BILL REQ. #:  H-0206.1 

Read first time 01/13/11.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to career and technical education; and amending RCW 28A.300.380 and 28B.50.531.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.300.380 and 2010 1st sp.s. c 37 s 913 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature finds that career and technical student organizations help to prepare students to meet minimum college and workforce requirements.
     (2) Career and technical student organization activities are integral to career and technical education if they:
     (a) Provide instructional strategies used to develop, improve, and expand occupational competencies that relate to a particular career and technical subject matter;
     (b) Are an extension of the classroom and laboratory instructional program that enriches and enhances classroom learning; and
     (c) Include curriculum-oriented activities to help students to gain personal and leadership skills that maximize employability and the ability to become productive citizens in the workforce, home, and community.
     (3) In order to receive state support, career and technical student organizations must:
     (a) Prepare students for career experiences beyond high school;
     (b) Help students develop personal, leadership, technical, and occupational skills;
     (c) Be an integral component of career and technical education instructional programs; and
     (d) Directly help students achieve state learning goals, especially goals three and four with respect to critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making skills. The superintendent of public instruction shall maintain support for statewide coordination for career and technical student organizations by providing program staff support that is available to assist in meeting the needs of career and technical student organizations and their members and students. The superintendent may provide additional support to the organizations through contracting with independent coordinators.
     (((2))) (4) Career and technical student organizations eligible for technical assistance and other support services under this section are organizations recognized as career and technical student organizations by:
     (a) The United States department of education; or
     (b) The superintendent of public instruction, if such recognition is recommended by the Washington association for career and technical education.
     (((3))) (5) Career and technical student organizations eligible for technical assistance and other support services under this section include, but are not limited to: The national FFA organization; family, career, and community leaders of America; skillsUSA; distributive education clubs of America; future business leaders of America; and the technology student association.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.50.531 and 2008 c 170 s 108 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) It is the legislature's intent to recognize and support the work of community and technical colleges, high schools, and skill centers in creating articulation and dual credit agreements for career and technical education students, in part by codifying current practice.
     (2) Community and technical colleges shall create agreements with high schools and skill centers to offer dual high school and college credit for secondary career and technical courses. Agreements shall be subject to approval by the chief instructional officer of the college and the principal and the career and technical education director of the high school or the executive director of the skill center.
     (3) Community and technical colleges may create dual credit agreements with high schools and skill centers that are located outside the college district boundary or service area.
     (4)(a) If a community or technical college has created an agreement with a high school or skill center to offer college credit for a secondary career and technical course, all community and technical colleges shall accept the course for an equal amount of college credit.
     (b) A college may not charge a student more than a standard transcription fee to accept a course under (a) of this subsection for college credit. If a high school or skill center believes that a community or technical college is not following the requirements of this subsection (4), the affected high school or skill center may request assistance from the college board. The college board, after consideration of the facts presented by the high school or skill center and the college, may direct the college to follow the requirements of this subsection (4).