Brief Description: Creating a career and technical high school graduation option for students meeting state standards in fundamental academic content areas.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Priest, Ormsby, Kenney, Kagi, Hasegawa, P. Sullivan, Moeller, Santos and Springer).

House Committee on Education
House Committee on Appropriations
Senate Committee on Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education

Background:

High School Graduation Requirements.

Most graduation requirements are established by the State Board of Education (SBE). The SBE requirements are:

(1)      accumulate 13.5 credits in the content areas of English, math, science, social studies, health and fitness, arts, and occupational education, plus an additional 5.5 credits of electives;
(2)      complete a high school and beyond plan; and
(3)      complete a culminating project.

Local school districts may adopt additional courses or other requirements. School districts also determine whether and to what extent career and technical courses are equivalent to academic courses and meet graduation requirements in core academic areas.

Beginning with the graduating class of 2008, most students will also be required to obtain a Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) to obtain a diploma. Students must meet state standards in reading, writing, and mathematics on the high school Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) to earn a CAA. Science will be added in 2010.

Career and Technical Education.

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) establishes standards for and reviews and approves all career and technical education (CTE) programs offered by local school districts. The standards distinguish between exploratory and preparatory courses. In preparatory courses, students are expected to demonstrate a level of competency that includes application of the Essential Academic Learning Requirements to meet industry defined standards for a specific career, demonstrate leadership and employability skills, and be employment ready or prepared for postsecondary options. The occupational skills in an approved program are written based on nationally or locally recognized industry standards.

A number of CTE programs lead to a credential or certificate recognized by the appropriate industry as a benchmark level of knowledge and skills.

Summary:

The SBE is required to reevaluate graduation requirements for students in vocationally intensive and rigorous CTE programs to ensure that students enrolled in these programs have the opportunity to earn their CAA, complete the CTE program, and complete other state and local graduation requirements. The SBE must report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by December 1, 2007.

Each high school or school board must adopt course equivalencies for high school CTE courses using a course equivalency approval procedure adopted by the board. The equivalency may be for whole or partial credit. Career and technical courses determined to be equivalent to academic core courses must be accepted as meeting core requirements, including graduation requirements, if the courses are recorded on the student's transcript using the academic department designation and title.

The SPI must develop an objective alternative assessment for career and technical education programs, which must be comparable in rigor to the skills and knowledge that a student must demonstrate on the WASL. The alternative assessment includes an evaluation of a collection of work samples prepared and submitted by an applicant who is enrolled in a CTE program. The SPI must develop guidelines for the collection of work samples in consultation with community and technical colleges, employers, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, apprenticeship programs, and other regional and national experts in career and technical education.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   98   0
Senate   47   0   (Senate amended)
House   95   0   (House concurred)

Effective: June 7, 2006

Partial Veto Summary: The Governor vetoed the section requiring the SPI to develop an objective alternative assessment to the WASL for students in career and technical education programs.