The legislature finds that the provision of health care and behavioral health services to citizens of the state of Washington is of critical importance. The legislature further finds that major capital project requests from the four-year institutions of higher education have been insufficient to support the industry demand for the highly trained professionals that are needed to provide these crucial services. Therefore, the legislature intends to require that the major capital project appropriation requests submitted by the four-year institutions of higher education and the governor prioritize projects that directly support additional enrollments in degree programs related to the provision of health care or behavioral health services in occupations with current or projected shortages.
This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 43.88. Here is the modified chapter for context.
Omnibus capital appropriations act requests for major capital projects submitted by the governor under RCW 43.88.060 and the four-year institutions of higher education must prioritize projects that directly support additional enrollments in degree programs related to the provision of health care or behavioral health services in occupations with current or projected labor shortages as determined by the workforce training and education coordinating board created under chapter 28C.18 RCW.
This section modifies existing section 28B.77.070. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The council shall identify budget priorities and levels of funding for higher education, including the two and four-year institutions of higher education and state financial aid programs. It is the intent of the legislature for the council to make budget recommendations for allocations for major policy changes in accordance with priorities set forth in the ten-year plan, but the legislature does not intend for the council to review and make recommendations on individual institutional budgets. It is the intent of the legislature that recommendations from the council prioritize funding needs for the overall system of higher education in accordance with priorities set forth in the ten-year plan. It is also the intent of the legislature that the council's recommendations take into consideration the total per-student funding at similar public institutions of higher education in the global challenge states.
By December of each odd-numbered year, the council shall outline the council's fiscal priorities under the ten-year plan that it must distribute to the institutions, the state board for community and technical colleges, the office of financial management, and the joint higher education committee.
Capital budget outlines for the two-year institutions shall be submitted to the office of financial management by August 15th of each even-numbered year, and shall include the prioritized ranking of the capital projects being requested, a description of each capital project, and the amount and fund source being requested.
Capital budget outlines for the four-year institutions must be submitted to the office of financial management by August 15th of each even-numbered year, and must include: The institutions' priority ranking of the project; the capital budget category within which the project will be submitted to the office of financial management in accordance with RCW 43.88D.010; a description of each capital project; the amount and fund source being requested**; and until July 1, 2032, a description and quantification of the extent to which the major projects requested will directly support additional enrollments in degree programs related to the provision of health care or behavioral health services in occupations with current or projected shortages as determined by the workforce training and education coordinating board created under chapter 28C.18 RCW.**
Until July 1, 2032, prioritized outlines submitted to the office of financial management for four-year institutions in this subsection (2) must prioritize major capital projects that will directly support additional enrollments in degree programs related to the provision of health care or behavioral health services in occupations with current or projected labor shortages as determined by the workforce training and education coordinating board created under chapter 28C.18 RCW.
The office of financial management shall reference these reporting requirements in its budget instructions.
The council shall submit recommendations on the operating budget priorities to support the ten-year plan to the office of financial management by October 1st each year, and to the legislature by January 1st each year.
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The office of financial management shall develop one prioritized list of capital projects for the legislature to consider that includes all of the projects requested by the four‑year institutions of higher education that were scored by the office of financial management pursuant to chapter 43.88D RCW, including projects that were previously scored but not funded. The prioritized list of capital projects shall be based on the following priorities in the following order:
Office of financial management scores pursuant to chapter 43.88D RCW;
Preserving assets;
Degree production; and
Maximizing efficient use of instructional space.
The office of financial management shall include all of the capital projects requested by the four‑year institutions of higher education, except for the minor works projects, in the prioritized list of capital projects provided to the legislature.
The form of the prioritized list for capital projects requested by the four‑year institutions of higher education shall be provided as one list, ranked in priority order with the highest priority project ranked number "1" through the lowest priority project numbered last. The ranking for the prioritized list of capital projects may not:
Include subpriorities;
Be organized by category;
Assume any state bond or building account biennial funding level to prioritize the list; or
Assume any specific share of projects by institution in the priority list.
