BILL REQ. #:  S-1142.1 

Read first time 02/06/13.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.

     AN ACT Relating to aligning high-demand secondary STEM or career and technical education programs with applied baccalaureate programs; amending RCW 28A.300.515 and 28B.50.810; and making an appropriation.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28A.300.515 and 2007 c 396 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:
     The superintendent of public instruction shall provide support for statewide coordination for math, science, and technology, including employing a statewide director for math, science, and technology. The duties of the director shall include, but not be limited to:
     (1) Within funds specifically appropriated therefor, obtain a statewide license, or otherwise obtain and disseminate, an interactive, project-based high school and middle school technology curriculum that includes a comprehensive professional development component for teachers and, if possible, counselors, and also includes a systematic program evaluation. The curriculum must be distributed to all school districts, or as many as feasible, by the 2007-08 school year;
     (2) Within funds specifically appropriated therefor, supporting a public-private partnership to assist school districts with implementing an ongoing, inquiry-based science program that is based on a research-based model of systemic reform and aligned with the Washington state science grade level expectations;
     (3) Within funds specifically appropriated therefor, supporting a public-private partnership to provide enriching opportunities in mathematics, engineering, and science for underrepresented students in grades kindergarten through twelve using exemplary materials and instructional approaches;
     (4) In an effort to increase precollege and prework interest in math, science, and technology fields, in collaboration with the community and technical colleges, the four-year institutions of higher education, and the workforce training and education coordinating board, conducting outreach efforts to attract middle and high school students to careers in math, science, and technology and to educate students about the coursework that is necessary to be adequately prepared to succeed in these fields;
     (5) Coordinating youth opportunities in math, science, and technology, including facilitating student participation in school clubs, state-level fairs, national competitions, and encouraging partnerships between students and university faculty or industry to facilitate such student participation;
     (6) Developing and maintaining public-private partnerships to generate business and industry assistance to accomplish the following:
     (a) Increasing student engagement and career awareness, including increasing student participation in the youth opportunities in subsection (5) of this section;
     (b) Creation and promotion of student scholarships, internships, and apprenticeships;
     (c) Provision of relevant teacher experience and training, including on-the-job professional development opportunities;
     (d) Upgrading kindergarten through twelfth grade school equipment and facilities to support high quality math, science, and technology programs;
     (7) Assembling a cadre of inspiring speakers employed or experienced in the relevant fields to speak to kindergarten through twelfth grade students to demonstrate the breadth of the opportunities in the relevant fields as well as share the types of coursework that ((is [are])) are necessary for someone to be successful in the relevant field;
     (8) Providing technical assistance to schools and school districts, including working with counselors in support of the math, science, and technology programs; ((and))
     (9) Subject to available funding, working with community and technical colleges to develop high-demand applied baccalaureate programs that align with high quality secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs and career and technical education programs; and
     (10) Reporting annually to the legislature about the actions taken to provide statewide coordination for math, science, and technology.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.50.810 and 2012 c 229 s 816 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The college board may select community or technical colleges to develop and offer programs of study leading to applied baccalaureate degrees. Colleges may submit applications to the college board. The college board shall review the applications and select the colleges using objective criteria, including, but not limited to:
     (a) The college demonstrates the capacity to make a long-term commitment of resources to build and sustain a high quality program;
     (b) The college has or can readily engage faculty appropriately qualified to develop and deliver a high quality curriculum at the baccalaureate level;
     (c) The college can demonstrate demand for the proposed program from a sufficient number of students within its service area to make the program cost-effective and feasible to operate;
     (d) The college can demonstrate that employers demand the level of technical training proposed within the program, making it cost-effective for students to seek the degree; ((and))
     (e) The proposed program fills a gap in options available for students because it is not offered by a public four-year institution of higher education in the college's geographic area; and
     (f) The proposed program supports the continuation of high quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs or career and technical education programs offered to students in kindergarten through twelfth grade who are prepared and aspire to continue in these high-demand areas in college and the workforce.
     (2) A college selected under this section may develop the curriculum for and design and deliver courses leading to an applied baccalaureate degree. However, degree programs developed under this section are subject to approval by the college board under RCW 28B.50.090.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, from the general fund to the state board for community and technical colleges solely for start-up and planning funds for two applied baccalaureate degree programs at community and technical colleges as authorized in section 2 of this act.