BILL REQ. #: H-3841.2
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/26/12. Referred to Committee on Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to creating innovations in higher education; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The legislature finds that: (a) Longer-term economic trends, accelerated by the recession, are changing and
enlarging the public's requirements for higher education; (b) the
future of state's citizens and businesses requires a radical increase
in high quality educational attainment; and (c) an increasing
proportion of jobs require baccalaureate degrees while prospects are
minimal for those with only a high school diploma or less.
(2) The legislature also finds that in addition to a general
requirement to rapidly increase educational attainment at all levels,
innovative approaches are needed to meet the educational needs of two
particular groups of citizens: (a) To retain or increase their earning
power, large numbers of workers need to meet the economy's growing
demands for baccalaureate-level skills, which may need to be frequently
refreshed by additional baccalaureate-level study and training; and (b)
large numbers of underskilled, under and unemployed persons need a
practical, affordable path to gaining the entry-level academic skills
prerequisite for college and university education and training.
(3) Recognizing innovations by several of the state's baccalaureate
universities and community and technical colleges to address these
emerging needs, the legislature intends to launch two pilot projects.
The legislature intends that one project, to be led by baccalaureate
institutions, will design and demonstrate innovative approaches to
baccalaureate-level instruction able to meet the needs of workers and
businesses in the growth sectors of the state's economy. The
legislature intends that another project, to be led by community and
technical college institutions, will design and demonstrate innovative
approaches to meeting the remedial and developmental education needs of
potential workers to prepare to be successful higher education
students.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 Working with the higher education
coordinating board or successor agency, business, and other partners as
may be appropriate, the four-year institutions of higher education are
encouraged to collaborate in order to design innovative approaches to
greatly increase the number of resident students working toward and
gaining baccalaureate degrees or further updating or advancing their
academic credentials. The four-year institutions of higher education
shall submit to the governor and the higher education and education
fiscal committees of the legislature an interim report by August 1,
2012, and a final report and proposals for implementation by December
1, 2012. The four-year institutions of higher education must include
in the interim or final report a survey of relevant innovations by any
of the institutions and propose a comprehensive plan for implementing
further, system-wide innovations designed to rapidly and substantially
increase baccalaureate-level educational attainment by Washington
residents employed or seeking employment in the high growth sectors of
the state's economy.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 Working with the higher education
coordinating board or successor agency, business, and other agencies
and partners as may be appropriate, the state board for community and
technical colleges is encouraged to charter a consortium of volunteer
community and technical colleges to design innovative approaches to
rapidly and substantially increase the cost-effective delivery of
developmental and remedial education. Wherever possible those
innovations are to be tested in immediate pilot projects. The state
board for community and technical colleges shall submit to the governor
and the higher education and education fiscal committees of the
legislature an interim report by August 1, 2012, and a final report and
proposals for implementation by December 1, 2012. The state board for
community and technical colleges must include in the interim or final
report a survey of relevant innovations by any of the colleges and
propose a comprehensive plan for implementing further, system-wide
innovations designed to rapidly and substantially increase the cost-effectiveness of remedial and developmental education instruction for
the full range of students seeking access to college and university
education.