(1) Within existing resources, the Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall approve and oversee direct-entry programs for graduating secondary students into building and construction-related apprenticeships by:

     (a) Assisting individual school districts in using and leveraging existing resources; and

     (b) Developing guidelines, including guidelines that ensure that graduating secondary school students will receive appropriate education and training and will have the opportunity to transition to local apprenticeship programs. The guidelines must be developed with input from apprenticeship coordinators, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the state board for community and technical colleges, the workforce training and education coordinating board, and other interested stakeholders for direct-entry programs.

     (2) The Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall award up to ten incentive grants for the 2006-07 school year, based on guidelines established under subsection (1)(b) of this section, to school districts statewide solely for personnel to negotiate and implement agreements with local apprenticeship programs based upon state apprenticeship use requirements, as described in RCW 39.04.320, to accept graduating secondary school students with appropriate training into apprenticeship programs. The council shall make every effort to award the grants evenly across the state.

     (3) Beginning December 1, 2006, the Washington state apprenticeship and training council shall provide an annual report to the governor and the education and commerce and labor committees of the legislature. The report shall include:

     (a) The guidelines established under subsection (1)(b) of this section;

     (b) The names of the school districts receiving incentive grants under subsection (2) of this section;

     (c) The results of negotiations between school districts receiving incentive grants and local apprenticeship programs;

     (d) A list of apprenticeship programs that have agreed, pursuant to negotiated agreements, to accept qualified graduating secondary students; and

     (e) The number of qualified graduating secondary students entering into apprenticeship programs each year through direct-entry programs.

[2006 c 161 § 4.]

NOTES:

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