Title: An act relating to secondary career and technical education.

Brief Description: Regarding secondary career and technical education.

Sponsors: Senators Hobbs, Fairley, Rockefeller, McAuliffe, Kohl-Welles, Berkey, Shin, Regala, Oemig, Kilmer, Eide, Fraser, Franklin and Rasmussen; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 1/23/08, 1/31/08 [DPS-WM].

Ways & Means: 2/11/08, 2/12/08 [DP2S].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6377 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; King, Ranking Minority Member; Brandland, Hobbs, Holmquist, Kauffman, McDermott, Oemig, Rasmussen and Weinstein.

Staff: Susan Mielke (786-7422)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6377 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair; Pridemore, Vice Chair, Operating Budget; Zarelli, Ranking Minority Member; Brandland, Carrell, Hatfield, Hewitt, Hobbs, Honeyford, Keiser, Kohl-Welles, Oemig, Parlette, Rasmussen, Regala, Roach, Rockefeller and Schoesler.

Staff: Bryon Moore (786-7726)

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 begins 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.

Last session, the Legislature created an advisory committee to identify CTE curricula that will assist students to meet the state standard on the Washington assessment of student learning (WASL) or an alternative assessment. The committee was not to extend beyond December 15, 2008.

Summary of Bill (Recommended Second Substitute): The Career and Technical Education Act is created, and the statues addressing career and technical education are organized in a new title in the Revised Code of Washington.

The SPI must develop a re-approval schedule of CTE programs and the programs must meet additional approval criteria by August 31, 2010. Additional criteria are also added for all preparatory secondary CTE programs, including: allowing students to earn dual credit for high school and college, and leading to workforce entry, state-approved apprenticeships, or post-secondary education in a related field.

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 programs, as defined for secondary career and technical education.

The SPI must establish performance measures and targets for CTE programs in specified areas, including student academic and skill attainment, graduation rates, post-graduation employment or enrollment in post-secondary education. 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.

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 CTE programs of study must be developed for construction, health care, and information technology. The SPI, SBCTC, and the WTECB must annually select additional programs of study to develop, with a priority on high-demand programs.

The current practice of community and technical colleges, high schools, and skill centers creating articulation and dual credit agreements for CTE students is codified.

The SPI must support school district efforts to adopt course equivalencies for career and technical courses, including providing professional development and technical assistance. Subject to funds being provided, the SPI must allocate grants to school districts to provide summer school funding for middle and high schools for students to explore career opportunities in math, science, and technology through CTE.

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.

Skill centers may enter 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 are authorized to use the Building Bridges grant awards 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 English-as-a-second-language for secondary students. Academic, CTE, and English-as-a-second-language teachers must provide instruction through team and co-teaching. 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 education and fiscal legislative committees 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 requirement for SPI to develop guidelines for the CTE Collection of Evidence, which is an approved alternative assessment to the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, is changed to provide a clear pathway toward a Certificate of Academic Achievement for CTE students. The guidelines must 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 for CTE 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.

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.

The Navigation 101 guidance and planning curriculum must add 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.

CTE teacher candidates are eligible for Future Teacher's Conditional Scholarships to obtain certification or an endorsement. Applicants seeking certification in high-demand programs, as defined, have priority over other applicants.

If funds are appropriated, the SPI must contract with Educational Service District (ESD) 113 to conduct a feasibility study to create technical high schools in Washington and make recommendations on specified issues. An interim progress report is due to the Governor and the education and fiscal committees of 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.

The CTE curriculum advisory committee is extended to December 2009.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE (Recommended Substitute): The word "collaboration" is changed to "consultation" in the sections requiring OSPI to "collaborate," now "consult" with other entities. Clarifying language is added:
   1)   Running Start is specifically named as a program in which CTE students must be allowed to participate.
   2)   The performance measures and targets must address "technical" skill attainment, among other things;
   3)   Apprenticeships mean state or nationally-approved programs.
   4)   Course equivalencies adopted by school districts for high school CTE courses must also include courses offered at a skill center; and
   5)   CTE teacher candidates are included in the Future Teachers' Conditional Scholarship program and the original language is removed.

