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SUBSTITUTE
SENATE BILL 5742
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AS
AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
Passed
Legislature - 1995 Regular Session
State of Washington 54th
Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By
Read first time 02/27/95.
Establishing the
Washington state vocational agriculture teacher recruitment program.
AN ACT
Relating to the recruitment, preparation, and continuing education of
vocational agriculture teachers; adding a new section to chapter 28A.415 RCW;
and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. The
legislature recognizes that the state of Washington has a rich agricultural
history and that agriculture continues to be one of the most basic and
important industries of the state. The legislature finds that the growth of
this vital industry requires that students continue to receive vocational
agriculture instruction from trained and qualified vocational agriculture
instructors. The legislature further finds that the number of qualified
vocational agriculture educators is declining. The legislature finds that a
vocational agriculture teacher recruitment program is necessary to protect the
educational and career opportunities for students with interests in vocational
agriculture.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A new
section is added to chapter 28A.415 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
The Washington state vocational agriculture teacher recruitment program is
established. The program shall be designed by the state board of education, in
consultation with the higher education coordinating board, representatives of
institutions of higher education, education organizations having an interest in
teacher recruitment issues, state-wide agricultural business organizations,
organizations having an interest in agriculture education, the superintendent
of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges,
and the department of agriculture. The program shall be designed to recruit
students who are in grades nine through twelve and adults who have entered
other occupations to be future vocational agriculture teachers.
(2)
The program shall include the following:
(a)
Encouraging students in grades nine through twelve to acquire the academic and
related skills necessary to prepare for the study of vocational agriculture at
an institution of higher education;
(b)
Promoting vocational agriculture teaching career opportunities to develop an
awareness of the opportunities in the education profession;
(c)
Providing opportunities for students to experience the application of regular
high school course work to activities related to a teaching career in
vocational agriculture;
(d)
Providing information on the transferability of skills learned in other
occupations and professions to activities related to a teaching career in
vocational agriculture;
(e)
Providing opportunities for underrepresented populations to participate in
activities related to a teaching career in vocational agriculture; and
(f)
Providing for increased cooperation among institutions of higher education
including community colleges, the superintendent of public instruction, the
state board of education, and local school districts in working toward the
goals of the program.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. 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.
