(1) Opportunity internship consortia may apply to the board to offer an opportunity internship program.

(a) The board, in consultation with the Washington state apprenticeship and training council, may select those consortia that demonstrate the strongest commitment and readiness to implement a high quality opportunity internship program for low-income high school students. The board shall place a priority on consortia with demonstrated experience working with similar populations of students and demonstrated capacity to assist a large number of students through the progression of internship or preapprenticeship, high school graduation, postsecondary education, and retention in a high-demand occupation. The board shall place a priority on programs that emphasize secondary career and technical education and nonbaccalaureate postsecondary education; however, programs that target four-year postsecondary degrees are eligible to participate.

(b)(i) Except as provided in (b)(ii) of this subsection (1), the board shall enter into a contract with each consortium selected to participate in the program. No more than ten consortia per year shall be selected to participate in the program, and to the extent possible, the board shall assure a geographic distribution of consortia in regions across the state emphasizing a variety of targeted industries. Each consortium may select no more than one hundred low-income high school students per year to participate in the program.

(ii) For fiscal years 2011 through 2013, the board shall enter into a contract with each consortium selected to participate in the program. No more than twelve consortia per year shall be selected to participate in the program, and to the extent possible, the board shall assure a geographic distribution of consortia in regions across the state emphasizing a variety of targeted industries. No more than five thousand low-income high school students per year may be selected to participate in the program.

(2) Under the terms of an opportunity internship program contract, an opportunity internship consortium shall commit to the following activities which shall be conducted using existing federal, state, local, or private funds available to the consortium:

(a) Identify high-demand occupations in targeted industries for which opportunity internships or preapprenticeships shall be developed and provided;

(b) Develop and implement the components of opportunity internships, including paid or unpaid internships or preapprenticeships of at least ninety hours in length in high-demand occupations with employers in the consortium, mentoring and guidance for students who participate in the program, assistance with applications for postsecondary programs and financial aid, and a guarantee of a job interview with a participating employer for all opportunity internship graduates who successfully complete a postsecondary program of study;

(c) Once the internship or preapprenticeship components have been developed, conduct outreach efforts to inform low-income high school students about high-demand occupations, the opportunity internship program, options for postsecondary programs of study, and the incentives and opportunities provided to students who participate in the program;

(d) Obtain appropriate documentation of the low-income status of students who participate in the program;

(e) Maintain communication with opportunity internship graduates of the consortium who enroll in postsecondary programs of study; and

(f) Submit an annual report to the board on the progress of and participation in the opportunity internship program of the consortium.

(3) Opportunity internship consortia are encouraged to:

(a) Provide paid opportunity internships or preapprenticeships, including during the summer months to encourage students to stay enrolled in high school;

(b) Work with high schools to offer opportunity internships as approved worksite learning experiences where students can earn high school credit;

(c) Designate the local workforce development council as fiscal agent for the opportunity internship program contract;

(d) Work with area high schools to incorporate the opportunity internship program into comprehensive guidance and counseling programs such as the navigation 101 program; and

(e) Coordinate the opportunity internship program with other workforce development and postsecondary education programs, including opportunity grants, the college bound scholarship program, federal workforce innovation and opportunity act initiatives, and college access challenge grants.

(4) The board shall seek federal funds that may be used to support the opportunity internship program, including providing the incentive payments under RCW 28C.18.168.

Findings—Intent—2010 1st sp.s. c 24: See note following RCW 28C.04.390.

Findings—Intent—2009 c 238: See note following RCW 28C.18.160.