Institutions and the state board for community and technical colleges shall submit any supplemental capital budget requests and revisions to the office of financial management by November 1st and to the legislature by January 1st.
For the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium and the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, the office of financial management may, but is not obligated to, develop one prioritized list of capital projects for the legislature to consider that includes all of the projects requested by the four-year institutions of higher education that were scored by the office of financial management pursuant to chapter 43.88D RCW, including projects that were previously scored but not funded.
This section modifies existing section 43.88D.010. Here is the modified chapter for context.
By October 1st of each even-numbered year, the office of financial management shall complete an objective analysis and scoring of all capital budget projects proposed by the public four-year institutions of higher education and submit the results of the scoring process to the legislative fiscal committees and the four-year institutions. Each project must be reviewed and scored within one of the following categories, according to the project's principal purpose. Each project may be scored in only one category. The categories are:
Access‑related projects to accommodate enrollment growth at all campuses, at existing or new university centers, or through distance learning. Growth projects should provide significant additional student capacity. Proposed projects must demonstrate that they are based on solid enrollment demand projections, more cost‑effectively provide enrollment access than alternatives such as university centers and distance learning, and make cost‑effective use of existing and proposed new space;
Projects that replace failing permanent buildings. Facilities that cannot be economically renovated are considered replacement projects. New space may be programmed for the same or a different use than the space being replaced and may include additions to improve access and enhance the relationship of program or support space;
Projects that renovate facilities to restore building life and upgrade space to meet current program requirements. Renovation projects should represent a complete renovation of a total facility or an isolated wing of a facility. A reasonable renovation project should cost between sixty to eighty percent of current replacement value and restore the renovated area to at least twenty-five years of useful life. New space may be programmed for the same or a different use than the space being renovated and may include additions to improve access and enhance the relationship of program or support space;
Major stand-alone campus infrastructure projects;
Projects that promote economic growth and innovation through expanded research activity. The acquisition and installation of specialized equipment is authorized under this category; and
Other project categories as determined by the office of financial management in consultation with the legislative fiscal committees.
The office of financial management, in consultation with the legislative fiscal committees, shall establish a scoring system and process for each four-year project category that is based on the framework used in the community and technical college system of prioritization. Staff from the state board for community and technical colleges and the four-year institutions shall provide technical assistance on the development of a scoring system and process.
The office of financial management shall consult with the legislative fiscal committees in the scoring of four-year institution project proposals, and may also solicit participation by independent experts.
For each four-year project category, the scoring system must, at a minimum, include an evaluation of enrollment trends, reasonableness of cost, the ability of the project to enhance specific strategic master plan goals, age and condition of the facility if applicable, and impact on space utilization.
Each four-year project category may include projects at the predesign, design, or construction funding phase.
To the extent possible, the objective analysis and scoring system of all capital budget projects shall occur within the context of any and all performance agreements between the office of financial management and the governing board of a public, four-year institution of higher education that aligns goals, priorities, desired outcomes, flexibility, institutional mission, accountability, and levels of resources.
In evaluating and scoring four-year institution projects, the office of financial management shall : (a) Take into consideration project schedules that result in realistic, balanced, and predictable expenditure patterns over the ensuing three biennia**; and (b) until July 1, 2032, prioritize major capital projects pursuant to this section that will directly support additional enrollments in degree programs related to the provision of health care or behavioral health services in occupations with current or projected labor shortages as determined by the workforce training and education coordinating board created under chapter 28C.18 RCW**.
The office of financial management shall distribute common definitions, the scoring system, and other information required for the project proposal and scoring process as part of its biennial budget instructions. The office of financial management, in consultation with the legislative fiscal committees, shall develop common definitions that four-year institutions must use in developing their project proposals and lists under this section.
