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

Benefits for Students, Families and State Budgets are Evident

Students and Their Families

Running Start presents a challenging option for qualified students who may perform better in a college setting than in a traditional high school. Students continue to report that taking classes with regular college students and adults offers a new and demanding dimension to learning. Junior and senior students, as defined by the high school, who are qualified for admission as determined by the higher education institutions, may participate in Running Start free of tuition. However, they must provide their own transportation, books and supplies. By allowing students to obtain high school and college credit simultaneously, Running Start reduces the amount of time students spend in school and reduces college costs for students and their families. In some cases, the dual-credit nature of the program allows students to complete four years of education while only attending two years. This saves money for the state and the students or their parents.

Flexibility in scheduling allows Running Start students to meet other commitments for education, jobs or family responsibilities. In fall 2001, 42 percent of the students worked part time and 1 percent worked full time.

Budget

Colleges are reimbursed by the K-12 districts whose students participated in Running Start. For the 2001-02 academic year, colleges received a statewide standard rate of approximately $85 per credit for academic programs, and $101 per credit for vocational programs. K-12 districts retain 7 percent of the state funds for counseling and overhead.

When students earn credit for high school and college simultaneously, the state pays to support this education only once.

With 8,521 FTE students in 2001-02, Running Start saved Washington taxpayers $34.7 million.
Students and their parents also save because Running Start classes are offered tuition-free. In the last academic year, this resulted in a savings of about $17.4 million in tuition.
The total amount saved by taxpayers, parents and students in 2001-02 is estimated at over $52 million.