District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B25-0741 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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4	4	______________________________ ______________________________ 1
5	5	Chairman Phil Mendelson Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 2
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8	8	______________________________ _____________________________ 5
9	9	Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie 6
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12	12	______________________________ ______________________________ 9
13	13	Councilmember Trayon White Sr. Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 10
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16	16	_______________________________ _____________________________ 13
17	17	Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Brooke Pinto 14
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21	21	______________________________ ______________________________ 18
22	22	Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Christina Henderson 19
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26	26	_____________________________23
27	27	Councilmember Zachary Parker 24
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32	32	A BILL 29
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34	34	______________ 31
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36	36	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 33
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38	38	______________ 35
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41	41	To establish a Workforce Ready Program that is locally funded and administered by the Office 38
42	42	of the State Superintendent of Education. 39
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44	44	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 41
45	45	act may be cited as the “Vocational Education for a New Generation Act of 2024”. 42
46	46	Sec. 2. Definitions. 43
47	47	For the purposes of this title, the term: 44
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50	50	(1) “Adult student” shall have the same meaning as provided in Section 4(2) of 45
51	51	The District of Columbia Nonresident Tuition Act, approved September 8, 1960 (74 Stat. 854; 46
52	52	D.C. Official Code § 38-301(2)). 47
53	53	(2) “CTE” means career and technical education. 48
54	54	(3) “Formula” shall have the same meaning as provided in section 102 of the 49
55	55	Uniform Per Student Funding Formula for Public Schools and Public Charter Schools Act of 50
56	56	1998, effective March 26, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-207; D.C. Official Code § 38-2901(8)). 51
57	57	(4) “Industry certification” or “credential” means industry-endorsed assessments 52
58	58	that are designed to indicate an individual’s ability and competence in a field of work and 53
59	59	signifies satisfactory completion of education and experience requirements. 54
60	60	(5) “Labor organization" shall have the same meaning as provided in Section 102 55
61	61	of the Human Rights Act of 1977, effective December 13, 1977 (D.C. Law 2-38; D.C. Official 56
62	62	Code § 2–1401.02(15)). 57
63	63	(6) “Local education agency” shall have the same meaning as provided in Section 58
64	64	3(b) of the State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000, effective October 21, 2000 (D.C. 59
65	65	Law 13-176; D.C. Official Code § 38-2602(b)(20)(O)(iii)). 60
66	66	(7) “Nonprofit” means an organization or institution that is exempt from federal 61
67	67	income tax under the provisions of 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) and that meets the requirements 62
68	68	of Chapter 4 of Title 29. 63
69	69	(8) “Participant” means individuals pursuing a CTE pathway or CTE program. 64
70	70	(9) “Perkins V Grant” means the Strengthening Career and Technical Education 65
71	71	for the 21st Century Act, approved July 31, 2018 (Pub. L. No. 115-224; 132 Stat. 1563). 66
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74	74	(10) “Technical occupation” means a job that does not require a bachelor’s degree 67
75	75	and provides workers with a career path that will allow them to build skills through experience 68
76	76	toward in-demand jobs and achieve economic mobility. 69
77	77	(11) “Work-based learning” means an instructional opportunity for students to 70
78	78	interact with industry professionals to learn technical and employability skills and knowledge 71
79	79	necessary in a field of work. 72
80	80	Sec. 3. Establishment of a local career and technical education program. 73
81	81	(a) There is established a local fund for a CTE and Workforce Ready Program 74
82	82	(“Workforce Ready Program”), which shall be administered by the Office of the State 75
83	83	Superintendent of Education (“OSSE”), beginning in the 2024 to 2025 school year, in 76
84	84	accordance with subsections (d) and (e) of this section. 77
85	85	(b) The funding for the Workforce Ready Program shall be supplemental to Formula, 78
86	86	federal, or other funds received by OSSE for CTE. 79
87	87	(c) OSSE shall have the authority to issue grants or enter into contracts or partnership 80
88	88	agreements using money from the Workforce Ready Program fund to District of Columbia 81
89	89	Public Schools, local education agencies, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, 82
90	90	employers, and labor organizations to improve the quality and accessibility of career and 83
