(1) Each high school or school district board of directors shall adopt course equivalencies for career and technical high school courses offered to students in high schools and skill centers. A career and technical course equivalency may be for whole or partial credit. Each school district board of directors shall develop a course equivalency approval procedure. Boards of directors must approve AP computer science courses as equivalent to high school mathematics or science, and must denote on a student's transcript that AP computer science qualifies as a math-based quantitative course for students who take the course in their senior year.
(2) School district boards of directors must, at a minimum, grant academic course equivalency for at least one statewide equivalency high school career and technical course from the list of courses approved by the superintendent of public instruction under RCW
28A.700.070.
(3)(a) If the list of courses is revised after the 2015-16 school year, the school district board of directors must grant academic course equivalency based on the revised list beginning with the school year immediately following the revision.
(b) Each high school or school district board of directors may additionally adopt local course equivalencies for career and technical education courses that are not on the list of courses approved by the superintendent of public instruction under RCW
28A.700.070 as local equivalency courses in support of RCW
28A.700.070.
(c) Approved local or state equivalency courses at any core, branch, or satellite skill center must be offered for academic credit to all students participating in courses at those sites.
(4) On and after September 1, 2021, any statewide equivalency course offered by a school district or accessed at a skill center must be offered for academic credit.
(5) Career and technical courses determined to be equivalent to academic core courses, in full or in part, by the high school or school district shall be accepted as meeting core requirements, including graduation requirements, if the courses are recorded on the student's transcript using the equivalent academic high school department designation and title. Full or partial credit shall be recorded as appropriate. The high school or school district shall also issue and keep record of course completion certificates that demonstrate that the career and technical courses were successfully completed as needed for industry certification, college credit, or preapprenticeship, as applicable. The certificate shall be part of the student's high school and beyond plan. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop and make available electronic samples of certificates of course completion.
(6) Prior to course scheduling or course registration for the next school term, each public school that serves students in any of grades nine through 12 must provide all students and their parents or legal guardians with information about the opportunities for meeting credit-based graduation requirements through equivalency courses, including those available within the school district or at a skill center.
Findings—Intent—2013 c 241: "(1) The legislature finds that:
(a) Through such initiatives as grants for high-demand career and technical education programs and participation in the Microsoft IT academy, the state has previously supported K-12 computer science education;
(b) However, even though there were nearly sixty-five thousand student enrollments in high school computer science courses in the 2011-12 school year, more than half of those enrollments were in beginning or exploratory courses. Fewer than twelve hundred students enrolled in AP computer science courses;
(c) National studies of K-12 computer science education indicate that, in part because computer science is not treated as an academic subject, students may not perceive advanced computer science as relevant to their future academic or career success;
(d) Public institutions of higher education have expanded capacity to grant certificates and degrees in computer science and related fields in response to high employer demand and high student demand. Additional expansion and improvement will be dependent on new resources, updated equipment, and the availability of expert faculty;
(e) Information technology job vacancies exist at all levels of training and education and across all industries that are critical to Washington's economy; and
(f) Strategies are needed to support additional opportunities for Washington students to have careers in the innovative, technology-based or technology-enhanced industries located in our state.
(2) Therefore the legislature intends to take additional steps to improve and expand access to computer science education, particularly in advanced courses that could prepare students for careers in the field." [
2013 c 241 s 1.]
Finding—Intent—2006 c 114: "(1) The legislature finds that Washington's performance-based education system should seek to provide fundamental academic knowledge and skills for all students, and to provide the opportunity for students to acquire knowledge and skills likely to contribute to their own economic well-being and that of their families and communities.
(2) The legislature recognizes that career and technical options are available for students.
(3) High schools or school districts should take advantage of their opportunity to offer course credits, including credits toward graduation requirements, for knowledge and skills in fundamental academic content areas that students gain in career and technical education courses.
(4) Therefore the legislature intends to create a rigorous and high quality career and technical high school alternative assessment that assures students meet state standards, and also reflects nationally recognized standards for the knowledge and skills needed to pursue employment and careers in technical fields." [
2006 c 114 s 1.]