In developing any scoring system for capital projects proposed by the four-year institutions, the office of financial management:
Shall be provided with all required information by the four-year institutions as deemed necessary by the office of financial management;
May utilize independent services to verify, sample, or evaluate information provided to the office of financial management by the four-year institutions; and
Shall have full access to all data maintained by the joint legislative audit and review committee concerning the condition of higher education facilities.
By August 1st of each even-numbered year each public four-year higher education institution shall prepare and submit prioritized lists of the individual projects proposed by the institution for the ensuing six-year period in each category. The lists must be submitted to the office of financial management and the legislative fiscal committees. The four-year institutions may aggregate minor works project proposals by primary purpose for ranking purposes. Proposed minor works projects must be prioritized within the aggregated proposal, and supporting documentation, including project descriptions and cost estimates, must be provided to the office of financial management and the legislative fiscal committees.
For the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium and the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, by November 1, 2022, the office of financial management must score higher education capital project criteria with a rating scale that assesses how well a particular project satisfies those criteria. The office of financial management may not use a rating scale that weighs the importance of those criteria.
For the 2019-2021 fiscal biennium and the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, pursuant to subsection (6)(a) of this section and in lieu of the requirements of subsection (7) of this section, by August 15, 2022, the institutions of higher education shall prepare and submit or resubmit to the office of financial management and the legislative fiscal committees:
Individual project proposals developed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section;
Individual project proposals scored in prior biennia pursuant to subsection (1) of this section; and
A prioritized list of up to five project proposals submitted pursuant to (a) and (b) of this subsection.
This section modifies existing section 28C.18.060. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The board, in cooperation with the operating agencies of the state training system and private career schools and colleges, shall:
Concentrate its major efforts on planning, coordination evaluation, policy analysis, and recommending improvements to the state's training system;
Advocate for the state training system and for meeting the needs of employers and the workforce for workforce education and training;
Establish and maintain an inventory of the programs of the state training system, and related state programs, and perform a biennial assessment of the vocational education, training, and adult basic education and literacy needs of the state; identify ongoing and strategic education needs; and assess the extent to which employment, training, vocational and basic education, rehabilitation services, and public assistance services represent a consistent, integrated approach to meet such needs;
Develop and maintain a state comprehensive plan for workforce training and education, including but not limited to, goals, objectives, and priorities for the state training system, and review the state training system for consistency with the state comprehensive plan. In developing the state comprehensive plan for workforce training and education, the board shall use, but shall not be limited to: Economic, labor market, and populations trends reports in office of financial management forecasts; joint office of financial management and employment security department labor force, industry employment, and occupational forecasts; the results of scientifically based outcome, net-impact and cost-benefit evaluations; the needs of employers as evidenced in formal employer surveys and other employer input; and the needs of program participants and workers as evidenced in formal surveys and other input from program participants and the labor community;
In consultation with the student achievement council, review and make recommendations to the office of financial management and the legislature on operating and capital facilities budget requests for operating agencies of the state training system for purposes of consistency with the state comprehensive plan for workforce training and education;
Provide for coordination among the different operating agencies and components of the state training system at the state level and at the regional level;
Develop a consistent and reliable database on vocational education enrollments, costs, program activities, and job placements from publicly funded vocational education programs in this state;
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Establish standards for data collection and maintenance for the operating agencies of the state training system in a format that is accessible to use by the board. The board shall require a minimum of common core data to be collected by each operating agency of the state training system;
Develop requirements for minimum common core data in consultation with the office of financial management and the operating agencies of the training system;
Establish minimum standards for program evaluation for the operating agencies of the state training system, including, but not limited to, the use of common survey instruments and procedures for measuring perceptions of program participants and employers of program participants, and monitor such program evaluation;
Every two years administer scientifically based outcome evaluations of the state training system, including, but not limited to, surveys of program participants, surveys of employers of program participants, and matches with employment security department payroll and wage files. Every five years administer scientifically based net-impact and cost-benefit evaluations of the state training system;
