RCW 28C.04.610
Apprenticeship programs -- Pilot projects -- Grants -- Students to receive high school and college credit -- Reports -- Work group. (Expires August 31, 2009.)

(1) Subject to funding provided for the purposes of this section, the superintendent of public instruction and the state board for community and technical colleges, in consultation with the Washington state apprenticeship and training council, shall allocate grants on a competitive basis to up to four pilot projects to expand enrollment of secondary school students in career and technical programs that enable them to enter apprenticeships, particularly building and construction apprenticeships, upon graduation. The purpose of the pilot projects is to develop new collaborations among K-12 education and workforce education providers and try new approaches to delivering instruction and career and technical education to secondary school students.

     (a) Two of the pilot projects shall involve skill centers or high schools working collaboratively with local or regional apprenticeship programs and the Washington state apprenticeship and training council to design and offer the programs.

     (b) Two of the pilot projects shall involve community or technical colleges working collaboratively with local high schools, local or regional apprenticeship programs, and the Washington state apprenticeship and training council to design and offer the programs.

     (c) At least one of the pilot projects is encouraged to involve small or rural high schools.

     (d) In reviewing the grant applications, the superintendent of public instruction and the Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall convene a review committee representing the state board for community and technical colleges, the workforce training and education coordinating board, business and labor interests with ties to apprenticeship fields, apprenticeship program coordinators, and career and technical educators in the public schools. Grant award recipients must be notified by June 1, 2006.

     (e) Pilot projects must be ready to enroll students for the 2006-07 school year.

     (f) The pilot projects shall operate for a three-year period.

     (2) In addition to enrolling students in career and technical programs that enable them to enter apprenticeships upon graduation, the pilot projects under this section may engage in but are not limited to the following activities:

     (a) Developing or modifying curriculum to align with apprenticeship entry requirements and skill expectations or to adjust curriculum to the secondary level;

     (b) Negotiating agreements for nonmonetary consideration or for no consideration to use local or regional apprenticeship program training facilities to offer programs;

     (c) Negotiating agreements with local or regional apprenticeship programs, community or technical colleges, or other contractors to provide specialized instruction within the program;

     (d) Based on guidelines and assistance from the Washington state apprenticeship and training council, negotiating direct-entry agreements with local or regional apprenticeship programs to accept pilot project graduates into the programs;

     (e) In conjunction with educational outreach efforts by the Washington state apprenticeship and training council and local or regional apprenticeship programs, conducting marketing, advertising, and communication about the pilot project to area teachers, counselors, students, and parents;

     (f) Providing tutoring and other academic support services to ensure students have the necessary academic skills for the program and for high school graduation; and

     (g) Offering other support services such as counseling, community service referral, and assistance for low-income students such as tools, supplies, books, or transportation to nonschool facilities.

     (3) To the maximum extent possible, students enrolled in a pilot project shall receive both high school and college credit for their courses through tech-prep agreements or the high school program created in RCW 28A.600.300 through 28A.600.400 (running start).

     (4) Beginning December 1, 2007, recipients of grants under this section shall report annually to the Washington state apprenticeship and training council: The number of students participating in programs developed under this section, the number of qualified graduating secondary students entering into apprenticeship programs each year, the apprenticeship programs into which the students entered, and lessons learned by the grant recipients that might lead to improvements in the development and implementation of additional preapprenticeship programs. The Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall provide an annual summary of the reports to the governor and the education and commerce and labor committees of the legislature.

     (5) Funding for a student enrolled in a community or technical college pilot project under this section shall be provided under RCW 28A.320.015 and 28A.320.035 and rules adopted for the provision of instruction under contract.

     (6) Using existing resources the superintendent of public instruction shall convene a work group to identify barriers and opportunities for further expansion of secondary career and technical programs that enable graduates to enter apprenticeships, including building and construction-related apprenticeships, beyond the pilot project stage. The work group shall include representatives from the Washington state apprenticeship and training council, local or regional apprenticeship programs, the workforce training and education coordinating board, community and technical colleges, high schools, and skill centers. The superintendent shall submit a report with recommendations to the governor and the education and commerce and labor committees of the legislature by December 1, 2006. Issues to be considered by the work group may include:

     (a) Expanding participation and opportunities in running start for career and technical students, particularly in apprenticeship preparation programs, including the role of using parent involvement in guidance and counseling for students to expand participation;

     (b) Addressing highly qualified teacher requirements under the federal no child left behind act;

     (c) Cross-crediting of career and technical and core academic courses;

     (d) The funding model for skill centers;

     (e) Creating benchmarks to measure outcomes from the pilot projects and from possible expansion of the projects; and

     (f) The impact of current student assessment and achievement requirements on student participation in apprenticeship preparation programs and opportunities for developing alternative assessment and achievement requirements.

     (7) This section expires August 31, 2009.

[2006 c 161 § 5.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 2006 c 161: See note following RCW 49.04.160.