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SUMMARY: LC 33 6769 LC 33 6853S LC 33 6876S
"Creating Opportunities Needed Now to Expand Credentialed Training (CONNECT) Act"
Amends several code sections related to career education, identification of critical needs fields of study, focused programs of study, awarding high school credit based on proficiency, use of capital outlay funds, assessments, competitive grant program, reform grants; and adds a new code section related to industry credentialing
Builds on the work of the past few years to establish work-based learning programs, industry certification, and dual enrollment in critical needs fields.
PROVISIONS:
Amends 20-2-145.1, relating to career education
State Board shall prescribe a minimum course of study in career education in grades 6-12 (changed from K-12)
Adds description of "career oriented learning experiences" to include but not be limited to participation in work based learning programs such as internships, apprenticeships, cooperative education, or employability skill development
State Board shall ensure that career oriented learning experiences include industry credentialing as defined in 20-2-326
Amends 20-2-159.1, relating to focused programs of study
Adds requirement that the Department of Education include the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System in developing the state models and industry required content standards for the seventeen listed focused programs of study
Adds energy to the focused programs of study
Allows the focused programs of study to include or be revised to include industry certifications or industry credentialing as defined in 20-2-326
Requires the Department of Education and the Technical College System of Georgia to identify and create a list of approved industry credentials which shall be made available on the websites of those two agencies prior to the beginning of the annual competitive grant application process in 20-2-260
Amends 20-2-161.2, related to work based learning programs
Lowers the age for participation from 16 to 15
Amends 20-2-260, relating to capital outlay funds
Adds career, technical, and agricultural education labs and facilities to support industry credentialing to the definition of "educational facilities"
Amends the currently required needs assessment and FTE projections to include propertues owned by the Technical College System for the purposes of a college and career academy
Requires the State Board to establish an annual competitive grant program for renovation, modernization, replacement, or purchase of equipment for the enhancement of career, technical, and agricultural education programs in educational facilities that align with industry credentials on the list created under 20-2-159.1 OR have been
- Linked to an occupation that addresses a critical local or statewide workforce need
- Linked to an occupation that is identified as part of the skilled trade industry OR
- Linked to an occupation that is identified in an emerging field or technology
In awarding the grants, priority must be given to local programs that demonstrate partnerships representing local business and industry and to postsecondary programs offering postsecondary opportunities linked to industry need
Amends items for which the State Board must request separate appropriations to include construction projects resulting from agreement between two or more local school systems and adds equipment grants to enhance industry credentialing pursuant to the competitive grant listed above
Amends 20-2-326, relating to the "Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act"
Amends definition of "industry certification" so that the program evaluation ensures it meets state, national, or international industry standards
Adds definition of industry credentialing as "a process through which students are assessed by an independent third-party certifying entity using predetermined standards for knowledge, skills, and competencies, resulting in the award of individual certification, state licensure, or an occupational competency that is state, nationally or internationally recognized or a state certification or licensure developed by the relevant industry"
Amends 20-2-327, relating to counseling and development of individual graduation plans
Adds career demand inventories to required counseling/advisement for students in grades 6-8
Annual guidance, advisement, and counseling provided to high school students shall include information regarding occupations, degrees, industry credentials, certifications, and technical skills; work-ready skills in demand by Georgia employers through the department's career pipeline website; and other career related inventories made available through the Technical College System of Georgia or the Office of Student Achievement
Individual graduation plan must include any applicable industry credentialing that pertains to the student's focused program of study in addition to the current requirements
Adds a new code section 20-2-327.1
State Board in collaboration with the Technical College System of Georgia shall facilitate and encourage industry credentialing for career, technical, and agricultural education programs utilizing existing career pathways and individual graduation plans
Local school systems are authorized and encouraged to align competency-based career education along with enhanced work based learning experiences as provided for in 20-2-161.2 to facilitate and make available to students opportunities to receive industry credentialing in critical and emerging occupations in Georgia
No later than December 31, 2017, and annually thereafter, the Department of Education shall produce a report identifying the industry credentialing attainment levels for the previous calendar year including the current and projected regional business and industry needs to establish annual goals and strategies to increase attainment rates of industry credentialing, including the development of additional industry credentialing to enhance current industry certified programs
Amends 20-2-328, relating to a competitive grant program
Requirements for competitive reform grants in high schools shall encourage alignment with industry credentialing including postsecondary partnerships between the Technical College System of Georgia and college and career academies and other career, technical, and agricultural education programs to allow for greater attainment of industry credentialing
State Board shall develop criteria for reform grants for high schools that enhance career, technical, and agricultural education programs to allow for greater attainment of industry credentialing including postsecondary partnerships between the Technical College System of Georgia and college and career academies and other career, technical, and agricultural education programs in high schools
The grants may also be used to require that career, technical, and agricultural education teachers participate in industry credentialing training to teach courses that lead to industry credentialing
EFFECTIVE DATE IF PASSED: July 1, 2017 |
