AN ACT Relating to establishing a pilot project to create and expand instructional worksite learning; adding a new section to chapter 28A.630 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration.

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

(a) Southwest Washington is one of the top one hundred science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), regions in the nation, with advanced industries producing almost forty percent of the regional product;

(b) The skills needed for this region's advanced industries have been changing at such a rate that a mismatch between the needed skills and the skills of the emerging workforce exists at all levels;

(c) With more than forty percent of youth entering directly into the workforce upon leaving high school, this skills mismatch has significant impact on the lives of our youth and on the economy; and

(d) Developing nontraditional instructional worksite learning experiences is essential because many advanced industry employers do not allow traditional internships for high school age students due to confidentiality, safety, and proprietary industry activities within their facilities.

(2) The legislature intends to develop and expand both traditional and nontraditional instructional worksite learning experiences to provide school districts with an excellent opportunity to prepare students for rewarding, high demand, living wage careers within the southwest Washington region.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.630 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Advanced industries" means the following industries:

(i) Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing;

(ii) Computer systems design and related services;

(iii) Architectural, engineering, and related services;

(iv) Management, scientific, and technical consulting services;

(v) Software publishers; and

(vi) Pharmaceuticals and medicine;

(b) "Eligible school district" means a school district that is a member of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning network located south of highway 12 and east of the crest of the Cascade mountains.

(c) "Instructional worksite learning coordinator" means a certified school district employee responsible for coordinating instructional worksite learning experiences and who possesses the certificate or competencies required by WAC 392-410-315.

(d) "Nontraditional instructional worksite learning" means a minimum ninety hour learning experience that is developed collaboratively between a high demand business and a school district, and includes the following components:

(i) A minimum of twenty hours of business partner contact time, which may be electronic, using technology to bridge geographical gaps; and

(ii) Industry specific training developed by the business partner and the school district.

(e) "Traditional instructional worksite learning" means a learning experience that occurs at a qualified worksite outside the classroom, has direct instruction and supervision provided by a qualified instructional worksite supervisor, is coordinated by an instructional worksite learning certified teacher, and fulfills elements of a student's educational or career plan.

(2) The creating and expanding instructional worksite learning pilot project is established to:

(a) Expand traditional and nontraditional instructional worksite learning opportunities for students by incentivizing high growth advanced industry companies in the southwest Washington community to start or grow instructional worksite learning programs; and

(b) Fund the work of school worksite learning coordinators.

(3)(a) During the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years, up to a combined total of two hundred eleventh and twelfth grade students in eligible school districts who enroll in a traditional or nontraditional instructional worksite learning experience, in accordance with WAC 392-410-315, may be claimed annually as 1.2 full-time equivalent students.

(b) In addition, eligible districts may claim twelve hundred dollars per student, claimed under (a) of this subsection, to fund project management, business recruitment, curriculum development, and to assist with expenses, such as student intern uniforms, curriculum materials, mentoring time, and transportation costs. The total amount disbursed for these costs may not exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars for all eligible districts.

(4)(a) By October 1, 2018, a school district participating in this pilot project must prepare an end-of-project report. The report must include:

(i) The district's experience with the pilot project, including a list of newly approved instructional worksites developed because of the pilot project;

(ii) A description of how the pilot project changed the number of students completing instructional worksite learning experiences;

(iii) The number of instructional worksite learning credits each student earned during the pilot project;

(iv) Whether the district hired any additional instructional worksite learning coordinators during the pilot project;

(v) The postsecondary outcomes of students who successfully completed an instructional worksite learning experience during the pilot project; and

(vi) Whether the pilot project changed the number of hours that the district spent coordinating instructional worksite learning opportunities.

(b) The report must be submitted to the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036.

(5) This section expires June 30, 2019.

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