Brief Summary of Bill

Creates the Vocational Alternative Learning Experience Pilot Program (Program) and directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to select up to ten school districts to participate, including at least two districts with multidistrict online programs.
Establishes that schools participating in the program are eligible for the vocational program funding enhancement for career and technical education (CTE).
Requires that curriculum frameworks for CTE courses approved by OSPI include courses that may be offered in alternative learning experience (ALE) courses and multidistrict online programs.
Requires OSPI to develop and approve a list of courses that may be offered in ALE courses or multidistrict online programs by the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.

Background: Alternative-Learning Experience Courses. ALE courses are courses with learning activities that occur either in part or wholly outside of a regular classroom setting. These courses may include components of direct instruction, and are supervised, monitored, assessed, evaluated, and documented by a certificated teacher employed by the school district.

All ALE coursework requires a written student learning plan that is implemented according to district policy and rules adopted by OSPI.

Districts must document student educational progress, and report annually to OSPI annually on course types and offerings, and the number of students participating in each. Courses are categorized as online courses, remote courses, and site-based courses

Career and Technical Education, Funding Enhancement. As defined in statute, CTE is a planned program of courses and learning experiences that begins with an exploration of career options and supports basic academic and life skills. Each high school or school board in Washington is required to adopt course equivalencies for CTE high school courses, where the credit for CTE courses is determined to be equivalent to an academic course. Each school board must develop a course equivalency approval procedure, and must, at a minimum, grant academic course equivalency in mathematics or science for a CTE course from a list approved by OSPI.

Students enrolled in vocational courses are funded at an enhanced rate to reflect lower class sizes and higher funding for materials, supplies, and operating costs. Any CTE funding allocations that exceed general funding allocations may only be used for specific CTE purposes.

Multidistrict Online Programs. Online school programs offer a sequential set of online courses or grade level coursework in a manner that could provide a full-time basic education program. Students may enroll in the programs as part-time or full-time students. A multidistrict provider of online programs can either be a private or nonprofit organization that contracts with districts to provide online courses to students from more than one district, or a school district providing an online program with at least ten percent of its enrollment from outside the district.

Summary of Bill: Vocational Alternative Learning Experience Pilot Program. The program is created. The purpose of the Program is to assess the feasibility and accountability in various course types, and implementation strategies for providing a vocation funding enhancement to students enrolled in an ALE course.

OSPI shall select up to ten school districts to participate in the program. Schools must begin their participation in the program in the 2019-20 school year, and must agree to do so for four complete school years. Schools participating in the program, including schools with multidistrict online school programs, are eligible for the vocation program funding enhancement.

OSPI shall submit a report on the program to the Legislature by January 1, 2025, that includes:

the number of students participating in the Program that received funding enhancements;

the impact of the program to CTE education programming;
the fiscal impact of the program;
recommendations for statewide implementation; and
any other information deemed relevant by OSPI.

Career and Technical Education Equivalencies. OSPI shall develop and approve curriculum frameworks for CTE courses in ALE courses and in multidistrict online school programs. A list of courses that may be offered in ALE courses and in multidistrict online school programs must be developed and approved before the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Early Learning & K-12 Education): PRO: The bill ensures that the state will be able to better provide for CTE students participating in ALE courses. There is a widening skills gap that necessitates earlier awareness of career options and skills. The pilot program is innovative and can help students of all skill levels access different career opportunities. Online environments allow for students to be able to access programs that they would not be able to otherwise. Access to alternative pathways will help students who are credit-deficient earn their diplomas and graduate. Online schools currently are not able to access CTE funding enhancements, but with the enhancements will be better able to provide career pathways for Washington students. ALE programs provide opportunities for students whose goals might not fit well in brick-and-mortar schools. Funding enhancements help supply the equipment needed to provide quality CTE programs.

Persons Testifying (Early Learning & K-12 Education): PRO: Representative Drew MacEwen, Prime Sponsor; Dr. Shaun McAlmont, President, Career Readiness Education, K12, Inc.; Darice Bales, Director of Academics, Insight School of Washington; Stephanie Willenborg, Assistant Principal & CTE Director, Washington Virtual Academy; Sally Karr, President, Washington Digital Public Schools Alliance; Sarah King-Scott, Student, Insight School of Washington; Mark Clements, River HomeLink, Battleground Public Schools, Principal.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony (Ways & Means): PRO: Currently ALE schools are the only schools not able get enhanced funding for CTE. This would enable districts to obtain materials and supplies for CTE courses. We feel that this bill creates a good framework for enhanced CTE funding for ALE. Lots of districts do not have access to skill centers and this provides an alternative. Online schools provide a unique opportunity for kids to get soft skills and CTE training. Losing public dollars has been detrimental to our students. We have had to find other ways to finance our CTE programs.