(1)(a) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with the state board for community and technical colleges, the department of health, the health workforce council convened by the workforce training and education coordinating board, a statewide organization representing career and technical education, representatives from the allied health industry, and representatives from labor organizations representing allied health professions, shall develop an allied health professions career and technical education program for providing instruction to students who are pursuing industry-recognized nondegree credentials that: (i) Lead to entry-level positions in allied health professions; and (ii) lead or articulate to either related, recognized nondegree credentials or two or four-year degrees, or both. The program may include career and technical education courses offered prior to January 1, 2024, and courses developed or modified specifically for the program.

(b) Curriculum and other instructional materials for the program, that reflect consideration of the provisions in section 3(3)(c)(i) through (x), chapter 234, Laws of 2024, must be available for optional use in school districts and skill centers beginning in the 2027-28 school year.

(2) In meeting the requirements of this section, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall:

(a) Consult with representatives from allied health profession employers and labor organizations representing allied health employees for the purpose of promoting industry sector partnerships, developing relationships with employers that are committed to hiring students who have completed the program, and soliciting recommendations for the establishment of the program on the following topics:

(i) Promotion of student input and awareness of the program, including its instructional offerings and potential work placement opportunities;

(ii) Curriculum;

(iii) Courses and course sequencing;

(iv) Development, maintenance, and expansion of industry, labor, and community partnerships;

(v) Program credentials;

(vi) Professional development for teachers; and

(vii) Other issues deemed necessary by the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the entities with which it must collaborate with as required in subsection (1)(a) of this section;

(b) Implement a process for soliciting comments about the program's establishment and operation from teachers and students, including students' parents or guardians; and

(c) Consider any preliminary or final recommendations of the statewide career and technical education task force established in section 3, chapter 234, Laws of 2024.

(3) Following the establishment of the program, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall convene and collaborate with an advisory committee consisting of industry leadership from the allied health sector, representatives from a statewide entity representing businesses in the sector, and representatives from labor organizations representing employees in allied health professions for the purpose of:

(a) Informing the administration and continual improvement of the program;

(b) Reviewing data and outcomes;

(c) Recommending program improvements;

(d) Ensuring that the program reflects needed industry competencies; and

(e) Identifying appropriate program credentials.

(4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may adopt and revise rules as necessary for the implementation of this section.

Finding—Intent—2024 c 234: "(1) The legislature recognizes that career and technical education core plus programs have demonstrated innovation and success in providing meaningful benefits to students and employers though collaborative partnerships that serve as a model for work-integrated learning in Washington. For more than a decade, these programs, and the rigorous career and technical education curricula they incorporate, have prepared students for structured pathways to employment, and presented employers with an expanded pool of candidates with relevant skills and abilities.

(2) Career and technical education core plus programs have been established in three high-demand economic sectors that provide numerous livable wage employment opportunities: Aerospace and advanced manufacturing; construction; and maritime. These programs, which were originally based in manufacturing, but have evolved in response to ever-changing education and economic needs, have been strongly supported by leaders in vital Washington industries, [and] have provided unprecedented education and work-integrated learning opportunities to students. The legislature finds that these successes should be expanded to include an allied health professions program, with a curriculum that is inherently different from that of previously established career and technical education core plus programs, and that related efforts should consider options for future programs that reflect student, teacher, community, and employer needs, including programs in the information technology and natural resources sectors.

(3) Regardless of the sector, continual collaboration between education and industry partners has guided the establishment and operation of career and technical education core plus programs. These joint efforts, and the corresponding financial support from the state and industry partners, have: Focused on developing age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate curricula that is technically focused and academically rigorous; featured employer-supported professional development for teachers; and featured employer-provided worksite-based learning experiences for students and teachers. These elements are instrumental to the success of ongoing programs and offer a strong framework for establishing programs in other industry sectors.

(4) The legislature, therefore, intends to initiate a process for: (a) Soliciting expert recommendations for a career and technical education core plus model framework that can guide: The establishment and operation of successful programs in other high-demand sectors with livable wages and entry-level employment opportunities; and the expansion of operational programs; and (b) establishing a career and technical education program for allied health professions that is responsive to the needs of students, teachers, employers, and communities." [ 2024 c 234 s 1.]