SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5569

BYSenators Gaspard and Bender

Reconstituting and changing the vocational education commission and its duties.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 5, 1987

Senate Staff:Don Bennett (786-7424)

AS OF MARCH 6, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The enabling statutes for the Commission for Vocational Education (CVE) will automatically be repealed under the sunset law on June 30, 1987 unless the agency is reauthorized.  CVE was established in 1975 to provide comprehensive planning and decision-making for vocational education.  CVE is also the agency designated to receive and allocate federal funds for vocational education.  CVE additionally has responsibility for monitoring compliance with the state plan and adjudicating disputes between the two public delivery systems pertaining to vocational education. 

The difficulty surrounding vocational education for the 12 years since CVE was created is due in part to the fact that the agency has no authority to implement policy, aside from the planning process, as policy is translated to programs in the field by the two public delivery systems--the common schools and the community colleges.  The lack of coordination within the public vocational system and with the private vocational schools has also been a source of problems within the vocational education community.

SUMMARY:

The Commission for Vocational Education is expanded from seven to eight members.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and the director of the State Board for Community College Education (SBCCE), or their respective designees, serve with five citizen members appointed by the Governor.  As the terms of current members expire, the membership of the Commission will include two members representing the interests of employers, two who represent labor, one representative of agriculture, and one representative of a community based organization.

CVE is to restrict its management and operational functions and delegate functions to SPI and SBCCE whenever legally permissible under federal law.  CVE must submit proposed modifications of the state plan to SPI and SBCCE for their consideration and development of revisions.

An executive director review committee composed of the Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the director of the State Board for Community College Education, or their respective designees, screens applicants and recommends three candidates for selection as executive director to the commission.  If the commission does not select a new executive director from this list, the review committee is requested to submit three additional candidates for consideration.  The review committee also meets annually to review the job performance of the executive director and present an assessment to the commission.

A budget and rules review committee, comprised of the executive director of the commission, the director of the State Board for Community College Education, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, meets at least quarterly to review the commission's budget and expenditures, its operating needs and budget requests, and the need for new or amendatory rules.

As a condition for inclusion in the state plan for vocational education and program approval by SPI or SBCCE, school districts and community colleges shall create advisory committees for each occupational program consisting of representatives of management and labor, including joint apprenticeship training committee representatives when applicable.  Small districts, specified low-enrollment programs, or unique occupational programs may be exempt from this requirement if alternative community and labor-management involvement is provided.

Within both SPI and SBCCE, an administrative section or unit for vocational education is established.  These sections assist the commission in performing delegated functions, developing the state plan, allocating state and federal funds, and operating vocational education data systems.  Additional functions of the two agencies include evaluation and monitoring of the programs, assisting local districts in developing joint and independent programs, providing in-service education for vocational teachers, and assisting local and state chapters of vocational education student organizations.

Rule-making authority is granted to both SPI and SBCCE to implement powers and duties. SPI is given authority for the financial maintenance and program operations of the existing vocational technical institutes.

Fiscal Note:      requested

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.