WHEREAS, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (Workforce Board) was created by the state Legislature to provide planning,coordinating,evaluation, and policy analysis for the state training system as a whole and to provide advice to the Governor and the Legislature concerning alignment of the training system in cooperation with the agencies that comprise the state training
system and the Washington Student Achievement Council;and
WHEREAS, the Workforce Board is a unique partnership of business, labor, education,and training organizations dedicated to creating a highly skilled workforce that meets the needs of Washington businesses and workers;and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Education consists of members both elected by school directors and appointed by the Governor, charged with advocacy and strategic oversight of public education, implementing a standards-based accountability framework, providing leadership in personalizing education and ensuring respect for diverse cultures and abilities, promoting achievement of basic education goals,and articulate with higher education,workforce, and early learning,coordinating and unifying the public education system; and
WHEREAS, one of the goals of Basic Education is for every student to develop the knowledge and skills essential to understanding the importance of work and finance; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of a high school diploma is to declare that a student is ready for success in postsecondary education,citizenship,and gainful employment and is equipped with the skills to be a lifelong learner;and
WHEREAS, recent surveys of Washingt on employers have found that employers struggle to identify and recruit an adequate number of quaiified candidates in-state with employability skills and attributes, such as time management, leadership, teamwork , problem-solving,and adaptability; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Education and the Workforce Board jointly endorse collaboration to define career readiness and identify policy frameworks that build pathways to economic self-sufficiency for Washington students, while ensuring that employers have access to a skilled workforce;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Workforce Board and the State Board of Education, along with partners and stakeholders, will work to align the education system to support all students becoming career ready by:
- Requesting that the Legislature create and empower a Career Ready Policy Work Group to identify and recommend career readiness learning standards to help guide educators,students and parents in preparing all students for gainful employment in the 2151 Century.
- Working together to develop a high school credit-bearing course incorporating High School and Beyond planning,career exploration,career connected learning,and to explore Career and Technical Education equivalency with social studies civics or financial literacy.
- Focusing advocacy in the upcoming legislative session on the importance of adequately funded career and technical education programs and creating multiple pathways for students to develop skills and achieve economic self-sufficiency