HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1206

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                          Education

Title:  An act relating to vocational student leadership organizations.

Brief Description:  Requiring the superintendent of public instruction to maintain support for the state‑wide coordination of vocational student leadership organizations.

Sponsors:  Representatives Schoesler, Boldt, Grant, Regala, Doumit, Wolfe, McMorris, Dunn, Cole, Poulsen, DeBolt, Carlson, Honeyford, Sheahan, Johnson, Mielke, Blalock, Linville, Hatfield, Kessler, Tokuda, O'Brien, Anderson, Murray, Zellinsky, Conway, Keiser, Cooper, Scott and Butler.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Education:  1/28/97, 2/6/97 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Johnson, Chairman; Hickel, Vice Chairman; Cole, Ranking Minority Member; Keiser, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Linville; Smith; Sterk; Sump; Talcott and Veloria.

Staff:  Joe Hauth (786-7111).

Background:  High schools offer vocational-technical programs that have several key elements:  a vocationally certified instructor, an advisory committee comprised of business and industry professionals, and a student leadership component.  Vocational student leadership organizations are designed to foster student interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills within each vocational-technical program area as part of the overall  instructional program.  Such organizations may have state and national units which serve vocational programs at the local level. 

There are five statewide vocational student leadership organizations whose primary role is to develop leadership skills for students enrolled in vocational technical education programs in schools and skills centers.  The organizations are Future Farmers of America, Future Business Leaders of America, Future Homemakers of America, Distributive Education Clubs of America, and Vocational Industrial Clubs of America.

The vocational-technical and adult education services division within the Office of  Superintendent of Public Instruction administers the approval process for vocational-technical programs and distributes federal and state funds.  The division also provides technical services for adult basic, industrial arts, career education, educational centers, and community schools programs.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The Legislature recognizes the necessity of maintaining and promoting vocational student leadership organizations as an integral component of vocational-technical education programs.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction must continue to support and coordinate vocational student leadership organizations statewide for vocational-technical programs, including:

-Agriculture;

-Business;

-Family and consumer sciences;

-Marketing/diversified occupations;

-Trade/industrial;

-Technology education; and

-Health.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction may contract with independent vocational student leadership organizational coordinators.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The appropriation of $200,000 from the general fund to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is removed.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 21, 1997.

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

Testimony For:  The vocational student leadership organizations can no longer operate at the state level without additional assistance.  The vocational student leadership organizations provide direction to students, and have had a positive personal influence on the lives of students.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Schoesler, prime sponsor; Judy Reynolds, Vocational Student Coordinating Council; Darmeny Jones, Washington State Future Business Leaders of America; Dennis Wallace, Vocational Director; and Kurt Kingman, Mary M. Knight School Board.