RCW 72.09.469 — Postsecondary degree education programs—Study. (Expires January 1, 2029.)

1. (1)

   1. (a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the Washington state institute for public policy shall study enrollment, completion, and recidivism rates of incarcerated individuals in the postsecondary education system postrelease.

   2. (b) The goal of the study is to understand whether participation in postsecondary education while incarcerated contributes to greater enrollment and completion of postsecondary education and reduced recidivism postrelease. The scope of the study shall focus on postrelease enrollment and completion trends in the community and technical college sector for formerly incarcerated individuals of all ages. The timeline of the study may include data from 2015 to the present, to the extent possible. The study's findings shall be divided into a preliminary and final report. The reports shall complement similar studies conducted at the University of Washington or elsewhere. To the extent that it is not duplicative of other studies, the Washington state institute for public policy shall study the following:

      1. (i) For the preliminary report, which is due October 1, 2024:

         1. (A) Patterns and any effects on postrelease enrollment and participation in the community and technical college system by individuals who, while incarcerated, participated in postsecondary education programs, including those individuals that completed some coursework but did not earn a degree or certificate; and
         2. (B) Differential outcomes for individuals participating in different types of postsecondary education courses, certificate programs, and degree programs.

      2. (ii) For the final report, which is due October 1, 2027, a continuation of the preliminary report in addition to:

         1. (A) Changes in enrollment and completion of postsecondary education courses, certificate programs, and degree programs due to the changes and expansion of educational programming in chapter 200, Laws of 2021, to the extent possible; and
         2. (B) Recidivism outcomes beyond incarceration for those incarcerated individuals that participated in postsecondary certificate and degree programs while incarcerated, including arrests, charges, and convictions.
      3. (iii) The preliminary and final reports shall be submitted to the appropriate committees of the legislature and in accordance with RCW 43.01.036.
      4. (iv) The department of corrections, the student achievement council, the state board for community and technical colleges, and the education research and data center shall provide data necessary to conduct the study.
2. (2) This section expires January 1, 2029.

[ 2021 c 200 s 2.]