BILL REQ. #:  Z-0833.1 

Read first time 12/07/11.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to grant opportunities for high school aerospace assembler, skill center manufacturing, and high school project lead the way STEM career courses; adding new sections to chapter 28A.700 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are critically important to the state's economy and will grow in importance in the future. The vitality of STEM product and process development, manufacturing, international trade, and research are dependent on a well-educated, trained, creative workforce. The legislature also finds that there are current employment opportunities and projected high employer demands in STEM careers. The legislature further finds that the interdisciplinary connections of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics taught in integrated, applied, and hands-on courses not only deepens content understanding but also extends and expands that learning to thoughtful and creative problem solving practices on the assembly line, in the laboratory, and at the drawing board.
     It is the intent of the legislature to support STEM education programs to help increase the number of Washingtonians prepared to enter STEM career fields. It is also the intent of the legislature to support courses and programs that begin in high school and build upon one another so that technical certifications and degrees are connected from high schools and skill centers to community and technical colleges and four-year universities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28A.700 RCW to read as follows:
      (1)(a) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants to high schools to implement a training program to prepare students for employment as entry-level aerospace assemblers. Grant funds must be allocated on a one-time basis and may be used to purchase or improve course curriculum, purchase course equipment, and support professional development for course teachers. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall consult and team with the community and technical colleges' center of excellence for aerospace and advanced materials manufacturing regarding the developing aerospace program of study and industry career needs. This information must assist the office of the superintendent of public instruction in refining specific aspects to the criteria in (b) of this subsection and leveraging advantages and opportunities for students in selected high schools.
     (b) The superintendent of public instruction must select grant recipients based on the criteria in this subsection (1)(b). This is a competitive grant process. Successful high school applicants must:
     (i) Demonstrate engaged and committed high school and district leadership and faculty in support of the aerospace assembler program;
     (ii) Demonstrate capacity to offer the program and maximize the use of grant resources addressing: Availability of appropriate physical space, meeting program technology requirements, providing projected enrollment from the high school as well as from other area high schools as appropriate, planned hours and days each week the program is to be offered, and other specific program requirements set forth by the office of the superintendent of public instruction;
     (iii) Demonstrate linkages to programs at local community and technical colleges and private technical schools to provide a seamless pathway for students to continue their education and career preparation beyond high school;
     (iv) Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the community and partner support for implementing an entry-level aerospace assembler program that includes one or more of the following: Apprenticeships, supplying materials, instruction support, internships, mentorships, and other program components;
     (v) Provide the plan for program implementation that includes a beginning date for first classes as well as plans for recruiting and retaining students in the course; and
     (vi) Demonstrate capacity to continue the program in years succeeding the initial grant year.
     (2) The education data center in the office of financial management must collect aerospace assembler program student participation and completion data for grant recipient high schools. The center must follow students to employment or further training and education in the two years following the students' completion of the program. Findings must be reported beginning in January 2014 and each January thereafter through January 2018 to the governor, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, other appropriate state agencies, and the appropriate education and fiscal committees of the legislature.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.700 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants to skill centers to implement enhanced manufacturing skills programs. Grant funds must be allocated on a one-time basis and may be used to purchase or improve program curriculum, purchase course equipment, and support professional development for program teachers. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall consult and team with the community and technical colleges' center of excellence for aerospace and advanced materials manufacturing regarding the developing aerospace program of study and industry career needs as well as other community and technical college manufacturing programs. This information must assist the office of the superintendent of public instruction in refining specific aspects to the criteria in subsection (2) of this section and leveraging advantages and opportunities for students in selected skill centers.
     (2) The superintendent of public instruction must select grant recipients based on the criteria in this subsection (2). This is a competitive grant process. Successful skill center applicants must:
     (a) Demonstrate that enhanced manufacturing skills programs meet industry certification standards;
     (b) Demonstrate engaged and committed skill center and school district leadership and faculty in support of the program;
     (c) Demonstrate capacity to offer the enhanced manufacturing skills programs and maximize the use of grant resources addressing: Availability of appropriate physical space, meeting program technology requirements, providing projected enrollment from area high schools and students from area community and technical colleges if space is available, planned hours and days each week the program is to be offered, and other specific program requirements set forth by the office of the superintendent of public instruction;
     (d) Demonstrate linkages to programs at local community and technical colleges and private technical schools to provide a seamless pathway for students to continue their education and career preparation beyond high school;
     (e) Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the community and partner support for implementing an enhanced manufacturing skills program that includes one or more of the following: Apprenticeships, supplying materials, instruction support, internships, mentorships, and other program components;
     (f) Provide the plan for program implementation that includes a beginning date for first classes as well as plans for recruiting and retaining students in the program; and
     (g) Demonstrate capacity to continue the program in years succeeding the initial grant year.
     (3) The education research center in the office of financial management must collect enhanced manufacturing skills programs student participation and completion data for grant recipient skill centers. The center must follow students to employment or further training and education in the two years following the students' completion of the program. Findings must be reported beginning in January 2014 and each January thereafter through January 2018 to the governor, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, other appropriate state agencies, and the appropriate education and fiscal committees of the legislature.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.700 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Subject to funds appropriated for this purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate grants to high schools to implement specialized courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers as provided by project lead the way, a national multidisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program. Grant funds must be allocated on a one-time basis and may be used to purchase course curriculum and equipment, initial course student materials, and support professional development for course teachers.
     (2) The superintendent of public instruction must select grant recipients based on the criteria in this subsection (2). This is a competitive grant process. Successful high school applicants must:
     (a) Demonstrate engaged and committed high school and district leadership and faculty in support of expanding the project lead the way program;
     (b) Demonstrate implementation of the foundational courses in the project lead the way curriculum;
     (c) Demonstrate that specialized project lead the way course faculty hold course certification or a plan for faculty to obtain required course certification;
     (d) Demonstrate capacity to offer the specialized project lead the way course and maximize the use of grant resources by addressing: Availability of appropriate physical space, meeting program technology requirements, providing projected enrollment at the high school and from area high schools as appropriate, planned hours and days each week the program is to be offered, and other specific program requirements set forth by the superintendent of public instruction;
     (e) Provide the plan for course implementation that includes a beginning date for first classes as well as plans for recruiting and retaining students in the course;
     (f) Provide a plan to promote student participation in the national project lead the way end-of-course assessments so that students have the opportunity to acquire college credit;
     (g) Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the community and partner support for implementing specialized project lead the way courses. Partner support may include one or more of the following: Supplying materials, instruction support, internships, mentorships, apprenticeships, and other program components;
     (h) Demonstrate connections to community and technical college programs as well as links to four-year higher education institution STEM programs; and
     (i) Demonstrate capacity to continue the course in years succeeding the initial grant year.
     (3)(a) The education data center in the office of financial management must, with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, collect project lead the way student course enrollment, course completion, and end-of-course assessment information.
     (b) The education data center must: (i) Study mathematics and science course-taking patterns of students completing project lead the way courses; and (ii) follow project lead the way students to employment or further training and education in the two years following high school. This study must be designed to inform policymakers about the extent to which project lead the way courses and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classes taken by project lead the way students reduce mathematics remediation of students entering the workplace, apprenticeships, community and technical colleges, and four-year institutions of higher education. Study findings must be reported annually beginning January 2014 and each January thereafter through January 2018 to the governor, appropriate state agencies, and the appropriate education and fiscal committees of the legislature.