Running Start Progress Report: 2001

Running Start Coordinator's Guide

Section 1
Running Start Progress Report: 2001-2002

Table of Contents

Introduction	Updates
Options for Students	Summary
Growth Continues	Enrollments
Benefits	Data for Students Entering Fall 2001
Characteristics of Students	References
Research Findings	Contact Information

Introduction

Running Start is a program that allows eleventh and twelfth grade students to take college courses for free at Washington’s 34 community and technical colleges and Washington State, Eastern Washington, and Central Washington universities.

Running Start reduces the amount of time students spend in school and reduces college costs for students and their families. In 2001-02, students and their parents saved $17.4 million in tuition.
The program saved taxpayers $34.7 million since students take high school and college courses simultaneously.
Running Start students perform well while they are in the program and after they transfer to universities. In 2001-02 Running Start students earned an average grade point of 3.13 after transferring to the University of Washington.

The 1990 Legislature created Running Start as a part of the “Learning by Choice” law, which was designed to expand educational options for high school students. To initiate the program in 1990, the Legislature authorized a two-year pilot program. Five community colleges were selected to participate during 1990-92 (Everett, Pierce, Skagit Valley, South Puget Sound and Walla Walla community colleges). The pilot program involved 358 students from 37 high schools. The program began statewide in 1992-93, when about 3,350 students enrolled at the community and technical colleges. The 1994 Legislature expanded the program to include three state universities (Washington State, Central and Eastern) to provide Running Start program access to communities where no two-year colleges were available to directly serve students.