HLS 19RS-2974 ENGROSSED 2019 Regular Session HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 210 BY REPRESENTATIVE NANCY LANDRY COLLEGES/COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL: Requests that the Louisiana Community and Technical College System continue a pilot scholarship program for certain adults 1 A RESOLUTION 2To urge and request the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, in 3 coordination with the Board of Regents and the Louisiana Office of Student 4 Financial Assistance, to continue a pilot program to provide public postsecondary 5 education scholarships to certain adult students and to submit written reports of its 6 findings regarding the development and implementation of the program, including 7 any recommendations for related legislation, to the House Committee on Education 8 not later than sixty days prior to the beginning of the 2020 Regular Session of the 9 Legislature and the 2021 Regular Session of the Legislature. 10 WHEREAS, current data and occupational forecasts indicate that a majority of high- 11demand, high-paying occupations will require more than a high school education; and 12 WHEREAS, half of Louisiana's working-age adults have a high school diploma or 13less and lack the skills and education needed to fully participate in the economy; and 14 WHEREAS, every effort must be made to provide greater access to postsecondary 15education to those adults in order to move them from the rolls of the underemployed or 16unemployed to the rolls of a skilled workforce and to ensure that they are prepared to meet 17the current and future workforce needs of the state and are capable of self-sufficiency; and 18 WHEREAS, House Resolution No. 112 and Senate Resolution No. 113 of the 2018 19Regular Session of the Legislature requested the Louisiana Community and Technical 20College System to develop a pilot program to provide public postsecondary education 21scholarships for use in programs aligned with high-demand, high-paying occupations by 22Louisiana's working-age citizens who have earned an alternative high school diploma and 23who have scored at least a seventeen on the ACT; and Page 1 of 3 HLS 19RS-2974 ENGROSSED HR NO. 210 1 WHEREAS, the scholarship program for adults did attract and engage more of the 2working-age population in public postsecondary education; and 3 WHEREAS, the adults participating in the scholarship program have demonstrated 4success with higher average rates of persistence and grade point averages than students who 5graduated from high school and have received a TOPS-Tech award; and 6 WHEREAS, further development of this pilot scholarship program is necessary to 7aid in the development of a well-educated, highly skilled, and productive workforce, which 8is of paramount importance to the economic growth of this state. 9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the 10Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Community and 11Technical College System, in coordination with the Board of Regents and the Louisiana 12Office of Student Financial Assistance, to further develop and expand the pilot program 13created in response to the request of House Resolution No. 112 and Senate Resolution 14No. 113 of the 2018 Regular Session of the Legislature to provide public postsecondary 15education scholarships for use in programs aligned with high-demand, high-paying 16occupations by Louisiana's working-age citizens who have earned an alternative high school 17diploma. 18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the scale of the expanded pilot scholarship 19program administered by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System shall be 20determined by the funds raised by the colleges or appropriated to them. 21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Community and Technical 22College System shall submit a written report of its findings regarding the development and 23implementation of the pilot program, including any recommendations for related legislation, 24to the House Committee on Education not later than sixty days prior to the beginning of the 252020 Regular Session of the Legislature and the 2021 Regular Session of the Legislature. 26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the 27president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, the commissioner of 28higher education, and the executive director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial 29Assistance. Page 2 of 3 HLS 19RS-2974 ENGROSSED HR NO. 210 DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HR 210 Engrossed 2019 Regular Session Nancy Landry Requests that the La. Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), in coordination with the Bd. of Regents and the La. Office of Student Financial Assistance, further develop and expand a scholarship program for use in certain programs by working-age citizens and that LCTCS submit written reports of findings regarding the development and implementation of the pilot program, including any recommendations for related legislation, to the House Committee on Education not later than 60 days prior to the beginning of 2020 R.S and 2021 R.S. Page 3 of 3