HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5248

BYSenators Smitherman, Gaspard, Bailey and Johnson

Providing for the development of model curriculum guidelines for vocational or applied courses.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (12)

      Signed by Representatives Ebersole, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Cole, Cooper, Holm, P. King, Peery, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Rust and Valle.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (1)

      Signed by Representative Schoon.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 13, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Statute requires the State Board of Education to "...recognize the the relevance of vocational and applied courses to fulfill in whole or in part the..." state's minimum high school graduation requirements.  Currently there are no clear guidelines available to determine how vocational and applied courses may be used to fulfill graduation requirements.

SUMMARY:

Guidelines for the application of vocational and applied courses to fulfill in whole or in part the state's minimum high school graduation requirements must be included by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in the model curriculum programs and/or curriculum guidelines the superintendent must prepare each year in three subject areas.

Fiscal Note:      Attached.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Senator Bill Smitherman; Judy Hartmann, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Students learn in different ways.  For the student who learns best through applied courses and hands on experience in vocational and applied courses we need to develop guidelines to enable school districts to apply this course work to the satisfaction of graduation requirements.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.