Partners for Our Children

Sponsored by Representative Maxwell, HB 1871establishes the ASSET program to increase access to work-integrated learning opportunities, particularly in STEM fields. These opportunities will include paid and unpaid internships and work experiences, apprenticeships and preapprenticeships, job shadowing, mentoring, and visits to work sites. This program will encourage employers to offer such opportunities for students and encourage schools to work with local businesses to develop such opportunities. It will create and maintain a web-based matching and communications system and the board will track and report the outcomes of the program. In addition, OSPI will allocate grants to at least two high schools and one skill center to each implement a dropout reengagement program aligned with entry into a high-demand occupation. In addition to providing academic instructions for participants to earn a high school diploma or an equivalent, they will also provide training for the student to earn an entry-level certificate in a high-demand employment field in science, math, technology, engineering, or manufacturing.