This bill adds four new sections (Sections 1–4) to chapter 28A.700 RCW to establish a secondary training program framework for careers in natural resources and conservation. It directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), subject to available appropriations, to select a private nonprofit partner (registered under section 501(c)(3)) to continue and expand an existing youth program. The bill sets detailed eligibility and performance criteria for that nonprofit partner, requires program courses to target students ages 14–17, mandates use of specified state curricula and industry competencies, requires programs to be at least 90 hours (summer skills center or after-school) with at least two-thirds of hours in work-integrated learning, and requires program participation to earn high school credit, potential community college credit if dual-credit requirements are met, or an industry-recognized credential/document of competency aligned to local employer needs. The bill also requires OSPI to report to the Legislature by December after the first and third year of state-funded programming, evaluating participating districts and skill centers, accounting for use of funds, and recommending continuation, expiration, or revision. This is a creation of new statutory sections (a new programmatic/administrative law), not a change to criminal penalties. Affected parties include OSPI, the selected nonprofit partner, Career Connect Washington partners, school districts and skill centers, community and technical colleges, employers, and historically marginalized students in EPA-designated disadvantaged communities or areas scoring seven or higher on the Washington environmental health disparities map. Important details are missing from the extracted text: the specific existing program to be continued is not named, exact appropriation amounts or timelines for partner selection are not provided, key terms such as "industry-recognized credential," "document of competency," and "work-integrated learning" are not defined here, and the operational process for selecting the nonprofit partner is not described.

If passed, the state would pay the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to pick a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit to run and expand a youth program that gives 14–17 year olds at least 90 hours of summer or after‑school training in restoration, forestry, and other conservation topics, with two‑thirds of the time spent in work‑integrated learning. The nonprofit would have to meet strict experience and accountability rules, run employer surveys, collect outcomes (completion, graduation, postsecondary results), recruit historically marginalized students and schools in EPA‑designated disadvantaged areas or high environmental‑risk districts, coordinate gear libraries, and supplement state money with private funds, equipment, scholarships, and employer partnerships; OSPI must report to the legislature after year one and year three and account for all spending and make continuation recommendations. The practical effect is that OSPI’s role shifts toward selecting and overseeing a specific nonprofit partner and producing legislative reports, school districts, skill centers, community colleges, and employers would take on program delivery and credentialing duties, and the chosen nonprofit would face new costs and responsibilities to meet reporting, recruitment, and expansion requirements while expected to raise private support. Key uncertainties: the bill does not say which existing program will be continued, how much money will be appropriated or when selection must happen, and several terms (like exact credential definitions, the selection process, and the precise report deadline) are left unspecified, so implementation timing, scale, and budgetary impact are unclear.