BILL REQ. #:  H-4856.2 

READ FIRST TIME 02/03/06.   

     AN ACT Relating to expanding opportunities for graduating secondary school students to enter apprenticeships; adding new sections to chapter 49.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28C.04 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 49.04 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature finds that it is in the public interest of the state to encourage and facilitate the formation of cooperative relationships between business and labor and educational institutions that provide for the development and expansion of programs of educational skills training consistent with employment needs.
     (2) Further, the legislature finds that it is in the state's interest to make students aware of the educational training programs and career employment opportunities.
     (3) Therefore, the following shall be implemented to expand opportunities for secondary school students to prepare for technical careers and related apprenticeships:
     (a) Centers of excellence and other colleges with a high density of apprenticeship programs shall act as brokers of relevant information and resources as provided for in section 2 of this act;
     (b) An educational outreach program coordinated by the Washington state apprenticeship and training council as provided for in section 3 of this act; and
     (c) The development of direct-entry programs for graduating secondary students, approved and overseen by the Washington state apprenticeship and training council as provided for in section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 49.04 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Centers of excellence, as designated by the state board for community and technical colleges, and other colleges identified by the Washington state apprenticeship and training council as having a high density of apprenticeship programs, shall act as a broker of relevant information and resources on available grants, scholarship opportunities, job openings, and industries of growth.
     (2) Centers under subsection (1) of this section, in conjunction with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall aid all local school districts in meeting the goals of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 49.04 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The Washington state apprenticeship and training council, in conjunction with individual state-approved apprenticeship training programs and the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall lead and coordinate an educational outreach program for middle and secondary school students, parents, and educators about apprenticeship and career opportunities.
     (2) As part of the educational outreach program, the Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall communicate work force projections to the office of the superintendent of public instruction to distribute to all local school districts.
     (3) Appropriate activities of the Washington state apprenticeship and training council under this section include curriculum development, assistance with the establishment of practical opportunities for students, and seeking the advice and participation of industry and labor interests.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 49.04 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall approve and oversee direct-entry programs for graduating secondary students into building and construction-related apprenticeships by:
     (a) Assisting individual school districts in using and leveraging existing resources;
     (b) Developing guidelines, including guidelines that ensure that graduating secondary school students will receive appropriate education and training and will have the opportunity to transition to local apprenticeship programs. The guidelines must be developed with input from apprenticeship coordinators, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, the work force training and education coordinating board, the governor's policy office, and other interested stakeholders for direct-entry programs; and
     (c) Awarding ten incentive grants, based on guidelines established under (b) of this subsection, to school districts statewide solely for personnel to negotiate and implement agreements with local apprenticeships based upon state apprenticeship use requirements, as described in RCW 39.04.320, to accept graduating secondary school students with appropriate training into apprenticeship programs.
(2) Beginning December 1, 2006, the Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall provide an annual report to the education and commerce and labor committees of the legislature. The report may be provided in conjunction with the report required under section 5 of this act and must include:
     (a) The guidelines established under subsection (1)(b) of this section;
     (b) The names of the school districts receiving incentive grants under subsection (1)(c) of this section;
     (c) The results of negotiations between school districts receiving incentive grants and local apprenticeship programs;
     (d) A list of apprenticeship programs that have agreed, pursuant to negotiated agreements, to accept qualified graduating secondary students; and
     (e) The number of qualified graduating secondary students entering into apprenticeship programs each year through direct-entry programs.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 28C.04 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to funding provided for the purposes of this section, the superintendent of public instruction in consultation with the Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall allocate grants on a competitive basis to up to four pilot projects to expand enrollment of secondary school students in career and technical programs that enable them to enter apprenticeships, particularly building and construction apprenticeships, upon graduation. The purpose of the pilot projects is to develop new collaborations among K-12 education and work force education providers and try new approaches to delivering instruction and career and technical education to secondary school students.
