H-2754

AN ACT Relating to work force training; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the work force training and education coordinating board has identified work force development goals, performance indicators, standards, and evaluation criteria for our state's comprehensive work force training system. However, despite these efforts, the legislature finds that Washington's work force training system is unduly fragmented, spending eight hundred sixty-six million dollars in fiscal year 1996 through eighteen agencies and more than sixty-eight different training programs. In order to identify and coordinate the most efficacious use of work force training funding and to streamline program efforts, the legislature finds that the work force training and education coordinating board must intensify its efforts on: (1) Identification of program funding; (2) options for program consolidation; and (3) coordination of related programs in order to redirect resources toward programs that most effectively meet the needs of those businesses that produce family wage jobs for workers in our state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. For the purposes of this act, the term "program" does not include the activities of individual institutions, such as individual community or technical colleges, common schools, service delivery areas, or job service centers, or individual fields of study or courses.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) By December 1, 1997, the work force training and education coordinating board shall prepare a comprehensive report to the legislature identifying all current work force training programs available in our state. For each program identified in the report, the board shall, at a minimum, include the following information:

(a) The program's funding sources, whether state or federal, including a breakdown by administrative and direct service expenditures at the state, regional, and local levels. For the purposes of this subsection, the board shall define "administration" and "direct service cost" so as to ensure that the aggregate report will be comparable among programs;

(b) An indication of whether or not matching funds are required for the receipt of funds and, if so, by whom;

(d) The current number of program participants and their geographic representation;

(e) Any program participation requirements for qualification to enter the program;

(f) A review of program regulations;

(g) The type of training and other services provided to program participants;

(h) A review of program completion rates for a period of five years or the existence of the program, whichever is less; and

(i) A review of job placement rates in relation to training activities for a period of five years or the existence of the program, whichever is less.

(2) All current work force training programs available in our state shall participate in the preparation of this report as required by the board. If any work force training program fails to participate in the report, that fact shall be highlighted in the report.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) By December 1, 1997, the work force training and education coordinating board, using the information compiled under section 3 of this act and the outcome, net-impact, and cost-benefit evaluations required in RCW 28C.18.090, shall provide the legislature with efficiency recommendations including modification, consolidation, or elimination of programs identified in section 3 of this act. At a minimum, the recommendations must include all state board for community and technical colleges administered vocational programs; dislocated worker training programs; adult basic education programs; secondary vocational education; participating private vocational school programs; job training partnership act titles IIA, IIB, IIC, and III; and the state job skills program.

(2) The recommendations in this report must take into account any performance reports available for the programs.

(3) The recommendations made under this section must include provisions that will streamline and coordinate program offerings and direct training resources in response to local labor market demand. The board shall also provide recommendations to improve program effectiveness measured by retention and completion rates for program participants, and job placement and retention rates of participants in relation to training activities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The joint legislative audit and review committee shall:

(1) Conduct a performance evaluation of the work force training and education coordinating board. The evaluation must include an assessment of the degree to which tasks required of the board under RCW 28C.18.060 have been completed, an assessment of the barriers that exist to completion of required tasks, and an assessment of board recommendations and the underlying analysis used to support those recommendations; and

(2) Report its findings to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 1997.