HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1591

As Reported by House Committee On:

Education

Title: An act relating to high school and beyond plans.

Brief Description: Concerning high school and beyond plans.

Sponsors: Representatives Ortiz-Self, Johnson, Reykdal, Moscoso, Pollet, Santos, Bergquist, Peterson, S. Hunt, Sells, Gregerson and Wylie.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Education: 2/5/15, 2/17/15 [DPS].

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 21 members: Representatives Santos, Chair; Ortiz-Self, Vice Chair; Reykdal, Vice Chair; Magendanz, Ranking Minority Member; Muri, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Stambaugh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bergquist, Caldier, Fagan, Gregory, Griffey, Hargrove, Hayes, S. Hunt, Kilduff, Klippert, Lytton, McCaslin, Orwall, Pollet and Springer.

Staff: Cece Clynch (786-7195).

Background:

One of the state graduation requirements is the completion of a High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP). State Board of Education rules provide that each student must have a HSBP for their high school experience, including what they expect to do the year following graduation.

The content of the plan and whether a student's plan meets the requirement is determined at the district level. A student's high school transcript must contain a notation as to whether the student met the HSBP requirement.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

Each student must have a High School and Beyond plan (HSBP) to guide his or her experience and prepare the student for postsecondary education or training and career. A HSBP must be initiated for each student during the eighth grade. In preparation, a student must first be administered a career interest and skills inventory, however, this inventory may be administered in ninth grade in second class school districts. The HSBP must be updated annually during high school in order to review transcripts, and assess progress toward goals and needs. School districts are encouraged to involve parents and guardians in the process of developing and updating the HSBP.

Certain minimum required elements are set forth:

• identification of career goals, aided by a skills and interest assessment;

• identification of educational goals;

• a four-year plan for course taking that fulfills state and local graduation requirements and aligns with the student's career and educational goals;

• identification of assessments, if needed, to graduate from high school and achieve postsecondary goals; and

• by the end of the twelfth grade, a current resume that provides a written compilation of the student's education and work experience, any community service and how the school district has recognized the community service, and includes at least two references with contact information.

A district may provide for additional, local requirements for a HSBP. The decision as to whether a student has met the HSBP requirements remains at the local level.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), in collaboration with a nonprofit organization representing school counselors and the Association of Washington School Principals, must develop and disseminate an inventory of best practices for high quality HSBPs, including a resume template, and provide assistance to districts in the development and implementation of the plans. The SPI is encouraged to include at least one online tool that can be used to make and reflect progress, revisions, and transitions that occur from the time of the plan's initiation through the end of the twelfth grade and that includes an online resume template. The SPI is also tasked with identifying barriers to high quality HSBPs and the means of addressing such barriers in a manner that promotes equitable access to all students.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The substitute bill makes the following changes to the original bill:

• requires that the HSBP be updated annually;

• specifies that the requirement with respect to identifying assessments to graduate applies to assessments "if needed";

• requires that the career assessment inventory be done no later than the ninth grade in second class districts, while retaining the requirement that this be done in the eighth grade in first class districts.;

• requires that, by the end of the twelfth grade, a HSBP include a resume, and specifies what the resume must include;

• encourages school districts to include parents and guardians in the process of developing and updating HSBPs;

• removes the requirement that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) collaborate with the State Board of Education (SBE) in identifying barriers to high quality HSBPs; and

• adds the Association of Washington State Principals (AWSP) to the groups with whom the OSPI must collaborate in developing and disseminating an inventory of best practices, and specifies that this inventory must include a resume template.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available. New fiscal note requested on February 18, 2015.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Although a High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) is a state requirement, there is no definition of the term, which can cause ambiguity. The bill specifies minimum requirements without taking away local control. It recognizes that a HSBP is a living document that is continually adjusted during high school. Because second class districts may not have counselors available in the eighth grade to administer the career and interest inventory, there will be an exception that will allow these districts to administer this no later than the ninth grade. Many school districts do a very good job with HSBPs, while others do not. This something that the Workforce Board has always advocated. Requiring a review of the potential for internships would be a valuable addition. This does create staff and workload issues.

A HSBP should include a resume, and it should include mention of community service. Resumes and career exploration are important, but some may believe that the resume requirement and what a resume includes should be a local determination. In some instances, these HSBPs are the subject of collaboration between the student, his or her parents, and a teacher, while in other instances it is something that is done in class, in a batch, in a matter of five minutes or so. Schools utilize student-led conferences involving the parents and guardians and teachers to prepare a HSBP, but it is unknown whether this is a very widespread practice. A HSBP is more important than ever now that there are more rigorous graduation requirements in place. A recommendation is made to incorporate the HSBP into the Individualized Education Program (IEP) transition plan.

The OSPI and State Board of Education (SBE) have already begun identifying barriers. The plans should be revised annually. This will put more of a workload on counselors, but it must this be done. More counselors in the schools has been the recommendation of the Career Task Force. Right now, the HSBP is begins in high school, but this is too late. It should begin in eighth grade, and preferably the career and interest inventory would be done in seventh grade. A HSBP can be a powerful tool. Students are more likely to engage if they see that their education is related to their post-graduation goals.

Because OSPI has the most expertise in this area, it would be preferable to remove the requirement that OSPI collaborate with the SBE in identifying barriers. Principals should be included in the group with which OSPI must collaborate in developing and disseminating an inventory.

Counselors looks forward to being part of establishing best practices. The OSPI and SBE have already begun identifying barriers.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Ortiz-Self, prime sponsor; Nova Gattman, Workforce Board; Wendy Rader-Konofalski, Washington Education Association; Jerry Bender, Association of Washington State Principals; Julia Suliman, State Board of Education; Kim Reykdal, and Andrn Kelley-Batstone, Washington School Counselor Association; and Maddy Thompson, Student Achievement Council.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.