     (a) Two of the pilot projects shall involve skill centers or high schools working collaboratively with local or regional apprenticeship programs and the Washington state apprenticeship and training council to design and offer the programs.
     (b) Two of the pilot projects shall involve community or technical colleges working collaboratively with local high schools, local or regional apprenticeship programs, and the Washington state apprenticeship and training council to design and offer the programs.
     (c) At least one of the pilot projects is encouraged to involve small or rural high schools.
     (d) In reviewing the grant applications, the superintendent of public instruction and the Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall convene a review committee representing the state board for community and technical colleges, the work force training and education coordinating board, business and labor interests with ties to apprenticeship fields, apprenticeship program coordinators, and career and technical educators in the public schools.
     (e) Pilot projects must be ready to enroll students for the 2006-07 school year.
     (f) The pilot projects shall operate for a three-year period.
     (2) In addition to enrolling students in career and technical programs that enable them to enter apprenticeships upon graduation, the pilot projects under this section may engage in but are not limited to the following activities:
     (a) Developing or modifying curriculum to align with apprenticeship entry requirements and skill expectations or to adjust curriculum to the secondary level;
     (b) Negotiating agreements to use local or regional apprenticeship program training facilities to offer programs;
     (c) Negotiating agreements with local or regional apprenticeship programs, community or technical colleges, or other contractors to provide specialized instruction within the program;
     (d) Based on guidelines and assistance from the Washington state apprenticeship and training council, negotiating direct-entry agreements with local or regional apprenticeship programs to accept pilot project graduates into the programs;
     (e) In conjunction with educational outreach efforts by the Washington state apprenticeship and training council and local or regional apprenticeship programs, conducting marketing, advertising, and communication about the pilot project to area teachers, counselors, students, and parents;
     (f) Providing tutoring and other academic support services to ensure students have the necessary academic skills for the program and for high school graduation; and
     (g) Offering other support services such as counseling, community service referral, and assistance for low-income students such as tools, supplies, books, or transportation to nonschool facilities.
     (3) To the maximum extent possible, students enrolled in a pilot project shall receive both high school and college credit for their courses through tech-prep agreements or the high school program created in RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.400 (running start).
     (4) The state funding formula for a skill center student enrolled in a pilot project under this section shall be determined based on the student's aggregate enrolled hours of instruction, not to exceed 1.2 full-time equivalent.
     (5) Funding for a student enrolled in a community or technical college pilot project under this section shall be provided through the funding mechanism under RCW 28A.600.310 (running start), including any enrollment in courses offered by the college through the pilot project that are eligible for high school but not college credit. The superintendent of public instruction and the state board for community and technical colleges may jointly adopt rules regarding enrollment reporting and allocation of funds under RCW 28A.600.310 for the community or technical college pilot projects.
     (6) The superintendent of public instruction shall convene a work group to identify barriers and opportunities for further expansion of secondary career and technical programs that enable graduates to enter apprenticeships, particularly building and construction-related apprenticeships, beyond the pilot project stage. The work group shall include representatives from the Washington state apprenticeship and training council, local or regional apprenticeship programs, community and technical colleges, high schools, and skill centers. The superintendent shall submit a report with recommendations to the education and commerce and labor committees of the legislature by December 1, 2006. Issues to be considered by the work group may include:
     (a) Expanding participation and opportunities in running start for career and technical students, particularly in apprenticeship preparation programs, including the role of using parent involvement in guidance and counseling for students to expand participation;
     (b) Addressing highly qualified teacher requirements under the federal no child left behind act;
     (c) Cross-crediting of career and technical and core academic courses;
     (d) The funding model for skill centers;
     (e) Creating benchmarks to measure outcomes from the pilot projects and from possible expansion of the projects; and
     (f) The impact of current student assessment and achievement requirements on student participation in apprenticeship preparation programs and opportunities for developing alternative assessment and achievement requirements.
     (7) This section expires August 31, 2009.