 145.63 students receive one (1) high school credit for completing five Clover Park LOA 84-68 quarter-hours or three semester-hours of college coursework. In 1993, the state Board of Education, which sets high school gradua- 5,452 2,758.21 Total tion standards, reduced that credit equivalency ratio to three- quarters (0.75) of a credit. However, legislation was enactedduring Lake Washington operates similar programs. but does not participate in the 1994 session which created a special task force to review the Running Start. credit equivalency question. The task force has recommended that the current credit equivalency be retained and that additional funding be requested to offset the budgetary impact of the program on local high schools and colleges. The State Board ofEducation is planning to take action in the spring to implement the recommen- dation. For more information, Participation of students of color, low-income, and rural students please call is another concern.