S-1518.1

SENATE BILL 5891

BySenators Salomon, Holy, Palumbo, Rivers, Liias, Kuderer, and Nguyen

AN ACT Relating to establishing the Washington adult diploma and workforce training program; and adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW.

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

(1) "Approved provider" means an eligible provider who was selected by the college board to be included on the approved provider list as a Washington adult diploma and workforce training program provider.

(2) "College board" has the same meaning as in RCW 28B.50.030.

(3) "Cost per graduate" means the total program funding reimbursed to an approved provider divided by the total graduates for a cohort year.

(4) "Eligible provider" means a public, not-for-profit, or private entity that is accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body as a diploma-granting institution with at least two years of experience providing adult dropout recovery services.

(5) "Graduation rate" means the total graduates for the cohort year divided by the total graduates for the cohort year plus all students for the cohort year for whom the approved provider has received funding.

(6) "Program" means the Washington adult diploma and workforce training program.

(2) The college board shall maintain a list of approved providers who are eligible to deliver the education and training for the program. On an annual basis and within forty-five days after the beginning of the fiscal year, the college board shall issue a request for qualifications from eligible providers. Thirty days after the request for qualifications, the college board shall select eligible providers for the approved provider list based on the following criteria:

(a) Experience with providing dropout recovery services, such as recruitment, learning plan development, and proactive coaching and mentoring;

(b) Ability to provide academic skill intake assessment and transcript evaluations;

(c) Ability to develop a learning plan that integrates academic requirements and career goals;

(d) A course catalog that includes all courses necessary to meet Washington high school graduation requirements, as required by the state board of education;

(e) Ability to provide remediation coursework in literacy and numeracy;

(f) Ability to provide a research-validated academic resiliency assessment and intervention;

(g) Ability to provide employability skills development aligned to employer needs;

(h) Ability to provide career pathways coursework;

(i) Ability to provide preparation for industry-recognized credentials; and

(j) Ability to provide career placement services.

(3) Approved providers shall maintain their status on the approved provider list unless they fail to meet performance standards and have been removed from the list in accordance with section 5 of this act.

(4) Approved providers selected to deliver the education and training for the program shall begin enrolling students no later than thirty days after selection.

(a) One hundred seventy-five dollars for the completion of each half credit;

(b) Two hundred fifty dollars for the completion of an employability skills certification program equal to at least one Carnegie unit;

(c) Two hundred fifty dollars for the attainment of an industry-recognized credential requiring up to fifty hours of training;

(d) Five hundred dollars for the attainment of an industry-recognized credential requiring between fifty-one and one hundred hours of training;

(e) Seven hundred fifty dollars for the attainment of an industry-recognized credential requiring more than one hundred hours of training; and

(f) One thousand dollars for the attainment of an accredited high school diploma.

(2) Approved providers participating in the program shall submit monthly invoices to the college board no later than the tenth calendar day of each month itemizing the performance milestones achieved in the previous calendar month.

(3) The college board shall review the monthly invoices and compensate approved providers for performance milestones achieved in the order that invoices are received.

(1) The total number of students who have been funded by the program;

(2) The total number of credits earned;

(3) The total number of employability skills certificates issued;

(4) The total number of industry-recognized credentials earned for each tier of funding; and

(5) The total number of graduates.

(a) A minimum fifty percent graduation rate; and

(b) A cost per graduate of seven thousand dollars or less.

(2) The college board shall place an approved provider who does not meet the performance standards on probationary status for the remainder of the year. An approved provider who fails to meet the minimum performance standards for two consecutive years shall be removed from the approved provider list.

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