24-25%20BTC%20Running%20Start%20Agreement.pdf

Parent document: Regular Meeting and Budget Hearing-06-26-2024.pdf

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2024-25
RUNNING START PROGRAM AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
BELLINGHAM TECHNICAL COLLEGE DISTRICT NO. 25
AND
MERIDIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 505

This agreement is entered into by and between Bellingham Technical College (hereinafter referred to as "The
College") and MERIDIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 505 (hereinafter referred to as "The District"). The parties
agree that:

The purpose of this agreement is to provide occupational education programs and related services to eligible
high school students of the District at Bellingham Technical College.

CREDITS
High school credit will be granted for enrolled credits earned at the College in the Running Start program.

The District will decide whether to grant credit for a college occupational program to satisfy specific high school
graduation requirements. The amount of credit will also be determined by the District. Students will be notified
of this decision when meeting with the counselor at the high school. The determination of high school credit
must be identified on the Bellingham Technical College Running Start Referral form.

Occupational programs will be examined by the District to determine comparability to high school courses and
the amount of credit to be granted. Student notification will occur as noted above.

The College and high school staff will cooperate in a timely manner to avoid student problems with satisfactory
completion of high school graduation requirements and subsequent participation in high school graduation
activities by candidates for graduation.

RECORDS/REPORTING

The District will retain all record keeping responsibilities and files on students, will be responsible for the
issuance of all high school credits and diplomas and for state reporting.

The College agrees to provide the District with pertinent data necessary to complete reporting forms and
completer and follow-up reports required by OSPI to verify enrollment as reported on Form 223RS.
The College agrees to provide the District with student progress grades on a quarter basis.

The District is responsible for the assessment of special education students, the development and
maintenance of their individual educational plans and the provision of support/related services.

All Running Start students are required to meet the proficiency standards on college placement tests in
mathematics and reading. High school students requiring remediation in order to be accepted for Bellingham
Technical College occupational programs enrollment are not eligible to enroll in pre-college level coursework
as part of their Running Start program.

STUDENT BEHAVIOR

Running Start students are subject to the College standards and accorded the same due process rights as
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other College students. The District and the College agree to exercise independent jurisdiction over
educational and disciplinary matters pertaining to Running Start students in their respective programs.

FUNDING

Funding will be distributed based on the Basic Education Allocation (BEA) Vocational Education enhancement
model for OSPI approved vocational technical programs at Bellingham Technical College. The prorated
formula for distributing funding is as follows:

[(# of college credits + 15) x (3 + # of months)]

For funding purposes, enrollment at the college (based on the Running Start Enrollment Verification Form) will
determine payment due.

Reimbursement is based on $10,916.85 per vocational FTE and $10,037.85 per non-vocational FTE. Payment
shall be made upon billing from the College at the end of each quarter. When billing the District, the College
will deduct 7% of the total amount due from the District for program administrative costs.

The College will prorate the billing to the District for students who officially withdraw, utilizing the College's exit
withdrawal procedure or based on notification within a 30-day period from the District or the College.

To accommodate State requirements for the District to report FTE enrollment each month, Bellingham
Technical College agrees to provide Report 223RS to the school district by no later than the eighth (8") of
each month.

CONFLICT WITH LAW

If any part of this agreement is determined to be in direct conflict with the Washington Administrative Code
(WAC), the WAC will prevail.

EFFECTIVE DATES
This agreement shall become effective July 1, 2024 and will remain in force until June 30, 2025.
CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK

In accordance with RCW 28A.400.303, in the event that BTC or its employees, agents, or contractors will have
regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children under the age of 16 or a vulnerable adult (or insert following
for vulnerable adult: any student 16 or older lacking the functional, mental, or physical ability to care for
themselves) the employee, agent, or contractor will be required to undergo a record check through the
Washington State Patrol criminal investigation system under RCW 43.43.830-.834, RCW 10.97.030, and RCW
10.97.050, and through the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The record check will include a fingerprint check
using a complete Washington State criminal identification fingerprint card. This record check will occur before
the individual is allowed access to District property and/or facilities where unsupervised access to children could
occur. If the individual has undergone a record check meeting the requirements of RCW 28A.400.303 and this
subsection within the previous two (2) years, the background check requirement may be waived. The District will
not be responsible for any costs associated with the record check.

CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN

In accordance with RCW 28A.400.330, employees, agents, and contractors of BTC are prohibited from working
at a District school if they have or may have contact with children at a public school during the course of their
employment and have pleaded guilty to or been convicted of the crimes identified in RCW 28A.400.322. Any
failure to comply with this section shall be grounds for the District immediately terminating the contract.

LIABILITY COVERAGE PROVISIONS
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Each party to this agreement will be responsible for the negligent acts or omissions of its own employees,
officers, or agents in the performance of this Agreement. Neither party will be considered the agent of the other,
and neither party assumes any responsibility to the other party for the consequences of any act or omission of
any person, firm, or corporation not a party to this Agreement.

Agreed to by BELLINGHAM TECHNICAL COLLEGE and MERIDIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 505.

BELLINGHAM TECHNICAL COLLEGE

James Lemerond, Ed.D. DATE
President

MERIDIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 505

James Everett, Ed.D. DATE
Superintendent

Approved as to Form by E-mail —_7/15/2020

Annie Honrath Date
Assistant Attorney General

Assigned to Represent Bellingham
Technical College

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