ByRepresentatives Maycumber, Santos, Ybarra, Stonier, Dent, Goodman, Tharinger, Riccelli, Lekanoff, Rude, Walen, Robertson, Mosbrucker, Berry, Stokesbary, Fey, Harris, McClintock, Bronoske, Waters, Duerr, Hackney, Klicker, Kretz, Couture, Barnard, Walsh, Chapman, Griffey, Chopp, Leavitt, Ryu, Low, Barkis, Simmons, Schmidt, Sandlin, Bateman, Reed, Graham, Christian, Timmons, Pollet, Street, Rule, Connors, Cortes, Callan, Doglio, Orwall, Caldier, Reeves, Wylie, Bergquist, Thai, Kloba, Cheney, and Ormsby

AN ACT Relating to establishing regional apprenticeship programs through educational service districts; adding a new section to chapter 28A.310 RCW; and creating a new section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that apprenticeship programs provide important graduation pathways and future career opportunities to students. These programs also benefit employers by providing them with an opportunity to train students for jobs in industries that are important to local communities.

Regional apprenticeship programs are an approach to better match the state's education offerings with the needs of local employers and employees. To support this effort, the legislature intends to direct educational service districts, in collaboration with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, to jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program in two geographic areas of the state.

In recognition of the unique circumstances of small and rural school districts, including challenges associated with geographic distance, fewer and smaller population centers, and fewer opportunities for work-integrated learning, the legislature intends for one of the pilot program sites to be located in an educational service district with a high percentage of small, rural school districts.

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, educational service districts and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall jointly establish a regional apprenticeship pilot program.

(2)(a) The pilot program must consist of two sites: One located in and implemented by an educational service district west of the crest of the Cascade mountains; and one located in and implemented by an educational service district east of the crest of the Cascade mountains. When selecting a site east of the crest of the Cascade mountains, priority must be given to a location within the boundaries of an educational service district that can demonstrate the ability to effectively implement the pilot program and that has a high percentage of small, rural school districts.

(b) When selecting pilot program sites, educational service districts may seek input and recommendations from an organization representing educational service districts.

(a) Must coordinate with local stakeholders to identify industries or professions that are best suited for apprenticeship opportunities and curricula development. These stakeholders may include community colleges, local labor unions, local apprenticeship programs, and local industry groups;

(b) Must coordinate with local school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools to make the apprenticeship programs available to high school students; and

(c) May establish interlocal agreements with stakeholder entities, and interdistrict agreements to address enrollment reporting, pupil transportation, and other terms necessary to enroll students in apprenticeships of the pilot program.

(4) Enrollments in apprenticeship programs under this section may be funded at up to 1.2 full-time equivalent students. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop procedures to ensure that school districts do not report any student for more than 1.2 full-time equivalent students, combining both the student's high school enrollment and enrollment in a regional apprenticeship program established under this section.

(5) By December 1, 2026, and December 1, 2028, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, provide reports to the appropriate committees of the legislature on the pilot program established by this section. The reports required by this subsection shall summarize the implementation of the pilot program, include recommendations for its operation, and provide information about participating students, including graduation rates and enrollments in registered apprenticeship programs and institutions of postsecondary education.