(1) 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.
(2) A college in the high school program may include both academic and career and technical education.
(3) 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.
(4) 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.
(5) 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.
(6) 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.
(7) Each institution of higher education offering college in the high school must:
(a) Award college credit to a student enrolled in a program course and provide evidence of completion of each program course on the student's college transcript;
(b) Grant undergraduate college credit as appropriate and applicable to the student's degree requirements; and
(c) Provide course equivalencies for college in the high school courses and policy for awarding credit on the institution's website.
(8)(a) 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.
(b) A high school that offers a college in the high school program must include the following information about program courses in a notification to parents and guardians of students in grades eight through 12, including by email and in beginning of the year packets, and in the high school catalogue or equivalent:
(i) There is no fee for students to enroll in a program course for high school credit or for students to enroll in a program course for both high school and college credit; and
(ii) A notification that enrolling in a program course 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 that college credit earned upon successful completion of a program course may count only as elective credit if transferred to another institution of higher education.
(9) Full-time and part-time faculty at institutions of higher education, including adjunct faculty, are eligible to teach program courses.
(10) 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.
(11)(a) State universities, regional universities, and the state college, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016 , offering college in the high school courses shall coordinate with an organization representing the presidents of the public four-year institutions of higher education, and the community and technical colleges offering college in the high school courses shall coordinate with the state board for community and technical colleges to each prepare a report, each disaggregated by institution of higher education, that includes:
(i) Data about student participation rates, award of high school credit, award of postsecondary credit at an institution of higher education, academic performance, and subsequent enrollment in an institution of higher education;
(ii) Geographic data on college in the high school courses, including the name, number, location of courses, and student enrollment disaggregated by school districts and high schools;
(iii) Data on college in the high school student demographics, including race, ethnicity, gender, and receipt of free or reduced price lunch; and
(iv) Recommendations on additional categories of data reporting and disaggregation.
(b) Beginning September 1, 2024, and each year thereafter, the reports must be submitted to the appropriate committees of the legislature in accordance with RCW 43.01.036 .
(12) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section , unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Charter school" means a school established under chapter 28A.710 RCW.
(b) "High school" means a public school, as defined in RCW 28A.150.010 , that serves students in any of grades nine through 12.
(c) "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.
(d) "Program course" means a college course offered in a high school under a college in the high school program.
(e) "State-tribal compact school" means a school established under chapter 28A.715 RCW.