PRIVATE VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS ACT

Peggy Rudolph
Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
P.O. Box 43105
Olympia, WA 98504-3105
Telephone: 360.586.8682
E-mail: prudolph@wtb.wa.gov

State Website: www.wtb.wa.gov
PVSA Web Link: www.wtb.wa.gov/PCS_Introduction.asp

Who is Served: Generally, a high school diploma or GED is required for entry into a private vocational school or college. In some cases, particularly for individuals without a high school diploma or equivalent, an “ability-to-benefit” test must be successfully passed before a student is accepted.

Program Description: Private career schools comprise a large sector in the array of educational resources available to Washington state citizens. The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board licenses and regulates the schools, ensuring adequate educational quality and protection against unfair or misleading practices. It also administers the Tuition Recovery Fund, which provides financial assistance for students who are adversely affected by a school closure.

Program History: Washington’s Private Vocational Schools Act was passed as a consumer protection law in 1986. The law protects students who enroll in private career school programs offering credentials below the degree level. Today, the state’s 259 schools offer a variety of career and technical training programs, such as massage therapy, boat building, health care, information technology, truck driving, and many more to over 28,000 students per year.

State Core Measures: See Workforce Training Results

Other Outcome Measures: The state’s Eligible Training Provider List is a form of outcome measurement for private schools. Schools that want their programs to be eligible to receive Workforce Investment Act Title I funds or train dislocated workers receiving extended Unemployment Insurance benefits must meet certain standards for student completion, employment, and earnings. In addition, many individual schools apply their own measures.

Funding and Regional Division: Private vocational schools are not funded by the state. The Workforce Board’s costs to administer the Private Vocational School Act are offset by license fees paid by the schools. The Workforce Board received $225,770 in license fees in 2006-2007 (July 1, 2006-June 30, 2007)

State Funding: None.

Federal Funding: None.

Statutory Authority: Private Vocational Schools Act, RCW 28C.10 and WAC 490-105. Administered by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.