(1) To the extent funds are appropriated specifically for this purpose, the board shall use a matching fund strategy to select and evaluate up to eight pilot projects operated by Washington institutions of higher education. By September 2008, the board shall select up to eight institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.92.030 including at least four community or technical colleges to develop and offer a pilot project providing employer workplace-based educational programs with distance learning components. The board shall convene a task force that includes representatives from the state board for community and technical colleges and the *higher education coordinating board to select the participant institutions. At a minimum, the criteria for selecting the educational institutions shall address:

     (a) The ability to demonstrate a capacity to make a commitment of resources to build and sustain a high quality program;

     (b) The ability to readily engage faculty appropriately qualified to develop and deliver a high quality curriculum;

     (c) The ability to demonstrate demand for the proposed program from a sufficient number of interested employees within its service area to make the program cost-effective and feasible to operate; and

     (d) The identification of employers that demonstrate a commitment to host an on-site program. Employers shall demonstrate their commitment to provide:

     (i) Access to educational coursework and educational advice and support for entry-level and semiskilled workers, including paid and unpaid release time, and adequate classroom space that is equipped appropriately for the selected technological distance learning methodologies to be used;

     (ii) On-site promotion and encouragement of worker participation, including employee orientations, peer support and mentoring, educational tutoring, and career planning;

     (iii) Allowance of a reasonable level of worker choice in the type and level of coursework available;

     (iv) Commitment to work with college partner to ensure the relevance of coursework to the skill demands and potential career pathways of the employer host site and other participating employers;

     (v) Willingness to participate in an evaluation of the pilot to analyze the net benefit to the employer host site, other employer partners, the worker-students, and the colleges; and

     (vi) In firms with union representation, the mandatory establishment of a labor-management committee to oversee design and participation.

     (2) Institutions of higher education may submit an application to become a pilot college under this section. An institution of higher education selected as a pilot college shall develop the curriculum for and design and deliver courses. However, the programs developed under this section are subject to approval by the state board for technical and community colleges under RCW 28B.50.090 and by the *higher education coordinating board under RCW 28B.76.230.

     (3) The board shall evaluate the pilot project and report the outcomes to students and employers by December 1, 2012.

[2008 c 258 § 3.]

NOTES:

     *Reviser's note: The higher education coordinating board was abolished by 2011 1st sp.s. c 11 § 301, effective July 1, 2012.

     Expiration date -- 2008 c 258 §§ 2-4: See note following RCW 28C.18.132.

     Findings -- Intent -- 2008 c 258: See note following RCW 28C.18.132.