ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2236

ByHouse Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Shavers, Santos, Reed, and Goodman)

AN ACT Relating to expanding and strengthening career and technical education core plus programs; adding a new section to chapter 28A.700 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

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

(2) Career and technical education core plus programs have been established in three high-demand economic sectors that provide numerous livable wage employment opportunities: Aerospace and advanced manufacturing; construction; and maritime. These programs, which were originally based in manufacturing, but have evolved in response to ever-changing education and economic needs, have been strongly supported by leaders in vital Washington industries, have provided unprecedented education and work-integrated learning opportunities to students. The legislature finds that these successes should be expanded to include an allied health professions program, with a curriculum that is inherently different from that of previously established career and technical education core plus programs, and that related efforts should consider options for future programs that reflect student, teacher, community, and employer needs, including programs in the information technology and natural resources sectors.

(3) Regardless of the sector, continual collaboration between education and industry partners has guided the establishment and operation of career and technical education core plus programs. These joint efforts, and the corresponding financial support from the state and industry partners, have: Focused on developing age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate curricula that is technically focused and academically rigorous; featured employer-supported professional development for teachers; and featured employer-provided worksite-based learning experiences for students and teachers. These elements are instrumental to the success of ongoing programs and offer a strong framework for establishing programs in other industry sectors.

(4) The legislature, therefore, intends to initiate a process for: (a) Soliciting expert recommendations for a career and technical education core plus model framework that can guide: The establishment and operation of successful programs in other high-demand sectors with livable wages and entry-level employment opportunities; and the expansion of operational programs; and (b) establishing a career and technical education program for allied health professions that is responsive to the needs of students, teachers, employers, and communities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.700 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with the state board for community and technical colleges, the department of health, the health workforce council convened by the workforce training and education coordinating board, a statewide organization representing career and technical education, representatives from the allied health industry, and representatives from labor organizations representing allied health professions, shall develop an allied health professions career and technical education program for providing instruction to students who are pursuing industry-recognized nondegree credentials that: (i) Lead to entry level positions in allied health professions; and (ii) lead or articulate to either related, recognized nondegree credentials or two or four-year degrees, or both. The program may include career and technical education courses offered prior to January 1, 2024, and courses developed or modified specifically for the program.

(b) Curriculum and other instructional materials for the program, that reflect consideration of the provisions in section 3(3)(c)(i) through (x) of this act, must be available for optional use in school districts and skill centers beginning in the 2027-28 school year.

(2) In meeting the requirements of this section, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall:

(a) Consult with representatives from allied health profession employers and labor organizations representing allied health employees for the purpose of promoting industry sector partnerships, developing relationships with employers that are committed to hiring students who have completed the program, and soliciting recommendations for the establishment of the program on the following topics:

(i) Promotion of student input and awareness of the program, including its instructional offerings and potential work placement opportunities;

(ii) Curriculum;

(iii) Courses and course sequencing;

(iv) Development, maintenance, and expansion of industry, labor, and community partnerships;

(v) Program credentials;

(vi) Professional development for teachers; and

(vii) Other issues deemed necessary by the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the entities with which it must collaborate with as required in subsection (1)(a) of this section;

(b) Implement a process for soliciting comments about the program's establishment and operation from teachers and students, including students' parents or guardians; and

(c) Consider any preliminary or final recommendations of the statewide career and technical education task force established in section 3 of this act.

(3) Following the establishment of the program, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene and collaborate with an advisory committee consisting of industry leadership from the allied health sector, representatives from a statewide entity representing businesses in the sector, and representatives from labor organizations representing employees in allied health professions for the purpose of:

(a) Informing the administration and continual improvement of the program;

(b) Reviewing data and outcomes;

(c) Recommending program improvements;

(d) Ensuring that the program reflects needed industry competencies; and

(e) Identifying appropriate program credentials.

(4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may adopt and revise rules as necessary for the implementation of this section.

(a) The superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee;

(b) Two representatives from a statewide organization representing career and technical education, at least one of whom must be a career and technical education core plus classroom instructor;

(c) A representative of career and technical education core plus aerospace and advanced manufacturing selected by an organization representing aerospace or advanced industrial manufacturers;

(d) A representative of career and technical education core plus construction selected by an organization representing general contractors;

(e) A representative of career and technical education core plus maritime selected by an organization representing maritime interests;

(f) A representative from the state board for community and technical colleges selected by the state board for community and technical colleges; and

(g) A representative from the workforce training and education coordinating board selected by the workforce training and education coordinating board.

(2) The superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee shall chair the task force, and staff support for the task force must be provided by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

(3) The task force shall develop recommendations for:

(a) Expanding and strengthening the accessibility, stability, and uniformity of secondary work-integrated learning opportunities, including career and technical education, career connected learning, regional apprenticeship programs, career and technical education core plus programs, work-based learning, internships and externships, and other types of work-integrated learning. Recommendations required by this subsection (3)(a) should address governance, operations, and codification, and must be in the form of draft legislation. The legislature does not intend for recommendations required by this subsection (3)(a) to modify the operation of career and technical education core plus programs established prior to January 1, 2024;

(b) The successful administration and operation of career and technical education core plus programs through appropriate collaboration with industry sector leadership from program areas to inform the administration and continual improvement of the programs, review data outcomes, recommend program improvements, ensure that the programs reflect applicable industry competencies, and identify appropriate program credentials; and

(c) A career and technical education core plus model framework that can be used to guide the expansion, establishment, and operation of career and technical education core plus programs. In making recommendations in accordance with this subsection (3)(c), the task force must consider, at a minimum, the following:

(i) Curricula and instructional hours that lead or articulate to industry-recognized nondegree credentials;

(ii) Curricula provided without cost to educators;

(iii) Academic course equivalencies;

(iv) Courses and course sequencing;

(v) The development, maintenance, and expansion of industry, labor, and community partnerships;

(vi) Program credentials;

(vii) Training and professional development for educators and counselors;

(viii) Alignment with postsecondary education and training programs;

(ix) The promotion of student, family, and community awareness of career and technical education core plus programs, including instructional offerings and potential work placement opportunities; and

(x) The development and expansion of a cohort of employers willing to hire and place students that have successfully completed career and technical education core plus programs.

(4) The task force, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor, the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the legislature, and the state board of education by November 15, 2025.

(5) This section expires June 30, 2026.

--- END ---