HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2359

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to academic, vocational, and technological education.

Brief Description:  Creating the academic and vocational integration development program.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Dorn, Neher, Peery, Winsley, Riley, Brough, Ebersole, Ferguson, Rasmussen, Mielke, Grant, Tate, Pruitt, Orr, Rayburn, Inslee, Jacobsen, G. Fisher, Kremen, G. Cole, J. Kohl, Mitchell, Ogden and Valle.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Education, January 30, 1992, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

EDUCATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 19 members:  Representatives Peery, Chair; G. Fisher, Vice Chair; Brough, Ranking Minority Member; Vance, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Betrozoff; Broback; Brumsickle; Carlson; G. Cole; Dorn; P. Johnson; Jones; J. Kohl; Neher; Orr; Rasmussen; Roland; H. Sommers; and Valle.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

Background:  Employers, students, parents and others have expressed concern that high school curriculum does not adequately prepare students for obtaining jobs when students graduate.  This is especially a problem for students who do not continue their education.  In addition, it is felt that efforts are needed to make high school curriculum much more relevant to the student, thus making it more interesting.

Summary of Substitute  Bill:   The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) shall establish an academic and vocational integration development program grant program.  The projects shall combine academic and vocational education into a single instructional system that is responsive to the educational needs of all students in secondary schools. 

Goals of the projects shall include:

(1) Integration of vocational and academic instructional curriculum;

(2) Emphasis on increased vocational, personal, and academic guidance and counseling; and

(3) Active participation of educators in the project, employers, private and public community service providers, parents, and community members.

The SPI shall select projects for grant awards, and monitor and evaluate the projects.  SPI also shall appoint a task force to advise the department throughout the application, selection, monitoring, and evaluation process.

Initial applications shall be submitted to SPI not later than June 1, 1992.  Subject to available funding, additional applications may be submitted by November 1 of subsequent years.  Application requirements are specified.

The initial academic and vocational integration development projects shall commence with the 1992-93 school year, and may be conducted for up to six years.

Specified waivers of state laws and regulations may be granted.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  References to a limit of three projects were removed as was a requirement that staff participating in the projects receive 10 extra days.  A number of technical amendments were made.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 22, 1992.

Appropriation:  Removed.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  We can no longer segregate academic and vocational subjects.  We must help students see the connection between education and their personal lives by combining academic and career education.  Evidence from Woodland High School in California shows that combining academic and vocational curriculum results in higher test scores, lower drop-out rates, and increased post-secondary enrollment in colleges/universities and technical programs.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Judith Billings, SPI (supports); Larry Parsons and Mike Pearson, Central Valley High School, Spokane (supports); Dennis Milliken, Washington Association of Vocational Administrators (supports); Rainier Houser, Washington Association of School Principals (supports); and Lois Bishop, Mt. Tahoma High School (supports).