In cooperation with the employment security department, provide for the improvement and maintenance of quality and utility in occupational information and forecasts for use in training system planning and evaluation. Improvements shall include, but not be limited to, development of state-based occupational change factors involving input by employers and employees, and delineation of skill and training requirements by education level associated with current and forecasted occupations;
Provide for the development of common course description formats, common reporting requirements, and common definitions for operating agencies of the training system;
Provide for effectiveness and efficiency reviews of the state training system;
In cooperation with the student achievement council, facilitate transfer of credit policies and agreements between institutions of the state training system, and encourage articulation agreements for programs encompassing two years of secondary workforce education and two years of postsecondary workforce education;
In cooperation with the student achievement council, facilitate transfer of credit policies and agreements between private training institutions and institutions of the state training system;
Develop policy objectives for the workforce innovation and opportunity act, P.L. 113-128, or its successor; develop coordination criteria for activities under the act with related programs and services provided by state and local education and training agencies; and ensure that entrepreneurial training opportunities are available through programs of each local workforce development board in the state;
Ensure that the expansion of K-12 and postsecondary opportunities for career connected learning and work-integrated learning, as those terms are defined in RCW 28C.30.020, is incorporated into the state plan adopted for the purposes of the Carl D. Perkins career and technical education improvement act, P.L. 109-270;
Make recommendations to the commission of student assessment, the state board of education, and the superintendent of public instruction, concerning basic skill competencies and essential core competencies for K‑12 education. Basic skills for this purpose shall be reading, writing, computation, speaking, and critical thinking, essential core competencies for this purpose shall be English, math, science/technology, history, geography, and critical thinking. The board shall monitor the development of and provide advice concerning secondary curriculum which integrates vocational and academic education;
Establish and administer programs for marketing and outreach to businesses and potential program participants;
Facilitate the location of support services, including but not limited to, child care, financial aid, career counseling, and job placement services, for students and trainees at institutions in the state training system, and advocate for support services for trainees and students in the state training system;
Facilitate private sector assistance for the state training system, including but not limited to: Financial assistance, rotation of private and public personnel, and vocational counseling;
Facilitate the development of programs for school-to-work transition that combine classroom education and on-the-job training, including entrepreneurial education and training, in industries and occupations without a significant number of apprenticeship programs;
Include in the planning requirements for local workforce development boards a requirement that the local workforce development boards specify how entrepreneurial training is to be offered through the one‑stop system required under the workforce innovation and opportunity act, P.L. 113-128, or its successor;
Encourage and assess progress for the equitable representation of racial and ethnic minorities, women, and people with disabilities among the students, teachers, and administrators of the state training system. Equitable, for this purpose, shall mean substantially proportional to their percentage of the state population in the geographic area served. This function of the board shall in no way lessen more stringent state or federal requirements for representation of racial and ethnic minorities, women, and people with disabilities;
Participate in the planning and policy development of governor set-aside grants under P.L. 97‑300, as amended;
Administer veterans' programs, licensure of private vocational schools, the job skills program, and the Washington award for vocational excellence;
Allocate funding from the state job training trust fund;
Work with the director of commerce to ensure coordination among workforce training priorities and economic development and entrepreneurial development efforts, including but not limited to assistance to industry clusters;
Conduct research into workforce development programs designed to reduce the high unemployment rate among young people between approximately eighteen and twenty-four years of age. In consultation with the operating agencies, the board shall advise the governor and legislature on policies and programs to alleviate the high unemployment rate among young people. The research shall include disaggregated demographic information and, to the extent possible, income data for adult youth. The research shall also include a comparison of the effectiveness of programs examined as a part of the research conducted in this subsection in relation to the public investment made in these programs in reducing unemployment of young adults. The board shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by November 15, 2008, and every two years thereafter. Where possible, the data reported to the legislative committees should be reported in numbers and in percentages;
Until July 1, 2032, provide information on health care and behavioral health occupations with current or projected labor shortages to the office of financial management, the four-year institutions of higher education, and the board created under this chapter;
Adopt rules as necessary to implement this chapter.
The board may delegate to the director any of the functions of this section.