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Rainier board approves Running Start dual-credit partnership with Lower Columbia College
Summary
The Rainier School District 13 board approved a Running Start agreement with Lower Columbia College to offer tuition-free college credit to qualifying 11th and 12th graders, initially budgeting $25,000 from High School Success funds to cover early participation. The program will require district decisions on GPA and enrollment thresholds and families remain responsible for course fees.
The Rainier School District 13 board voted June 10 to approve a Running Start dual-credit partnership with Lower Columbia College (LCC), enabling qualifying 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn simultaneous high school and college credits with tuition covered by the district.
Guadalupe Rodriguez, LCC Running Start director, told the board the program is tuition-free for eligible students and the college recommends criteria such as junior/senior standing and a minimum cumulative GPA (the transcript cites a 3.25 cumulative GPA used with another Oregon school as a starting guideline). Rodriguez said LCC typically covers up to 16 credits per quarter for full-time Running Start students but recommended a practical cap near 15 credits to keep course loads manageable; families would remain responsible for course-specific fees such as lab or residency fees.
Board members discussed implementation details, including application and advising processes, eligibility exceptions (left to district discretion), and coordination with existing high-school-offered college-level classes. The board noted an initial allocation of $25,000 from High School Success funds to support early participation and agreed to reassess funding as participation numbers become clear.
A motion to approve the Running Start program "if they qualify" passed with six in favor and no recorded opposition. Board members thanked LCC and the district leadership for bringing the program forward and asked staff to return with implementation details and application timelines.
