BILL REQ. #:  S-0697.1 

Read first time 01/28/09.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to programs to help students develop saleable skills; adding a new section to chapter 28A.320 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   All students in the state of Washington need to have the opportunity to develop a skill that will help them enter the job market. When the results of education offer tangible rewards such as a job and saleable skills, dropout rates are likely to be lowered. All students should leave high school with workplace competencies and saleable skills that are transferable to a job or profession. Many employers find that their prospective employees lack the saleable skills vital to success in the marketplace. These firms need entry level workers who come equipped with academic and vocational skills. Partnerships between business and labor and the schools increase the relevance of school courses teaching saleable skills. There are examples of successful partnerships in Washington and other states, including apprenticeship programs, career days, job coaches from the business community instructing students on how to find jobs, schools working with business and labor to develop curriculum that will better prepare students for real life work experiences, after-school electronics programs for middle school students, employers designing job programs for at-risk students, classrooms in community programs, and mentorships between local business operations and students.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:
     Each school district and community in the state of Washington is encouraged to inform students and parents about programs in the school and community that will help students learn saleable skills. Additionally, each school district and community in the state of Washington is encouraged to work in partnership to promote and implement programs that will help students develop saleable skills. Further, each school district, in partnership with the community, shall recognize that saleable skills are a desired outcome for the education system and that curriculum shall be designed and implemented for every student to be able to leave high school with a saleable skill.