wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1273 > Substitute Bill
The legislature finds that students who participate in dual credit programs have higher rates of college enrollment, persistence, and completion. Dual credit programs are an important economic development for Washington because they equip students with the skills needed for high-skill, high-wage employment and continued education in high-demand sectors.
Career and technical education (CTE) dual credit is the most commonly accessed form of dual credit in Washington and has significant potential to improve equitable access to postsecondary pathways for students from all backgrounds. However, it lags behind other course-based dual credit programs in ensuring that students receive a transcripted credit while in high school, and that the credit they earn will transfer to the postsecondary institution of their choice.
Therefore, the legislature intends to extend and expand a pilot program for the purpose of increasing CTE dual credit participation and credential attainment in professional technical programs, plan for the improvement or replacement of the statewide enrollment and reporting system for CTE dual credit, and receive recommendations on future amendments to state dual credit policies.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the college board shall administer, and award grant funding to, up to three regional pilot programs, for the purpose of increasing career and technical education dual credit participation and credential attainment in professional technical programs.
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One pilot program must be a continuation of the pilot program established in section 601(47)(a), chapter 376, Laws of 2024. This pilot program may receive grant funding for up to two years.
The college board, in collaboration with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, must select participants for the other two pilot programs based on educational service district regions. The pilot programs must be geographically dispersed, with at least one in an educational service district with rural communities that lack convenient student access to skill centers or other workforce development facilities or programs. These pilot programs may receive grant funding for up to four years.
Community and technical colleges, public high schools, and skill centers participating in a pilot program may use grant funding to cover expenses for the following activities:
Developing, and updating annually, a comprehensive catalog of dual credit courses and programs offered to students enrolled in public high schools;
Aligning career and technical education dual credit programs with postsecondary credential pathways and apprenticeships leading to in-demand career fields;
Providing technical assistance to public high schools and institutions of higher education to improve the accuracy and speed of awarding dual credits and updating transcripts;
Providing professional development for staff of public high schools and institutions of higher education to develop, align, and articulate dual credit courses; and
Supporting public high school staff in the following activities:
Outreach to prospective students and students who have completed career and technical education dual credit courses and are eligible for postsecondary credit about how to receive and where to apply the credit;
Providing technical assistance in course curriculum alignment for career and technical education dual credit courses;
Partnering with institutions of higher education to develop articulation agreements for career and technical education dual credit courses; and
Awarding equipment and supplies grants for career and technical education dual credit courses that meet emerging needs in high-demand, high-paying industries.
For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
"Public high school" means a public school as defined in RCW 28A.150.010 with any of grades nine through 12; and
"Skill centers" refers to the regional career and technical education partnerships established under chapter 28A.245 RCW.
This section expires July 1, 2030.
The state board for community and technical colleges shall develop a plan for improving or replacing its online, statewide enrollment and reporting system for career and technical education dual credit.
The state board for community and technical colleges shall hire a consultant to conduct a comprehensive, written assessment of technology solutions with the goal of enhancing secondary and postsecondary career and technical education dual credit systems to ensure seamless integration and accessibility for users.
The objectives and scope of the assessment are as follows:
Evaluate current technology used by state agencies involved in dual credit programs to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the systems;
Gather input from all interested parties, including students, educators, administrators, and policymakers, then document and prioritize the needs and requirements of each group;
Review and evaluate existing technology solutions available on the open market, then compare features, costs, and implementation requirements of each solution;
Develop a comprehensive strategy for implementing the chosen technology solutions, including a detailed timeline outlining key milestones and deliverables; and
Estimate the total cost to implement the chosen technology solutions and identify potential funding sources.
By June 30, 2026, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the state board for community and technical colleges shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature with the comprehensive, written assessment of technology solutions conducted by the consultant hired under subsection (2) of this section. The board must include a cover letter outlining its position on the consultant's conclusions. If the board does not concur with the findings, the cover letter must provide a clear explanation of the reasons for its disagreement.
In compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the college board, in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall jointly report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on the implementation of this act and with recommendations for additional improvements to state dual credit policies. The preliminary report is due by December 10, 2026, and the final report is due by August 10, 2029.
One or both reports must include the following information:
Findings regarding pilot programs created for the purpose of increasing career and technical education dual credit participation and credential attainment in professional technical programs under section 2 of this act; and
Recommendations to the legislature and relevant state agencies for:
Improving career and technical education course articulation and for the development of statewide articulation agreements;
Improving data collection and reporting methods;
Credit transcription and transfer processes;
Ensuring college and career counseling for high school students includes robust and accurate information about dual credit pathways, including career and technical education dual credit, and their alignment to postsecondary credential and apprenticeship opportunities;
Further alignment of career and technical education dual credit with career-connected learning, apprenticeship, and credential pathways; and
The final report must establish recommendations to improve state career and technical education dual credit policies, create statewide articulation agreements, and improve the uniform transcription of earned credits. These recommendations must include input from a statewide organization representing career and technical education and other relevant interested parties and report on potential statutory changes and administrative rule improvements that support equitable student access to, and the effectiveness of, career and technical education dual credit programs.
This section expires July 1, 2030.