SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1710

As of March 10, 2011

Title: An act relating to creating a strategic plan for career and technical education.

Brief Description: Creating a strategic plan for career and technical education.

Sponsors: House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Moscoso, Liias, Probst, Ladenburg, Hasegawa, McCoy, Haler, Dahlquist, Green, Wilcox, McCune, Zeiger, Roberts, Stanford, Billig, Maxwell, Hunt and Kenney).

Brief History: Passed House: 2/26/11, 80-17.

Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 3/09/11.

Staff: Susan Mielke (786-7422)

Background: Current law defines career and technical education (CTE) as a planned program of courses and learning experiences that begins with exploration of career options; supports basic academic and life skills; and enables achievement of high academic standards, leadership, options for high skill, high wage employment preparation, and advanced and continuing education.

In 2008 comprehensive legislation was enacted to enhance the rigor and relevance of secondary CTE; to align and integrate CTE more closely with academic subjects, high demand fields, industry certification, and postsecondary education; and to create CTE performance measures and targets for accountability.

Summary of Bill: The Legislature finds that much progress has been made since 2008 to enhance the rigor and relevance of CTE programs, and the Legislature intends to ensure that progress will continue.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must convene a working group to develop a statewide strategic plan for secondary CTE. The plan must contain specified components, including recommend activities that:

• can be accomplished within current resources;

• should receive top priority for additional investment; and

• could be phased-in over the next ten years.

The working group must examine specific issues, including:

• proposed changes to high school graduation requirements and ways to assure that students continue to have opportunities to pursue CTE pathways;

• the relationship between CTE courses and the Common Core Standards;

• ways to improve access to high quality CTE in a variety of school settings;

• ways to improve the transition from K-12 CTE to college programs;

• methods for replicating innovative middle and high schools; and

• a framework for transferrable and articulated certifications between secondary and postsecondary CTE so that students receive credit for knowledge and skills already mastered.

The working group will have at least 17 members, with representation that is specified, including two legislators who are also members of the Quality Education Council (QEC). A progress report is due to the Education Committees and the QEC by December 1, 2011, with a final strategic plan due December 1, 2012.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: Yes.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This bill is the next step in the process and will continue work already started in CTE by creating a statewide strategic plan. A plan will reinforce our efforts for continuous improvement in the delivery of this program and demonstrate our commitment to ensuring access to the program across the state. The process will bring together business, labor and others to work on the plan, which is timely because it will tie in with the national plan being developed for CTE, which will provide a clear vision for CTE. CTE is for students where the traditional curriculum is not effective but it is also for students who are in AP. CTE is for all students. Involvement in our CTE and the CTE student organizations keeps students in school, reduces the dropout rate in our schools, and provides an opportunity for students to participate in applied learning, which is critical to show students how the education they are learning matters and that they can compete with others and make an impact. The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (WTECB) is required by federal law to create a state plan for secondary CTE and postsecondary professional technical programs, and this bill will advance that effort. It is important that the state required plan is consistent with the federally required plan. The CTE student organizations would like to have a member on the workgroup and suggest that the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board also be represented on the workgroup.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Representative Moscoso, prime sponsor; Bruce McBurney SkillsUSA; Betty Klattenhoff, Tom Lopp, OSPI; John Carver, James Carver, Citizen and CTE student; John Page Tacoma School District; Casey Birdsell, Washington DECA; and Wes Pruitt, WTECB.