• The allocation ratio for CTE programs is changed from the original request of 18.5 to 19.25.
• The language requiring the nonemployee-related costs in skill centers to be equal to the allocation for high school CTE programs is changed to provide that the amount for skill centers will be $21,774 for the 2008-09 school year and must be increased by inflation thereafter.
• Instead of permitting the SPI to require a school district to submit an improvement plan if the district fails to meet the performance targets, the SPI must request an improvement plan.
• The WTECB and the HECB are added as entities of the OSPI must consult with to complete various activities in the bill.
• The date for when the model CTE programs of study are to be developed is changed from 2008-09 to 2009-10.
• The CTE Director must be involved in approval of any agreements entered into with a community and technical college for the high school or skill center to offer dual high school and college credit programs.
• Course completion certificates must be a part of either the high school and beyond plan or the culminating project, as determined by the student.
• The CTE awareness campaign is subject to funds being appropriated and must include the availability of the Washington Award for Vocational Excellence.
• The Navigation 101 curriculum update by the SPI is subject to funds being appropriated.
• The third party that the SPI must contract with to support a feasibility study regarding the creation of technical high schools in Washington State is specified as the Center for Research and Data Analysis at ESD 113.
• Subject to funds being appropriated, the in-demand scholarship program is created to attract high school students into high-demand fields; and
• The current CTE curriculum advisory committee is extended beyond December 15, 2008 to December 2009, and must report to the Governor and the appropriate legislative committees the status of the recommendations made in the committee's initial report and any additional recommendations to accomplish the goals of the initial report.

EFFECT OF RECOMMENDED SECOND SUBSTITUTE (Ways & Means): Removed the statutory language requiring enhancements to the vocational staffing ratios and the Skills Center allocation for non-employee related costs. Removed the section making the vocational equipment allocation provided this biennium an on-going allocation. Added career and technical education staffing ratios and other components to the specific areas required to be reviewed by the Joint Basic Education Task Force. Eliminated the section establishing the new In Demand scholarship program from the legislation.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 1, 2008.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed, except for section 401, which takes effect September 1, 2008.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill (Early Learning & K-12 Education): PRO: We need to refocus on the majority of the young people who are in our schools and who are not going to go on to a four-year college but instead want to pursue a career directly after high school. We have neglected these CTE programs and now we are experiencing a shortage of students that have an interest in these industries. This bill addresses this by providing outreach, scholarships, and grants to attract students to CTE programs. It is a comprehensive bill that sets the vision for the future of our CTE programs, addresses improvements, enhances funding, and provides incentives. CTE programs embody the new three Rs: rigor, because the programs are aligned with the academic standards; relevance, because the programs teach industry standards and real life learning; and relationships, because the programs teach leadership, citizenship, cooperation, and community service. CTE helps students to find a passion that they can work on while providing the skills needed in the future workforce. The bill components align with the WTECB strategies and objectives to expand and integrate CTE. This bill will be a great benefit for our children and our state.

Persons Testifying (Early Learning & K-12 Education): PRO: Senator Hobbs, prime sponsor; Dr. Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction; John Aultman, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Lucinda Young, Washington Education Association; Dennis Wallace, Washington Vocational Education; Shelby Adsero, SkillsUSA; Kathleen Lopp, Washington Association of CTE; David Johnson, Washington State Building Trades Council; Jim Crabbe, SBCTC; Edie Harding, State Board of Education; Steve Gano, Goodrich Aviation; Tim Probst, Washington Workforce Association; Wes Pruitt, WTECB.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Recommended First Substitute (Ways & Means): PRO: This provides a needed refocus on career and technical education programs in the state. It will allow all students, including those not bound for college, to have opportunities to have a career. Great strides have been made in expanding pre-apprenticeship programs and this bill will build off of those efforts. Students need these programs.

Persons Testifying (Ways & Means): PRO: Senator Hobbs, prime sponsor; Kathleen Lopp, Jay Leviton, Washington Association of Career and Technical Education; Steve Gano, Goodrich Aviation; James Pullman, Washington FFA Association.