Career Connect NW, hosted at the Northwest Educational Service District 189, has been contracted by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to project manage the 2023-25 NW CTE Dual Credit legislative proviso. This project aims to expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) Dual Credit opportunities for high school students, focusing on creating accessible pathways for students that allow them to earn college credits that lead to careers in high-demand fields.

In June 2023, the Washington state legislature allocated funds through the CTE Dual Credit Proviso (ESSB 5187). This directive, sponsored by Rep. Dave Paul, charged the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to oversee a pilot program designed to improve access and participation to dual credit opportunities within career and technical education (CTE) courses. 

Four colleges in the NWESD 189 area will be part of this project from 2023 to 2025: Bellingham Technical College, Everett Community College, Skagit Valley College, and Whatcom Community College. To ensure comprehensive input, a stakeholder committee comprising students, faculty, staff, and agency representatives will be established to guide and inform this important work. During this project, Career Connect NW will work closely with these colleges as well as SBCTC, OSPI, and regional CTE Directors to achieve several critical objectives:

  • Develop a shared vision and strategy aimed at creating robust CTE dual credit pathways leading to post-secondary enrollment.
  • Forge deliberate connections and articulations within several career pathways, scaling college pathways that culminate in Industry Recognized Credentials (IRCs) aligned with high-paying, high-demand industries.
  • Design and implement standardized tools, processes, and approaches to establish seamless regional and statewide articulations.

This project will leverage work also happening through Career Connect NW, focused on creating clear pathways to Computer Science post-secondary programs in the NW region. To learn more about this effort check out: https://www.nwesd.org/ed-talks/computer-science-dual-credit-alignment/