91	91	technical education opportunities. The grants, contracts, and partnership agreements awarded 84
92	92	shall be supplemental to Formula, federal, or other funds received by a school for CTE. 85
93	93	(d) Money in the Workforce Ready Program fund shall be used for the following 86
94	94	purposes: 87
95	95	(1) Establishment of new CTE programs and programs of study; 88
96	96	(2) Expansion of existing CTE programs to meet industry demand; 89
97	97	(3) Expansion of CTE courses, including dual enrollment courses; 90
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100	100	(4) Expansion of CTE programs of study for adult students enrolled in Perkins V 91
101	101	Grant funded local education agencies; 92
102	102	(5) Industry certification or credential fees; and 93
103	103	(6) Career guidance and counseling services for participants. 94
104	104	(e) Money in the Workforce Ready Program fund may be used for the following 95
105	105	purposes: 96
106	106	(1) Transportation costs for participants to cover commuting to and from CTE 97
107	107	programs, off-site internships, or work-based learning opportunities; 98
108	108	(2) Training for CTE instructors to meet industry demand; 99
109	109	(3) Expansion of CTE programs of study and participant seats at the District of 100
110	110	Columbia Advanced Technical Center; and 101
111	111	(4) Student wages in work-based learning opportunities. 102
112	112	(f) Each recipient of Workforce Ready Program funds shall offer at least one CTE 103
113	113	program that leads to industry certification, credentials, or degrees associated with technical 104
114	114	occupations upon completion of the program. 105
115	115	(g) Each recipient of Workforce Ready Program funds shall submit to OSSE an Industry 106
116	116	Certification Plan that includes the following: 107
117	117	(1) A timeline outlining the sequence of steps that will prepare students to acquire 108
118	118	industry certifications, credentials, or degrees upon completion of the CTE program; 109
119	119	(2) Resources necessary to meet paragraph (1) of this subsection such as 110
120	120	technology and equipment, training for teachers and instructors, work-based learning 111
121	121	opportunities, career counseling and guidance services, transportation assistance, resources for 112
122	122	outreach efforts to attract students to enroll in its CTE program; and 113
123	123	(3) Any additional information deemed pertinent by OSSE. 114
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126	126	(h) Within 6 months after the applicability date of the Vocational Education for a New 115
127	127	Generation Act of 2024, OSSE shall develop, and publish on its website, a method to assess 116
128	128	student demand for CTE programs and conduct a student demand assessment. No later than one 117
129	129	month after the completion of the student demand assessment, OSSE shall establish, and publish 118
130	130	on its website, goals for CTE program capacity expansion based on the results of the student 119
131	131	demand assessment in accordance with this subsection, and OSSE shall meet the established 120
132	132	goals within 3 years. The method to assess student demand shall consider, at the minimum, the 121
133	133	following: 122
134	134	(1) Labor market demand; 123
135	135	(2) Student interest; 124
136	136	(3) Current CTE program participation; 125
137	137	(4) Number of available student seats in CTE programs and programs of study; 126
138	138	(5) Quality of CTE programs and programs of study; and 127
139	139	(6) Programmatic capacity to meet student interest and labor market demand. 128
140	140	Sec. 4. Reporting. 129
141	141	(a) On October 1 of the year after the establishment of the Workforce Ready Program 130
142	142	fund, and annually thereafter, OSSE shall publish on its website the core indicators of 131
143	143	performance mandated by the federal Perkins V Grant and the following information concerning 132
144	144	its CTE programs for the previous school year: 133
145	145	(1) The total number of students enrolled in CTE courses; 134
146	146	(2) The total number of students who participated in work-based learning 135
147	147	opportunities; 136
148	148	(3) The total number of students who obtained an industry certification or 137
149	149	credential and the specific types of industry certifications or credentials obtained; 138
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152	152	(4) The total number of students who enrolled in postsecondary education or 139
153	153	secured a job placement upon high school graduation and, to the extent possible, at 6 months and 140
154	154	12 months after high school graduation; and 141
155	155	(5) A description of collaborations and partnerships with employers, local 142
156	156	education agencies, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations to increase job 143
157	157	placement opportunities for CTE students. 144
158	158	Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement. 145
159	159	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 146
160	160	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 147
161	161	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 148
162	162	Sec. 6. Effective date. 149
163	163	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 150
164	164	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 151
165	165	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 152
166	166	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 153
167	167	Columbia Register. 154