Background: Student Organizations. Current law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to provide staff support for statewide coordination of career and technical education (CTE) student organizations. The CTE student organizations eligible for support are those recognized by the United States Department of Education or by OSPI, if the recognition is recommended by the Washington Association for Career and Technical Education. Eligible organizations include:

National FFA Organization;
Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America;
SkillsUSA;
Distributive Education Clubs of America;
Future Business Leaders of America; and
Technology Student Association.

The 2011 supplemental operating budget passed by the Legislature in December eliminated the funding for the OSPI support of CTE student organizations for the remaining months of fiscal year 2011.

Dual Credit. A variety of education programs allow high school students to earn both high school and post-secondary credits for successful completion of courses. Opportunities for dual credit coursework include, but are not limited to the following programs:

Running Start. Allows 11th and 12th grade students to take college courses at any of Washington's community and technical colleges, Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, and Northwest Indian College. Students do not pay tuition but the school district provides the basic education allocation for a full-time Running Start student to the institution of higher education, except for 7 percent, (the amount is prorated for a less than full-time student). Additionally, students pay mandatory student fees and buy their own books.
College in the High School. Allows a student to earn college credit on the high school campus. Although the high school student is officially enrolled in the college or university the student does not pay tuition. Fees and student eligibility are established through a local agreement between the high school and college or university. The courses are taught by teachers meeting college or university faculty requirements.
Tech Prep. Tech Prep serves students in grades 9-12. All Tech Prep dual credit classes are taken on the high school campus and are identified as CTE classes. There is no charge for tuition and no or minimal costs for books and supplies. The high school pays a fee to participate in the consortium.

In 2008 legislation was passed with the stated intent to recognize and support the work of community and technical colleges, high schools, and skill centers in creating articulation and dual credit agreements for CTE students by codifying the practice of the colleges creating dual credit agreements with high schools or skill centers that are located inside or outside the college district boundary or service area. If a college has a dual credit agreement with a high school or skill center then all community and technical colleges must accept the course for an equal amount of college credit. There is currently no statutory process for addressing possible disputes between a college and a high school or skill center on this issue.

Summary of Bill: Student Organizations. In order to receive state support, CTE student organizations must:

prepare students for career experiences beyond high school;
help students develop personal, leadership, technical, and occupational skills;
directly help students achieve state learning goals, especially goals related to critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; and
be an integral component of CTE instructional programs.

CTE student organizational activities are integral to CTE if they:

provide instructional strategies to develop, improve, and expand occupational competencies related to a particular career and technical subject matter;
are an extension of the classroom and laboratory instructional program; and
include curriculum-oriented activities to help students gain skills that maximize employability and the ability to become productive citizens.

Dual Credit for CTE. A community or technical college may not charge a student more than a standard transcription fee when asked to grant college credit for a secondary CTE course where another college has agreed to offer such credit. If a high school or skill center believes a college is not accepting the secondary CTE course for an equal amount of college credit then the school or skill center may request assistance from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). After consideration of the facts presented by the high school, skill center, and college, the SBCTC may direct the college to accept the course for an equal amount of college credit.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: CTE student organizations and classes provide leadership skills for students in addition to the academic skills. It connects students with education, work, and college scholarships, which makes them successful in later life. CTE motivates students to take an active role in their education. CTE student organizations provides a positive environment that coaches students in the proper direction through a hands-on education and helps students better themselves and excel in schools. Involvement in our CTE student organizations keep students in school and reduces the dropout rate in our schools. CTE has industry wide assessments that provide documentation of the skills the students are learning. CTE is applied learning and is critical to show students how the education they are learning matters and that they can compete with others and make an impact. CTE transforms students into innovative leaders in our schools and our community through the student projects, where the students use what they learn in the classes.