Brief Description: Regarding secondary career and technical education.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Hobbs, Fairley, Rockefeller, McAuliffe, Kohl-Welles, Berkey, Shin, Regala, Oemig, Kilmer, Eide, Fraser, Franklin and Rasmussen; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction).

Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education
Senate Committee on Ways & Means
House Committee on Education
House Committee on Appropriations

Background: The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) defines career and technical education (CTE) as a planned program of courses and learning experiences that begin with exploration of career options, supports basic academic and life skills, and enables achievement of high academic standards, leadership, preparation for industry-defined work, and advanced and continuing education. The SPI is required to set standards for and approve all middle and high school CTE courses and programs.

The Legislature has authorized collections of evidence or student work samples as an alternative assessment to the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), including a CTE collection of evidence.

Since 2006, the Legislature has funded Navigation 101, which is a life skills and planning curriculum for students in grades 6 through 12 that helps students make plans for life beyond high school. In 2007 the Legislature created the Building Bridges grant program for partnerships of schools, families, and communities to build a comprehensive dropout prevention, intervention and retrieval system.

In 2004 the community and technical colleges began a demonstration project called Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST), which integrates English as a second language (ESL), adult basic education, and professional-technical instruction in the classroom to concurrently provide students with literacy education and workforce skills.

The Future Teachers' Conditional Scholarship Program provides financial aid for teacher candidates who make a commitment to teach in public schools once they have completed a teacher preparation program. Currently, there is a priority for teachers who seek to become endorsed in math, science, technology, and special education.

Last session, the Legislature created the Joint Select Committee on Basic Education Finance to review the definition of basic education and the current basic education funding formulas, develop options for a new funding structure and all necessary formulas, and propose a new definition of basic education. Additionally, the Legislature created an advisory committee to identify CTE curricula that will assist students to meet the state standard on the WASL or an alternative assessment. The advisory committee was not to extend beyond December 15, 2008.

Summary: The CTE Act is created. Statutes addressing CTE are organized in a new title in the Revised Code of Washington.

The SPI must develop a re-approval schedule for all CTE programs. The programs must meet additional approval criteria by August 31, 2010. Additional criteria are also added for all preparatory secondary CTE programs.

The SPI must establish performance measures and targets for CTE programs in specified areas. If a district fails to meet the performance targets then SPI may require a school district to submit an improvement plan.

The SPI, with the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (WTECB), the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council, and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) must develop a list of statewide high-demand secondary CTE programs. Subject to funds being appropriated, the WTECB with others, will administer the in-demand scholars program to attract high school students into high-demand fields.

The SPI, SBCTC, WTECB, the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB), and the Council of Presidents must work with local school districts and others to develop model CTE programs of study. During the 2008-09 school year, model programs must be developed for construction, health care, and information technology. Additional programs of study must subsequently be developed, with a priority on high-demand programs.

The SPI must provide professional development and technical assistance to support school districts adopt academic course equivalencies for CTE courses. If funds are provided, the SPI will allocate grants to school districts to increase the integration and rigor of academic instruction in CTE courses.

If funds are provided, the SPI must allocate one-time grants to middle and high schools and skill centers to improve CTE curriculum, create a pre-apprenticeship program, upgrade technology and equipment and improve rigor and quality. Priority must be given to high-cost programs (due to technology and equipment necessary to maintain certification) and high-demand programs.

Course completion certificates must be issued by high schools or school districts when a student successfully completes a CTE course as needed for industry certification, college credit, or pre-apprenticeship. The certificate must be part of either the student's high school and beyond plan or culminating project. The SPI must develop and make available electronic samples of certificates of course completion.

The current practice of community and technical colleges, high schools, and skill centers creating articulation and dual credit agreements for CTE students is codified. Skill centers may enter into agreements with school districts to grant a high school diploma to enable students to attend the skill center on a full-time basis without co-enrollment at the district high school. High school completion programs at skill centers must be designed as dropout prevention and retrieval programs for at-risk and credit-deficient students or fifth-year seniors. Skill centers may use the Building Bridges grants to develop high school completion programs.

If funds are provided, the I-BEST pilot program is created to integrate CTE instruction, core academic and basic skills, and ESL for secondary students. Three-year grants will be allocated to high schools or skill centers on a competitive basis by the SPI. An evaluation of the pilot project must be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2011. The SBCTC must provide technical assistance to the SPI and the pilot project. Additionally, the SBCTC must designate one or more community and technical colleges with exemplary post-secondary I-BEST programs to serve as mentors for the project. The project expires June 30, 2012.

The requirements for the SPI guidelines addressing the CTE Collection of Evidence are changed to be tailored to at least ten different CTE programs and must be completed by September 1, 2008. Guidelines for ten additional programs must be developed by June 1, 2009.

If funds are appropriated, the SPI must develop and conduct an ongoing campaign to increase awareness among teachers, counselors, students, parents, principals, school administrators, and the general public about the opportunities offered by CTE programs. The SPI must seek advice, participation, and financial assistance from the WTECB, institutions of higher education, foundations, employers, apprenticeship and training councils, workforce development councils and business and labor organizations for the campaign.

The Navigation 101 curriculum may add the exploration of options and opportunities for CTE education, including emerging and high-demand programs. If funds are appropriated, the SPI must provide support for the Navigation 101 programs including on-going development and improvement of the curriculum.

A skill center and local community or technical college may enter into an agreement for the skill center to provide CTE courses that are necessary to complete an industry certificate or credential for students who have received a high school diploma, if the skill center has adequate facilities and capacities to offer the courses, or the community or technical college does not offer the necessary courses. The student may be charged college tuition and fees. The amount transmitted by the college to the skill center must be an agreed upon amount to pay for the student's courses.
If funds are provided, the SPI must provide grants to offset the costs of required examination or testing fees associated with obtaining state or industry certification in a CTE program. To be eligible, students must meet specified requirements which include having a family income that is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

CTE teacher candidates are eligible for Future Teacher's Conditional Scholarships to obtain certification or an endorsement. Priority will be given to applicants seeking certification in high-demand programs.

If funds are appropriated, the SPI must conduct a feasibility study to create technical high schools and make recommendations on specified issues. An interim progress report is due to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2008, and a final report with recommendations is due by September 15, 2009.

The SPI must ensure that all funds generated by skill center students under Initiative 728 be returned to the skill centers.

When developing the new funding structure for basic education, the Joint Select Committee on Basic Education Finance must consider the staffing ratios and other components needed to support CTE programs. The CTE curriculum advisory committee is extended to December 2009.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      49   0
House      93   0   (House amended)
Senate      48   0   (Senate concurred)

Effective:   June 12, 2008
         September 1, 2008 (Section 401)

Partial Veto Summary: The provisions creating the I-BEST pilot program and grants to integrate CTE instruction, core academic skills, and ESL for secondary students are removed. The requirement that the WTECB with others administer the in-demand scholars program to attract high school students into high-demand fields is removed.