SENATE BILL REPORT

EHB 2413

BYRepresentatives Wood, Rector, Locke, Prince, Ebersole, Dellwo, Miller, Anderson, Jacobsen, Peery, Wineberry, Day, Winsley, Brumsickle, Wolfe, P. King, Wang, Forner, Horn, Youngsman, May, Kremen and Ferguson

Including middle and junior high school students in the mathematics, engineering, and science achievement program.

House Committe on Higher Education

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 22, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Saling, Chairman; Patterson, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Cantu, Smitherman, Stratton, von Reichbauer.

Senate Staff:Jean Six (786-7423)

                  February 22, 1990

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 26, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Bailey, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Fleming, Gaspard, Hayner, Lee, Moore, Newhouse, Niemi, Owen, Saling, Smith, Warnke, Williams, Wojahn.

Senate Staff:Ken Kanikeberg (786-7715)

                  February 27, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, FEBRUARY 26, 1990

BACKGROUND:

A report by the Task Force on Women, Minorities, and the Handicapped in Science and Technology indicates that by the year 2010, the United States will face a shortage of 560,000 technicians in science and engineering.  Of the new people entering the labor market between 1985 and 2000, most will be women, immigrants, and minorities. Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans will constitute more than one-third of the future college-age population.  The National Science Foundation points out that if minority populations are not trained early for high-tech careers, industry and colleges will be forced to become dependent on foreign-born students and faculty.

Only two major programs are available in this state to nurture minority students talented in math and science.  The oldest is the University of Washington's Minority Engineering Program.  The other is the Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) program for students in the ninth through twelfth grades.  In partnership with higher education institutions, school districts, businesses, and community organizations, MESA provides after-school and Saturday classes, group science projects and regular field trips to high-tech factories and university campuses.  More than 90 percent of the MESA students go on to college and two-thirds of the college bound students pursue studies in science or engineering.

In 1989, the focus of the program was expanded to encourage minority students to enter the teaching profession in the fields of mathematics, engineering, and science.

SUMMARY:

The Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement program will expand its focus to include students in the sixth through eighth grades, as well as those in the ninth through twelfth grades.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested January 16, 1990

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE WAYS & MEANS AMENDMENT:

Enactment of the legislation is contingent on funding in the budget.

Senate Committee - Testified: HIGHER EDUCATION:  Representative Jeannette Wood, prime sponsor; Barbara Komer, Hewlett Packard

Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS:  No one