WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

GPS for secondary education gets governor’s autograph

OLYMPIA – This morning, stressing that Career and Technical Education (CTE) continues to play an increasingly significant role in preparing students for work and life, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed House Bill 1710, which creates a statewide strategic plan for CTE.

“Imagine you’re on a long road trip to a place where you’ve never been before and you need to get there in the shortest amount of time; chances are you’ll take a few wrong turns and you may end up stranded in the middle of nowhere. But if your car is equipped with a Global Positioning System (better known as a GPS) that lays out a detailed plan for you to follow, reaching your location will be easier, faster and infinitely less confusing,” said Rep. Luis Moscoso (D-Mountlake Terrace), the bill’s prime sponsor.

“That’s what we’ll achieve with this bill: a comprehensive plan to help students successfully get from the classroom to a good job and a great life.”

Under Moscoso’s measure, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction will develop a statewide strategic plan for secondary CTE within existing resources.

This plan will include a vision statement, goals, and measurable annual objectives for improvement that are consistent with those required under the federal Carl Perkins Act for secondary CTE programs. The plan must also recommend activities that:

  • Can be accomplished with current resources.
  • Should receive top priority for additional investment.
  • Could be phased in over the next 10 years.

The working group tasked with developing the CTE plan will examine:

  • Proposed changes to high-school graduation requirements and ways to assure that students continue to have opportunities to pursue CTE pathways.
  • The relationship between CTE courses and the Common Core Standards.
  • Ways to improve access to high-quality CTE in a variety of school settings.
  • Ways to improve the transition from K-12 to college.
  • Methods for replicating innovative middle and high schools.
  • A framework for transferrable and articulated certifications between secondary and postsecondary CTE so that students receive credit for knowledge and skills already mastered.

“Earlier this year, the Higher Education Coordinating Board released a report that found that, despite the recession, the number of job openings for people who receive degrees in high-demand fields is increasing in our state. But it also found that there are way more job openings than qualified workers to fill them,” Moscoso said.

As an example, he pointed out that the majority of Washington’s aerospace engineers will be eligible to retire in the next five years and that, while the state is graduating 150 airframe mechanics per year, there is a need for 1,500.

According to the HEC Board’s Regional Needs Analysis Report, by the year 2018, 67 percent of all jobs in our state will require some postsecondary education. About 20 percent of those jobs will require some college but no degree, and about 47 percent will require an associate degree or higher.

“It’s a good idea to take the GPS approach that lays out a strategic plan to guide CTE in Washington state,” Moscoso said. “This bill puts us on the right path to a prosperous future as we empower tomorrow’s workforce to be successful citizens, workers, and leaders.”