AN ACT Relating to expanding access to college in the high school to private school students;
HB 1618 expands Washington’s “college in the high school” dual-credit program to include students attending state-approved private schools, in addition to students in public schools. The bill requires institutions of higher education to provide enrollment and registration in eligible college-in-the-high-school courses at no cost to students in grades 9 through 12, and it specifies that private-school students who meet program eligibility requirements may participate in those courses. It also clarifies that participating schools and institutions must award both high school and college credit when a student successfully completes a course, and that college credit may be recorded on an official college transcript.
The bill also revises program administration, funding, and reporting requirements. It directs the Legislature to appropriate state funding for college-in-the-high-school courses administered at public and private secondary schools, establishes a per-course funding formula with annual inflation adjustments, and requires annual reporting on participation, demographics, geography, credit awards, and student outcomes. It further requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt rules jointly with higher-education and school stakeholders, and it preserves broad participation by stating that rules may not narrow enrollment options.
HB 1618 would amend Washington law governing college-in-the-high-school dual-credit programs, including RCW provisions on program administration, eligibility, credit awarding, and state funding. Its main legal effect is to extend access to private-school students and to require public funding support for courses offered through private schools, while also imposing new notice, transcript, and reporting obligations on participating institutions and schools. The bill would affect public universities, regional universities, community and technical colleges, public schools, charter schools, state-tribal compact schools, and state-approved private schools.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, amendments, or partisan division in the available record. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears broadly expansionary and student-access oriented, with an emphasis on dual-credit opportunity, transparency, and statewide consistency. The absence of recorded opposition or vote history limits any stronger conclusion about legislative sentiment.
The most likely points of contention are funding, scope, and administration. Because the bill requires state appropriations for courses administered at public and private secondary schools, lawmakers concerned about cost may question the fiscal impact and whether public funds should support private-school participation. Another possible issue is program governance: the bill requires joint rulemaking with multiple education entities and explicitly says rules may not narrow enrollment options, which could raise concerns among agencies or institutions about flexibility, oversight, and implementation. Finally, the inclusion of private schools in a publicly funded dual-credit program may be debated by those focused on equity, accountability, or the proper use of state education dollars.