Background:

Innovation Schools and Lighthouse Programs.

In 2010 the Legislature made a commitment to support multiple strategies to improve teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by directing the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to designate up to three middle schools and up to three high schools to serve as lighthouse schools. These lighthouse schools would serve best practice examples and provide technical assistance and advice to other schools creating an alternative learning environment focused on STEM. Selected schools are awarded grants of up to $20,000. Since 2011, 29 schools have been selected.

In 2011 the Legislature recognized the wide range of innovative programs and initiatives that operate successfully in public schools. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) was directed to develop criteria and a process for identifying innovating public schools in Washington. Out of 42 completed applications, 22 schools were selected.

High School and Beyond Plans.

One of the state graduation requirements is the completion of a High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP). State Board of Education rules provide that each student must have a HSBP for their high school experience, including what they expect to do the year following graduation. The content of the plan and whether a student's plan meets the requirement is determined at the district level.

Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.

The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (WTB) provides planning, coordination, evaluation, monitoring, and policy analysis for the state training system as a whole, and advice to the Governor and Legislature concerning the state training system, in cooperation with the state training system and the Washington Student Achievement Council. The WTB has nine voting members: representatives of business and labor appointed by the Governor, the SPI, the executive director of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), and the commissioner of the Employment Security Department.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

Pilot Project.

The career and college-ready lighthouse pilot project is established, subject to a specific appropriation. The purpose of the pilot project is to provide an opportunity for students to:

explore and understand a wide range of career opportunities through applied learning;
engage with industry mentors; and
plan for career and college success.

The advisory committee, described below, in cooperation with the OSPI, must select two innovative high schools to act as lighthouse mentors: one with an aviation theme and a solid partnership with the aviation industry, and one with a health and bioscience theme and a solid partnership with the health and bioscience industries. The schools selected as lighthouses must serve as resources and examples of how to deliver academic content in a project-based career-related manner, as well as best practices for connecting students to external mentors and offering work-integrated learning experiences in partnership with industry and community members.

The advisory committee must also select four schools seeking to pilot innovative work-integrated and career-related instructional programs similar to those offered by the lighthouse mentors: one in southwest Washington; one in central Washington; one in Eastern Washington; and one in the Seattle area of the Puget Sound region.

Beginning in the 2017-18 school year, the pilot schools must implement a STEM curriculum, developed in collaboration with the lighthouse mentors and the advisory committee, that can be delivered in the context of employment opportunities in one or more industry clusters, including manufacturing, building and construction, aerospace and maritime, and health and bioscience. The three main features of the instructional program are:

an external mentor for each student;
academic curricula delivered in a work-integrated and career-related manner; and
opportunities for work-integrated learning experiences, prioritizing paid internship and apprenticeship opportunities.

The school districts with the selected lighthouse and pilot schools must submit to the WTB an interim report by August 1, 2018, and an end-of-project report by August 1, 2019. The report must include an evaluation of the effect of the instructional program on high school graduation rates, state test scores, industry and community partnerships, work-integrated learning experiences, and any other relevant data.

Advisory Committee.

The WTB must convene a career and college readiness advisory committee to advise the education and workforce sectors, and the Legislature, on how to create opportunities for students to: explore and understand a wide range of career-related opportunities through applied learning; engage with industry mentors; and plan for career and college success.

With staff support provided by the WTB, the advisory committee must:

select, in cooperation with the SPI, schools to act as lighthouse mentors and schools to pilot STEM curricula that can be delivered in the context of employment opportunities in one or more industry clusters;
advise the SPI and school districts on the development and implementation of work-integrated instructional programs;
review the instructional programs of the lighthouse and pilot schools using data and methodology guidance from the WTB; and
recommend policies to implement work-integrated and career-related strategies that increase college and career readiness of students statewide.

