Preparing Students for High-Demand Careers

Skill centers are an integral part of an overall expansion of CTE programming in Washington. Skill centers are regional secondary schools that serve high school students from multiple school districts. They provide instruction in preparatory programs that are either too expensive or too specialized for school districts to operate individually. Currently, there are 14 skill centers in Washington state. Many more will be emerging in the near future.

Skill Centers

• Cascadia Technical Academy, Vancouver
• Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center, Moses Lake
• New Market Skills Center, Tumwater
• NEWTECH Skills Center, Spokane
• Northwest Career and Technical Academy, La Conner
• Pierce County Skills Center, Bethel
• Puget Sound Skills Center, Burien
• Seattle Public Schools Skills Center, Seattle
• Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center, Everett
• Tri-Tech Skills Center, Kennewick
• WaNIC Skills Center, Kirkland
• Wenatchee Valley Technical Skills Center, Wenatchee
• West Sound Technical Skills Center, Bremerton
• Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center, Yakima

Learn more about skill center capital requests.

Branch Campuses
The skill centers are listed under each branch campus.

• SEATech Skills Center, Walla Walla
  (Tri-Tech Skills Center)
• Spokane Valley Tech, Spokane
  (NEWTECH Skills Center)
• Twin Harbors, Aberdeen
  (New Market Skills Center)

Form
The New Skill Center Campus form is designed to guide designated host districts through each phase of obtaining approval for a new skill center core, branch or satellite campus.

In order to have a new skill center core or branch campus approved by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), a feasibility study must be completed as well as an interdistrict cooperative agreement. New satellite programs have a separate set of requirements (see WAC 392-600-080).

New Skill Center Campus Form New (Word)

In 2008, eight skill centers and 85 school districts participated in feasibility studies for satellite/branch campuses across the state in accordance with Second Substitute Senate Bill 5790 (2008). Skill centers will reach into rural and remote districts, as well as high-density, urban districts with the same quality services as are offered at current regional skill centers.

RCW 28A.245.030 required that the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction revise guidelines for skill centers, in cooperation with the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, skill center directors and the Washington Association for Career and Technical Education. The adopted Skill Center Rules were subject to a public hearing on Tuesday, December 01, 2009, 10:00 AM-11:00 AM, in the Wanamaker Conference Room at OSPI. The rules were adopted, and were made effective on February 22, 2010.

• Skill Center Rules - Chapter 392-600 WAC
• Guidelines for Operating Summer School Career and Technical Education Programs 2010

For more information about skill centers, visit www.washingtonskillscenters.org.