HB2325--PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT(Patterson)
COMMITTEEOFORIGIN:StandingCommitteeonWorkforceDevelopment
EXTENDEDLEARNINGOPPORTUNITYACT(Section160.565)
Thisbillestablishesthe"ExtendedLearningOpportunitiesAct".
Thebilldefines"extendedlearningopportunity"asanout-of
classroomlearningexperienceasapprovedbytheStateBoardof
Education(SBE), schoolboard,oracharterschoolandthatprovides
astudentwith:
1)Enrichmentopportunities;
2)Careerreadinessoremployabilityskillsopportunities
including,butnotlimitedto,internships;preapprenticeships; or
apprenticeships; or
3)Anyotherapprovededucationalopportunities.
Beginningwiththe2023-2024schoolyear,theSBEandeachlocal
schoolboardshallinformstudentsandparentsofthestudents
abilitytoearncreditforparticipatinginextendedlearning
opportunities. ThebillrequirestheSBEtoadoptandeachlocal
schooldistricttodistributeandimplementextendedlearning
opportunitiespoliciesthatprovideforanapplicationprocessand
listofentitiesthatareeligibletoofferextendedlearning
opportunitiesasdetailedinthebill.Criteriausedtoawarda
certificateofcompletionandforastudentssuccessfulcompletion
ofcourseworkandsatisfactionofcreditsthatapplytowardthe
studentsgraduationrequirementsarespecifiedinthebill.
ADULTHIGHSCHOOLS(Sections160.2700and160.2705)
Currently,anadulthighschoolisrequiredtoprovideon-site
childcareforchildrenofstudents. Thisbillremovesthe
requirementthatchildcarebeon-site.
Thebillallowssynchronousinstructionconnectingstudentstoa
liveclassroominaMissouriadulthighschooltobetreatedthe
sameasin-personlearning. Thebilldefines"adulthighschool"
tomeanthesameasa"secondaryschoolsystem"andtobeexempt
fromchildcarelicensure.
INDIVIDUALCAREERANDACADEMICPLANS(Sections167.903,167.907and
167.908)
ThisbillrequiresstudentstodevelopanIndividualCareerand AcademicPlans(ICAP)whichmustbereviewedannually,byschool
personnelandthestudent'sparentorguardian. TheICAPmustnow
includeadeclarationofastudent'spostsecondaryplan.Thisbill
requiresstudentsinpublicandcharterschoolstocompletethe
FreeApplicationforFederalStudentAid(FAFSA)beforebeing
eligibleforacertificateofgraduationwiththeexemptionofthis
requirementforastudent'senlistmentintheArmedForces,or
parentalconsentthatstudenthaschosennottofileforFAFSA.
ThebillrequiresDESEtoensurethatbythe2022-23schoolyear
50%ofDepartmentofElementaryandSecondaryEducation(DESE)area
careercentershavethemeansandcapabilitytoallowstudentsto
completetheapplicationforaid.Thepercentageincreasesto70%
forthe2023-24schoolyear,90%forthe2024-25schoolyear,and
bythe2025-26schoolyearandthereafterDESEwillensurethat
100%oftheareacareercenterswillhavethemeansandcapability
toallowstudentstocompletetheapplication.
WORKFORCEDIPLOMAPROGRAM(Section173.831)
Thisbillestablishesthe"WorkforceDiplomaProgram",withinDESE,
toassiststudentsinobtainingahighschooldiplomaand
developingemployabilityandcareertechnicalskills.
Thebillprovidesdefinitionsfortermsincluding:
(1)"AdultDropoutRecoveryServices"whichincludesbutisnot
limitedto,sourcing,recruitment,andengagementofeligible
students,learningplandevelopment,activeteaching,andproactive
coachingandmentoring,resultinginanaccreditedhighschool
diploma;
(2)"Employability SkillsCertification", acertificateearnedby
demonstratingprofessionalnontechnicalskillsthroughassessment,
portfolio,orobservation;and
(3)"TechnicalSkillsAssessment",acriterion-referenced
assessmentofanindividual'sskillsrequiredforanentry-level
careeroradditionaltraininginatechnicalfield.
AssuchtermsrelatetotheWorkforceDiplomaProgram.
ThebillrequiresthatbeforeSeptember1,2022,andannually
thereafter,DESEmustissuearequestforinterestedprogram
providerstobecomeapprovedfortheprogram. Anapprovedprogram
providermustmeetalistofqualifications, includingbutnot
limitedtobeinganaccreditedhighschooldiploma-grantingentity
andhavingaminimumoftwoyearsexperienceprovidingadult
dropoutrecoveryservices. Everyyear,DESEmustannouncetheapprovedprogramsbeforeOctober
16th.Theapprovedprogramprovidersshallbeginenrolling
studentsstartingbeforeNovember15thofeachyear.DESEshall
pay,uponappropriation, theapprovedprogramprovidersforthe
specifiedmilestonesprovidedtoeachstudent,including:for
completionofeachhalfunitofhighschoolcredit,forattaining
anemployabilityskillscertification, forattaininganindustry
recognizedcredentialrequiringnomorethan50hoursoftraining,
forattaininganindustry-recognizedcredentialrequiringatleast
51butnomorethan100hoursoftraining,forattainingan
industry-recognizedcredentialrequiringmorethan100hoursof
training,andforattaininganaccreditedhighschooldiploma.
Noapprovedprogramprovidershallreceivefundingifthatprovider
receivesfederalorstatefundingorprivatetuitionforthe
student.DESEmustprovideawrittenupdatetoapprovedprogram
providersbythelastcalendardayofeachmonth.Providersmaynot
chargeanytypeofstudentfeesortuitionunlessastudentis
earninghoursinadditiontothemaximumlimitcoveredbystate
expenditures.
BeforeJuly16thofeachyear,eachprovidermustreportcertain
metrics,specifiedinthebill,foreachindividualcohort,ona
cohort-by-cohortbasis,toDESE.Thebillrequireseachapproved
providertoconductasurveyofeachindividualcohort,ona
cohort-to-cohortbasis,whograduatedfromtheapprovedprogramand
submittheresultstoDESEbeforeSeptember16thofeachyear
beginningtheyearaftertheindividualgraduatesandthenextfour
consecutiveyears.
Thesurveymustincludetheindividual'semploymentstatus,hourly
wages,accesstoemployer-sponsoredhealthcare,andany
postsecondaryenrollmenttheindividualhascompletedincludinga
postsecondarycertificateordegreeprogram.
Upontheendofthesecondfiscalyearoftheprogram,DESEmust
reviewthemetricsforeachprogramprovideranddeterminewhether
eachproviderismeetingtheminimumperformancestandards.Ifa
programproviderdoesnotmeettheminimumstandardsfortwo
consecutiveyears,thatproviderwillberemovedfromtheapproved
providerlist.
Thisbillalsocreatesthe"WorkforceDiplomaProgramFund".
TheWorkforceDiplomaProgramsunsetssixyearsaftertheeffective
date.