S-2178.2

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5853


State of Washington	65th Legislature	2017 Regular Session

By Senate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Walsh, Rolfes, Angel, Warnick, Wellman, Conway, Rivers, Takko, Schoesler, Zeiger, Brown, Billig, Bailey, Fain, Hasegawa, and Hobbs)

READ FIRST TIME 04/03/17.

AN ACT Relating to career and technical education funding; adding new sections to chapter 28A.150 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that Washington state requires a workforce that supports our highly diversified economy and helps build healthy, safe communities. Recent economic studies are projecting that Washington state will experience historically high job growth over the next five years. An estimated seven hundred forty thousand job openings will create opportunities for Washingtonians holding some level of postsecondary educational credential or training. About thirty-five percent of these projected opportunities will offer wages ranging from sixty thousand dollars to over one hundred thousand dollars for those candidates who have acquired special skills and training while achieving a high school diploma and some postsecondary training. An estimated forty-five percent of these seven hundred forty thousand jobs are called "pathway jobs" with salaries of thirty thousand dollars to forty-five thousand dollars and offer a route to a career job for those who have earned a high school diploma and some postsecondary credentials or training. The legislature further finds the joint legislative task force on the economic resilience of maritime and manufacturing in Washington finds that current and future jobs in the maritime and manufacturing sectors, which together constitute an estimated forty percent of the state's economy, will require workers who have been offered career and technical education pathways while in middle school and high school that lead to postsecondary credentials and employment in Washington state. The legislature also finds the United States department of agriculture predicts, in its recent report on employment opportunities for college graduates in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and the environment, that employment opportunities in these fields are expected to increase and that the agriculture, environment, and natural resources economic sectors can offer rewarding career paths for students who are interested in the natural world and are excited by the idea of having a career with outdoor opportunities.

Therefore, the legislature intends to offer a comprehensive approach to career and technical education pathways in middle school and high school that help prepare today's students for rewarding future careers across a broad spectrum of industries. The legislature further intends to direct the superintendent of public instruction to take actions to increase the number of career and technical course equivalencies and provide professional development to support the implementation of the course equivalencies on a broader scale across the state.

The legislature further intends to enhance the per pupil funding formula for career and technical education to reflect the additional costs for equipment, materials, supplies, and other operational expenses. The legislature also intends to specify the allowable uses for this funding and to specify a maximum indirect cost to ensure that the funds appropriated are used to the greatest extent possible for their intended purpose.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must create methodologies for implementing equivalency crediting on a broader scale across the state and facilitate its implementation including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Implementing statewide career and technical education course equivalency frameworks authorized under RCW 28A.700.070 for high schools and skill centers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This may include development of additional equivalency course frameworks in core subject areas, course performance assessments, and development and delivery of professional development for districts and skill centers implementing the career and technical education frameworks; and

(b) Providing competitive grant funds to school districts to increase the integration and rigor of academic instruction in career and technical education equivalency courses. The grant funds must be used to support teams of general education and career and technical education teachers to convene and design course performance assessments, deepen the understanding of integrating academic and career and technical education in student instruction, and develop professional learning modules for school districts to plan implementation of equivalency crediting.

(2) Beginning in the 2017-18 school year, school districts shall annually report to the office of the superintendent of public instruction the following information:

(a) The annual number of students participating in state-approved equivalency courses; and

(b) The annual number of state approved equivalency credit courses offered in school districts and skill centers.

(3) Beginning December 1, 2017, and every December 1st thereafter, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall annually submit a summary of the school district information reported under subsection (2) of this section to the office of the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall establish a competitive grant process for school districts to apply for grants for the purpose of purchasing career and technical education equipment.

(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules for the grant program established under this section.

(3) Competitive grants awarded under this section are subject to the availability of amounts appropriated by the state for this specific purpose.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:

The only allowable uses of the funding provided for career and technical education are:

(1) Materials, equipment, and supplies for career and technical education programs;

(2) Career and technical education staff salaries limited to the state salary allocation and extended learning activities and contracts connected to career and technical education program delivery;

(3) Work-based learning programs such as internships and preapprenticeship programs, including coordination tied to career and technical education coursework;

(4) New high quality career and technical education and expanded learning program development in high-demand fields;

(5) Certified work-based learning coordinators and career guidance advisors;

(6) School expenses associated with career and technical education community partnerships with a career discovery focus including research or evidence-based mentoring programs and expanded learning opportunities in school, before or after school, and during the summer, and career-focused education programs with private and public K-12 schools and colleges, community-based organizations and nonprofit organizations, industry partners, tribal governments, and workforce development entities;

(7) Professional development associated with career and technical education training with K-12 schools, community and technical colleges, and industry partners;

(8) Student fees for national and state industry-recognized certifications; and

(9) Course equivalency development to integrate core learning standards into career and technical education courses.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 28A.150 RCW to read as follows:

The maximum allowable indirect cost for school districts for career and technical education programs funded through state and federal funds must not exceed the limitations provided under federal law for federal career and technical education funding provided to districts, or five percent, whichever is lower.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.