AN ACT Relating to a pilot-scale management assessment and training project; adding new sections to chapter 72.09 RCW; making appropriations; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the effective management and operation of state government requires a highly skilled cadre of managers working within state government who possess a variety of essential managerial skills. The legislature further finds that the state of Washington lacks an adequate method of assessing employee's managerial skills and therefore cannot adequately develop training programs to improve the managerial skills of its employees. Therefore, the legislature finds that the effective management and operation of state government requires a pilot-scale management assessment and training program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. As used in sections 3 through 6 of this act:

(1) "Commission" means the criminal justice training commission; and

(2) "Department" means the department of corrections.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The department and the commission shall jointly develop, operate, and evaluate a pilot-scale management assessment and training program.

(2) The pilot-scale program shall be designed to evaluate the usefulness of (a) an assessment program designed to assess the strengths and weaknesses in an employee's managerial skills and (b) the development and administration of a training program aimed at strengthening those managerial skills determined to be weak.

(3) The department shall select not more than thirty-five employees who shall participate in the assessment and training program and the evaluation of the program.

(4) The pilot-scale project shall be completed no later than December 1, 1986.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The pilot-scale assessment and training program shall consist of the following four phases:

(1) PROGRAM DESIGN: The design by the department and the commission of an assessment and training program and methodology of evaluating the assessment and training program.

(2) EMPLOYEE ASSESSMENT: Background preparation, job analysis, selection and training of assessors, selection of employees for assessment, assessment of employee managerial skills, and determination of training needs.

(3) EMPLOYEE TRAINING: Development and implementation of training programs to meet training needs identified by the assessment program.

(4) EVALUATION: Evaluation of the assessment and training program and recommendations regarding use of the assessment and training program by state agencies.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The pilot-scale assessment and training program shall be a joint project between the department and the commission particularly in the areas of program design and overall program evaluation; however:

(1) The department shall be responsible for the background preparation and job analysis associated with employee assessment, the selection of assessors, the selection of employees for assessment, the assessment of employee managerial skills, and the determination of employee training needs; and

(2) The commission shall be responsible for training assessors and for developing and administering training programs designed to meet the needs identified by the assessment program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. During the course of the pilot-scale project, three reports shall be submitted to the chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary of the senate for transmittal to and review by the appropriate standing committees. The three reports shall consist of the following:

(1) A status report shall be submitted upon the completion of the program design phase of the project. This report shall set forth the overall assessment and training program design and the overall program evaluation design to be used once the assessment and training program is complete.

(2) A status report shall be submitted upon the completion of the assessment phase of the project. This report shall discuss the assessment program and the determination of the training needs identified by the assessment process.

(3) A final report shall be submitted after the completion of the pilot-scale program, but no later than December 1, 1986. This report shall contain the results of the overall evaluation of the assessment and training program and recommendations regarding the use of assessment and training programs by state agencies. The overall program evaluation and the final report shall include an evaluation of the assessment and training program by each employee who participated in the pilot-scale program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall expire January 1, 1987.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 7 of this act are each added to chapter 72.09 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. There is appropriated from the general fund to the department of corrections for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, the sum of thirty-six thousand six hundred dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. There is appropriated from the general fund to the criminal justice training commission for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, the sum of nineteen thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes of this act.