FINAL BILL REPORT

E2SHB 1600

C 206 L 18

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Increasing the career and college readiness of public school students.

Sponsors: House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Santos, Pettigrew, Harris, Young, Stonier, Pike, Appleton, Johnson, Fey, Bergquist, Hudgins, Kraft, Slatter and Tarleton).

House Committee on Education

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

In addition to its constitutional charge of supervising all matters pertaining to public schools, the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and its office have numerous and broad responsibilities prescribed in statute, including:

• making rules and regulations necessary for the administration of public education requirements;

• preparing courses of study and other materials and books for the discharge of education duties; and

• fulfilling financial responsibilities, including distributing legislatively allocated funds to districts for the operation of the public school system and awarding numerous state and federally funded grants.

Career and Technical Education.

As defined in statute, "career and technical education," or CTE, is a planned program of courses and learning experiences that begins with exploration of career options and supports basic academic and life skills. State law specifies that CTE enables the achievement of high academic standards; leadership; options for high skill, high wage employment preparation; and advanced and continuing education.

Career Connect Washington.

In May of 2017 the Governor commenced a Career Connect Washington initiative (Career Connect Washington) to significantly increase the number of students who pursue good-paying jobs after high school through career-ready education. Funding for Career Connect Washington has been provided from the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and private donations. In December of 2017 the Office of the Governor announced the awarding of eight grants throughout the state totaling $6.4 million for Career Connect Washington.

Summary:

Work-Integrated Learning Initiative.

The Work-Integrated Learning Initiative (Initiative) is established. The purpose of the Initiative is to promote work-integrated learning experiences for students by providing:

• an opportunity for students to engage in work-based academic programs, such as internships, externships, and apprenticeships with public and private sector employers; and

• a framework for the development and replication of successful work-integrated learning programs throughout the state.

"Work-integrated learning" is defined to include early, frequent, and systematic learning experiences that are essential for preparing Washington youth for high-demand, family-wage jobs in Washington, and that engage students in grades 5 through 12 or through high school dropout reengagement plans.

Applicant schools receiving funding through participation in the Initiative must meet specified requirements, including:

• providing academic curricula in a work-integrated and career-contextualized manner and including an external mentor for each student in the program;

• demonstrating collaboration with and input from students, parents or guardians, local employers, community members, a workforce development council, and a labor organization;

• reflecting local circumstances, including local industries, employers, and labor markets;

• aligning the high school and beyond plans of participating students to reflect opportunities that may be available through the Initiative; and

• providing reports and data to specified recipients.

Matching Grant Program.

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) may contract with a statewide nonprofit organization with expertise in promoting and supporting work-integrated learning from early learning through postsecondary education to establish a matching grant program to fund projects implemented by schools selected to participate in the Initiative.

The matching grant program, if established, must include the following minimum requirements for the applicant schools:

• a measurable and accountable focus on low-income youth, homeless youth, and youth of color;

• accountability for increasing registered youth apprenticeships, internships, mentors, career planning, and other work-integrated learning experiences;

• the existence of regional coordinators or liaisons to facilitate links between schools, higher education institutions, business, labor, and the community in developing internships and other work-integrated learning experiences; and

• the existence of system-wide support for work-integrated learning experiences, including but not limited to career awareness, career explorations, career counseling, and career preparation and training.

Grant funds awarded through the program may be expended only to the extent that they are equally matched by private sector cash contributions for the program. Also, by November 15, 2020, and yearly thereafter, the OSPI must provide an evaluation to the Governor and the education and economic development committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Work-Integrated Learning Advisory Committee.

The SPI, in consultation with the Employment Security Department and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (Workforce Board), must convene a Work-Integrated Learning Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee) to provide advice to the Legislature and the education and workforce sectors on creating 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.

The chair or co-chairs of the Advisory Committee must be selected by its members, and staff support must be provided by the OSPI.

The Advisory Committee is tasked with:

• assisting the OSPI in the development of an application process and the selection of schools to participate in the Initiative;

• advising the SPI on the development and implementation of work-integrated instructional programs;

• reviewing the instructional programs of qualifying projects funded through the Career Connect Washington program and of schools selected to participate in the Initiative;

• analyzing barriers to statewide adoption of work-integrated and career-related learning opportunities and instructional programs;

• recommending policies to implement work-integrated and career-related strategies that increase college and career readiness of students statewide;

• consulting with individuals from the public and private sectors with expertise in CTE and work-integrated training; and

• reporting its findings and recommendations to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the State Board of Education, the Washington Student Achievement Council, and the education committees and economic development committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate by July 1, 2022.

The Advisory Committee must, at a minimum, be composed of the following members:

• one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the House of Representatives and the Senate;

• the SPI or the SPI's designee;

• one educator representing the kindergarten through grade 12 CTE sector, appointed by the SPI;

• one school counselor appointed by the SPI;

• one educator representing the community and technical colleges;

• one member of the Office of the Governor specializing in CTE and workforce needs; and

• one member of the Workforce Board.

In addition, the Advisory Committee must convene a subcommittee that includes members representing manufacturing, industry, labor, apprenticeships, and other members with specialized expertise.

Provisions establishing the Advisory Committee and prescribing its duties expire on September 1, 2022.

Votes on Final Passage:

2017 Regular Session

2017 First Special Session

2017 Second Special Session

2018 Regular Session