The membership of the advisory committee includes:

one member from the relevant caucuses of the Senate appointed by the majority and minority leaders of the Senate;
one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
one educator representing the K-12 career and technical education sector appointed by the SPI, based on the recommendations of the Association for Career and Technical Education;
one school counselor appointed by the SPI, based on the recommendations of the School Counselor Association;
one educator representing the community and technical colleges appointed by the SBCTC;
one member of the Governor's office specializing in career and technical education and workforce needs, appointed by the Governor;
one member of the WTB; and
other members with specialized expertise, determined by the advisory committee.

The advisory committee must consult with individuals from the public and private sector with expertise in career and technical education and work-integrated training, including representatives of labor unions, professional technical organizations, and business and industry.

The committee must report its findings, including a review of the evaluation of the lighthouse and pilot school's instructional programs, and an analysis of barriers to statewide adoption of work-integrated and career-related learning opportunities and instructional programs, and recommendations to the SPI, the Legislature, and the SBCTC by November 1, 2019.

Evaluation of Instructional Programs.

The WTB, in consultation with the advisory committee, must use the reports submitted by the lighthouse and pilot schools, along with historical data from those schools, to evaluate the school's instructional programs to determine:

the impact on in-school progress, high school graduation rates, and other indicators of career and college readiness, both overall and in reducing opportunity gaps;
best practices for partnering with industry and the local community to create opportunities for applied learning through internships, apprenticeships, and mentorships; and
ways to link HSBPs to work-integrated and career-related learning opportunities.

The evaluation must be completed in time for the results to be reviewed and incorporated into the report of the advisory committee.

All sections of the act expire July 1, 2020.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) In 2011 Harvard College issued a report called Pathways to Prosperity that found states are not preparing young people with the right opportunities to enter into a career. The report found that education systems focused on the four-year track, but that for some students this is not the right path. Washington has several innovative schools, such as Aviation High School in King County and Henrietta Lacks (HeLa) High School in Southwest Washington. These programs are contextualizing career and employment opportunities and providing students with real work experience. Employers are crying for people with soft skills. Having an adult mentor, not in the school or family, is an important resource for young adults. This is someone the students can go to for career advice and guidance. This bill seeks to seed innovative programs in other parts of the state and to learn from the experience of the lighthouse schools to ensure the success of pilot projects that highlight career and college readiness for students.

A positive synergy exists between some schools and their high technology industry partners to provide students with on-site, workplace learning experiences. These projects have been very successful, but only for a limited number of students. Lots of coordination is required between the school and the participating industry employer. There are also transportation issues and other costs to overcome. The skills the students are getting are needed in today's modern workplace. The students in these programs are learning important soft skills, such as building a resume, punctuality, appearance, communication, conflict resolution, and use of electronic mail. These skills will stay with them for a lifetime.

Some industry employers and associations have partnered with school districts to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematics networks. It is important to begin thinking about the integration between curriculum, work-based learning experience, and mentoring. The power of those three things coming together helps address workforce issues. It is important to explore the multiple ways to make this work, based on the varied needs of schools and districts in different regions around the state. There are models that allow students to learn necessary soft skills, receive college credit, and tuition reimbursement.

These skills are not taught in school, but are necessary for employment. College does teach many of these skills in communications and business classes. However, the students that do not go to college often do not learn these skills. Internships are also networking and mentoring experiences. Most young people do not know how to speak to supervisors. Many former interns still contact their mentors to ask for advice. Internships can open doors to opportunities that some students would not know about.

Interns do not produce project, but have a valuable learning experience. Producing quality experience is a lot of work for the employer and the school. The employer must partner with the school, come up with a good project, and train the mentors in coaching the student. The benefit for the employer is in hiring former interns, who end up being fantastic employees. Expanding worksite learning experiences will require supporting the industry employers and the schools.

The WTB has been trying to figure out how to move young people more effectively into the work force where there is actual economic security. Labor force participation among young people is declining, not solely from the recession, and is not getting better. Career-connected and work-integrated learning are success factors for getting youth employed. Effectiveness in the workplace is built upon lots of experience that young people often do not have. These programs build muscle memory about how to work and build the habits of mind that make effective workers.

(Opposed) None.