AN ACT
Relating to the Washington award for vocational excellence; amending RCW
28C.04.520, 28C.04.525, 28C.04.530, 28C.04.535, 28C.04.540, 28C.04.545, and
28B.15.545; adding a new section to chapter 28B.80 RCW; and creating a new
section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
28C.04.520 and 1984 c 267 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
Every
year community colleges, ((vocational-technical institutes)) technical
colleges, and high schools graduate students who have distinguished themselves
by their outstanding performance in their occupational training programs. The
legislature intends to recognize and honor these students by establishing a
Washington award for vocational excellence.
Sec.
2. RCW 28C.04.525
and 1987 c 231 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
The
Washington award for vocational excellence program is established. The
purposes of this annual program are to:
(1)
Maximize public awareness of the achievements, leadership ability, and community
contributions of the ((state's public vocational-technical)) students enrolled
in occupational training programs in high schools, community colleges, and
technical colleges;
(2)
Emphasize the dignity of work in our society;
(3)
Instill respect for those who become skilled in crafts and technology;
(4)
Recognize the value of vocational education and its contribution to the economy
of this state;
(5)
Foster business, labor, and community involvement in vocational-technical training
programs and in this award program; and
(6)
Recognize the outstanding achievements of up to three vocational or technical
students, at least two of whom should be graduating high school students, in
each legislative district. Students who have completed at least one year of a
vocational-technical program in a community college or public ((vocational-technical
institute)) technical college may also be recognized.
Sec.
3. RCW
28C.04.530 and 1987 c 231 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The ((commission for vocational education or a successor agency)) work
force training and education coordinating board shall have the
responsibility for the development and administration of the Washington award
for vocational excellence program. The ((commission or successor agency))
work force training and education coordinating board shall develop the
program in consultation with other state agencies and private organizations
having interest and responsibility in vocational education, including but not
limited to: The state board for community and technical colleges
((education)), the office of the superintendent of public instruction, a
voluntary professional association of vocational educators, and representatives
from business, labor, and industry.
(2)
The ((commission or successor agency)) work force training and
education coordinating board shall establish a planning committee to
develop the criteria for screening and selecting the students who will receive
the award. This criteria shall include but not be limited to the following
characteristics: Proficiency in their chosen fields, attendance, attitude,
character, leadership, and civic contributions.
Sec.
4. RCW
28C.04.535 and 1984 c 267 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
The
Washington award for vocational excellence shall be granted annually. The ((commission))
work force training and education coordinating board shall notify the
students receiving the award, their vocational instructors, local chambers of
commerce, the legislators of their respective districts, and the governor,
after final selections have been made. The ((commission)) work force
training and education coordinating board, in conjunction with the
governor's office, shall prepare appropriate certificates to be presented to
the selected students. Awards shall be presented in public ceremonies at times
and places determined by the ((commission)) work force training and
education coordinating board in cooperation with the office of the
governor.
Sec.
5. RCW
28C.04.540 and 1984 c 267 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
The ((commission))
work force training and education coordinating board may accept any and
all donations, grants, bequests, and devices, conditional or otherwise, or
money, property, service, or other things of value which may be received from
any federal, state, or local agency, any institution, person, firm, or
corporation, public and private, to be held, used, or applied for the purposes
of the Washington award for vocational excellence program. The ((commission))
work force training and education coordinating board shall encourage
maximum participation from business, labor, and community groups. The ((commission))
work force training and education coordinating board shall also
coordinate, where feasible, the contribution activities of the various
participants.
The ((commission))
work force training and education coordinating board shall not make
expenditures from funds collected under this section until February 15, 1985.
Sec.
6. RCW
28C.04.545 and 1987 c 231 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The respective governing boards of the public ((vocational-technical
institutes)) technical colleges shall provide fee waivers for a
maximum of two years for those recipients of the Washington award for
vocational excellence established under RCW 28C.04.520 through 28C.04.540 who
received the award before June 30, 1994. To qualify for the waiver,
recipients shall enter the public ((vocational-technical institute)) technical
college within three years of receiving the award. An above average rating
at the vocational-technical institute in the first year shall be required to
qualify for the second-year waiver.
(2)
Students named by the work force training and education coordinating board
after June 30, 1994, as recipients of the Washington award for vocational
excellence under RCW 28C.04.520 through 28C.04.550 shall be eligible to receive
a grant for undergraduate course work as authorized under section 8 of this
act.
Sec.
7. RCW
28B.15.545 and 1993 sp.s. c 18 s 20 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
Subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state
universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the
community colleges shall waive tuition and services and activities fees for
a maximum of two years for those recipients of the Washington award for
vocational excellence established under RCW 28C.04.520 through 28C.04.540 who
received their awards before June 30, 1994. ((The governing boards may
waive all or a portion of tuition and services and activities fees for those
recipients of the Washington award for vocational excellence who received their
awards after June 30, 1994.)) Each recipient shall not receive a waiver
for more than six quarters or four semesters. To qualify for the waiver,
recipients shall enter the college or university within three years of
receiving the award. A minimum grade point average at the college or
university equivalent to 3.00, or an above-average rating at a technical
college, shall be required in the first year to qualify for the second-year
waiver. The tuition waiver shall be granted for undergraduate studies only.
(2)
Students named by the work force training and education coordinating board
after June 30, 1994, as recipients of the Washington award for vocational
excellence under RCW 28C.04.520 through 28C.04.550 shall be eligible to receive
a grant for undergraduate course work as authorized under section 8 of this
act.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 8. A new
section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
Recipients of the Washington award for vocational excellence under RCW
28C.04.520 through 28C.04.550, who receive the award after June 30, 1994, may
receive a grant, if funds are available. The grant shall be used to attend a
postsecondary institution located in the state of Washington. Recipients may
attend an institution of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, or an
independent college or university, or a licensed private vocational school.
The higher education coordinating board shall distribute grants to eligible
students under this section from moneys appropriated for this purpose. The
individual grants shall not exceed, on a yearly basis, the yearly, full-time,
resident, undergraduate tuition and service and activities fees in effect at
the state-funded research universities. In consultation with the work force
training and education coordinating board, the higher education coordinating
board shall establish procedures, by rule, to disburse the awards as direct
grants to the students.
(2) To
qualify for the grant, recipients shall enter the postsecondary institution
within three years of high school graduation and maintain a minimum grade point
average at the institution equivalent to 3.00, or, at a technical college, an
above average rating. Students shall be eligible to receive a maximum of two
years of grants for undergraduate study and may transfer among in-state
eligible postsecondary institutions during that period and continue to receive
the grant.
(3) No
grant may be awarded to any student who is pursuing a degree in theology.
(4) As
used in this section, "independent college or university" means a
private, nonprofit educational institution, the main campus of which is
permanently situated in the state, open to residents of the state, providing
programs of education beyond the high school level leading at least to the
baccalaureate degree, and accredited by the Northwest association of schools
and colleges as of June 9, 1988, and other institutions as may be developed
that are approved by the higher education coordinating board as meeting
equivalent standards as those institutions accredited under this section.
(5) As
used in this section, "licensed private vocational school" means a
private postsecondary institution, located in the state, licensed by the work
force training and education coordinating board under chapter 28C.10 RCW, and
offering postsecondary education in order to prepare persons for a vocation or
profession, as defined in RCW 28C.10.020(7).
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 9. If any
provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held
invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. If
specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill
number, is not provided by June 30, 1995, in the omnibus appropriations act,
this act is null and void.
