H-0585

AN ACT Relating to technological and vocational agricultural education; amending RCW 28A.300.080 and 28B.80.350; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 28A RCW; and making appropriations.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 28A.300.080 and 1983 1st ex.s. c 34 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature recognizes that agriculture is the most basic and singularly important industry in the state, that agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and economic stability of the state, and that the maintenance of this vital industry requires a continued source of trained and qualified individuals who qualify for employment in agriculture and ((~~agribusiness~~)) related business fields. The legislature declares that it is within the best interests of the people and state of Washington that a comprehensive vocational education program in agriculture be maintained in the state's secondary school system.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. In meeting the responsibilities of RCW 28A.300.080, the vocational agriculture education service area shall encourage greater student and teacher knowledge of environmentally sensitive and benign agricultural and landscaping practices, water conservation, and agricultural worker protections.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The superintendent of public instruction may grant funds to school districts for vocational educational materials and instruction in one or more of the following areas:

(a) Benign and sustaining agricultural natural resource management systems and practices that protect human health and environmental resources;

(b) Organic farming practices and certification standards as defined by chapter 15.86 RCW;

(d) Xeriscaping and drought-resistant landscaping;

(e) Employee safety standards and practices for the handling of agricultural equipment and materials; and

(f) Environmental challenges, including air and water quality.

(2) Interested school districts shall file an application for funds that includes a description of the educational component, including student leadership and supervised agricultural experience, and how it meets one or more of the objectives in subsection (1) of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with Washington State University's college of agriculture and home economics and vocational agriculture instructors, shall develop and administer a vocational agriculture education institute to provide in-service training programs for vocational agriculture instructors around the state. In-service training programs shall be designed to provide teacher training and knowledge on the changing agriculture industry and shall include, but not be limited to, training courses in the latest technological advances in occupational equipment and techniques, international agricultural trade issues, environmental education, and other issues necessary to ensure instructors are current with agricultural trends. The institute shall seek out guidance and assistance from industry, trade groups, and environmental organizations.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The superintendent of public instruction shall develop and implement an in-service training program designed to provide vocational agriculture education instructors with training in teaching at-risk students, disadvantaged students, developmentally disabled students, and students from different cultures. The in-service training program shall identify and enhance the unique features of vocational agriculture education that are effective in dropout prevention.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules that establish general program approval standards for determining the terms and conditions under which school districts are eligible to receive state funds for secondary vocational agricultural education. The standards shall include a provision regarding the use of extended learning experiences for certificated vocational agriculture education instructors for students in vocational agricultural education and provide assistance to districts in determining when to offer such experiences.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Commencing with the 1991-92 school year, the formula adopted by the legislature pursuant to RCW 28A.150.260 shall include a ratio of ninety-two one-hundredths certificated instructional staff and eight one-hundredths certificated administrative staff to sixteen and sixty-seven one-hundredths annual average full-time equivalent students in grades nine through twelve enrolled in vocational agriculture education programs approved by the superintendent of public instruction: PROVIDED, That any increase in funds generated by the change in the ratio of certificated personnel to annual average full-time equivalent vocational agriculture students shall be used by local school districts to provide additional state support for their vocational agriculture education programs, including extended learning experiences for instructors, commencing with the 1991-92 school year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. (1) Each school district, skills center, educational service district, interdistrict cooperative, or public vocational technical institute receiving state funds for vocational agricultural programs shall consult with a local advisory council on vocational agricultural education. The district may create a council or may use an existing entity that meets the requirements of this section and sections 9 and 10 of this act. Joint councils may be established.

(2) The councils shall be composed of members who are representative of the population found in the area that the council serves. The council shall be composed of representatives of the general public including at a minimum representatives of business, industry, labor, and spokespersons for persons with disabilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The local advisory council shall provide advice and assistance to the school district, skills center, educational service district, interdistrict cooperative, or public vocational technical institute on:

(1) Selecting equipment and instructional materials and establishing specifications for training areas. The council shall suggest ways to provide for the efficient and effective use of equipment and insure maximum use of the equipment;

(2) Determining training needs;

(3) Determining content and length of courses;

(4) Determining current and future employment opportunities and requirements;

(5) Making recommendations to help provide for experienced and knowledgeable instructors; and

(6) Providing support for the entire vocational education program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. A school district shall only be eligible to receive funds to upgrade or to acquire equipment for vocational agricultural education programs if the district in consultation with the local advisory council has developed a vocational agricultural education program improvement component within their plan. The improvement component shall describe: Methods for strengthening vocational education; business and industry partnerships; the potential to aid local economic development; staff training; the need for extended or supplemental contracts for specific certificated instructional staff in vocational programs; job placement; consistency with the state plan for vocational education; and the basic skills and core competencies required for successful employment. In developing the plan, coordination with community colleges, business and industry, and other school districts, educational service districts, interdistrict cooperatives, skills centers, and public vocational technical institutes shall be considered. The plan shall be revised at least once every two years.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The entity in the state of Washington qualifying as the entity for the receipt of federal funds shall, with available funds, provide technical assistance to local vocational agricultural education advisory committees.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

In developing admission standards, each four-year institution of higher education shall recognize the relevance of vocational agriculture education courses and the competencies taught in such courses and shall make every effort to designate applicable vocational agriculture education courses as course equivalencies.

Sec. 13. RCW 28B.80.350 and 1988 c 172 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

The board shall coordinate educational activities among all segments of higher education taking into account the educational programs, facilities, and other resources of both public and independent two and four-year colleges and universities. The four-year institutions and the state board for community college education shall coordinate information and activities with the board. The board shall have the following additional responsibilities:

(1) Promote interinstitutional cooperation;

(2) Establish minimum admission standards for four-year institutions, including a requirement that coursework in sign language shall satisfy any foreign language requirement the board or the institutions may establish as a general undergraduate admissions requirement. The standards shall include recognition of the relevance of vocational agriculture education courses and the competencies taught in such courses and the use of vocational agriculture education courses having academic equivalencies to meet admission requirements to four-year institutions;

(3) Establish transfer policies;

(4) Adopt rules implementing statutory residency requirements;

(5) Develop and administer reciprocity agreements with bordering states and the province of British Columbia;

(6) Review and recommend compensation practices and levels for administrative employees, exempt under chapter 28B.16 RCW, and faculty using comparative data from peer institutions;

(7) Monitor higher education activities for compliance with all relevant state policies for higher education;

(8) Arbitrate disputes between and among four-year institutions or between and among four-year institutions and community colleges at the request of one or more of the institutions involved, or at the request of the governor, or from a resolution adopted by the legislature. The decision of the board shall be binding on the participants in the dispute;

(9) Establish and implement a state system for collecting, analyzing, and distributing information;

(10) Recommend to the governor and the legislature ways to remove any economic incentives to use off-campus program funds for on-campus activities; and

(11) Make recommendations to increase minority participation, and monitor and report on the progress of minority participation in higher education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. Sections 2 through 7 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.300 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. Sections 8 through 11 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 17. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. The sum of one million nine hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of section 6 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 19. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of section 10 of this act.