HB 2299 — Creating prison to postsecondary education pathways.

H-4240.2SUBSTITUTEH-3635.2HOUSE HOUSE BILL 2299State of Washington66th Legislature2020 Regular SessionByHouseSessionByRepresentatives College & Workforce Development (originally sponsored by Representatives Leavitt, Klippert, Lovick, Eslick, Davis, Orwall, Sells, Shewmake, Tarleton, Frame, Bergquist, Tharinger, Fey, Ormsby, Harris, Irwin, Doglio, Goodman, and Appleton)READAppletonPrefiled FIRST01/07/20.Read TIMEfirst 02/07/20.ANtime 01/13/20.Referred to Committee on College & Workforce Development.AN ACT Relating to creating prison to postsecondary education pathways;

creating a new sections;section;

((During the 2015-2017 fiscal biennium, the department may implement postsecondary degree programs within state institutions, including the state correctional institution with the largest population of females, within its existing funds and under the limitations in this section, to include any funding provided under subsection (3) of this section.))(b) The department may consider for inclusion in any ((associate))postsecondary degree or certificate education program, any education program from an accredited community or technical college, college, or university that is ((partpart of an((an associate workforceworkforce))a postsecondary degree or certificate program designed((designed to prepare the inmate to enter the workforce))limitedworkforce)).(2) to no more than a bachelor's degree.(2) Inmates not meeting the department's priority criteria for the state-funded ((associate))postsecondary degree education program shall be required to pay the costs for participation in a postsecondary education degree program if he or she elects to participate through self-pay, including costs of books, fees, tuition, or any other appropriate ancillary costs, by one or more of the following means:(a) The inmate who is participating in the postsecondary education degree program may, during confinement, provide the required payment or payments to the department;

or(b) A third party shall provide the required payment or payments directly to the department on behalf of an inmate, and such payments shall not be subject to any of the deductions as provided in this chapter.(3) The department may accept any and all donations and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services from any third party, including but not limited to nonprofit entities, and may receive, utilize, and dispose of same to provide postsecondary education to inmates.(4) An inmate may be selected to participate in a state-funded ((associate))postsecondary degree or certificate education program, based on priority criteria determined by the department, in which the following conditions may be considered:(a) Priority should be given to inmates within ((five))ten years or less of release;(b) The inmate does not already possess a postsecondary education degree;

and(ii) Approved by the department as an eligible and effective postsecondary education degree program.))Theprogram.(6))) department may assist inmates selected to participate in state-funded postsecondary degree or certificate programs with filing a free application for federal student aid or the Washington application for state financial aid.(6) Any funds collected by the department under this section shall be used solely for the creation, maintenance, or expansion of inmate postsecondary education degree programs.NEW SECTION.  Sec.

(2) At a minimum, the combined report must include:(a) The number of incarcerated individuals served in the department's postsecondary education system, the number of individuals not served, the number of individuals leaving the department's custody without a high school equivalency who were in the department's custody longer than one year, and the number of individuals released without any postsecondary education,education;(b) each disaggregated by demographics;(b) A review of the department's identification and assessment of incarcerated individuals with learning disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and other cognitive impairments or disabilities that may limit their ability to participate in educational programming, including general educational development testing and postsecondary education.

The review must identify barriers or challenges on transferring credits experienced by individuals and the number of credits earned while incarcerated that transferred to the receiving colleges post release;(e) The number of individuals participating in correspondence courses and completion rates of correspondence courses,courses; disaggregated by demographics;(f) An examination of the collaboration between correctional facilities, the educational programs, and the institutions, with the goal of ensuring that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, including the roles and responsibilities of each entity in relation to ensuring inmate access to, and accommodations in, educational programming;

and(g)and(f) AAn reviewexamination of the partnershipscollaboration withbetween nonprofitcorrectional organizationsfacilities, atthe stateeducational correctionalprograms, facilitiesand thatthe provideinstitutions, accreditedwith certificatethe andgoal degreeof grantingensuring programsthat roles and thoseresponsibilities thatare provideclearly reentrydefined, servicesincluding inthe supportroles and responsibilities of educationaleach programsentity in relation to ensuring inmate access to, and goals.NEWaccommodations SECTION.  Sec.in, educational programming.Sec.

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department of corrections shall conduct a pilot program for secure internet connections at up to three correctional institutions, which must be participating institutions in the federal second chance Pell program, as long as the internet connections are limited to the following purposes:(a) Adult basic education;(b) Completion of the free application for federal student aid or the Washington application for state financial aid;

and(c) Postsecondary education and training.(2) The department of corrections shall report to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature in accordance with RCW 43.01.036 by December 1, 2021, regarding the implementation of the secure internet connection, including the following:(a) A description of how the secure internet connections were implemented, including any barriers or challenges;(b) How many inmates participated in programs that used the secure internet connections and a description of how the internet connection changed existing practices;

and(c) Data on whether the secure internet connection increased general education development or high school equivalency certificate completions;

free application for federal student aid or Washington application for state financial aid filings;

access to Pell grants or other state financial aid;

and postsecondary education and training credit, certificate, and degree completions.Sec.

10.