H.B. No. 1247
AN ACT
relating to the development of and report on a tri-agency
work-based learning strategic framework by the Texas Workforce
Commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by
adding Chapter 318 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 318. TRI-AGENCY WORK-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
Sec. 318.001. TRI-AGENCY WORK-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK. (a) The commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board jointly shall develop a
strategic framework to encourage work-based learning in this state.
Each agency shall appoint an existing agency employee to lead the
development of the framework.
(b) Not later than December 31, 2022, the commission, the
Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board jointly shall prepare and submit to the legislature a report
on the framework developed under Subsection (a). The report must:
(1) define "work-based learning opportunity" in a
comprehensive manner that includes a variety of high-quality and
rigorous work-based learning opportunities, such as youth
apprenticeships, internships, simulated workplaces, service
learning, and virtual workspaces;
(2) determine common language, definitions, and
quality standards to be used by each agency for work-based learning
opportunities that span secondary and postsecondary education;
(3) establish methods of identifying student and adult
learner skills and competencies that are aligned with industry
demand and talent needs, with a particular focus on high-demand,
high-growth industries that offer livable wages;
(4) align priorities, programs, and goals across the
agencies to ensure the development of cohesive work-based learning
strategies that strengthen workforce pipelines;
(5) identify strategies for the agencies to partner
with public primary and secondary schools, public institutions of
higher education, businesses, workforce organizations, and
relevant collaboratives to implement high-quality project-based
learning in middle and junior high school classrooms and work-based
learning experiences in high school and postsecondary education;
(6) provide methods of supporting partnerships
between public institutions of higher education to create
additional pathways for postsecondary work-based learning
credentials of value to high-demand, high-growth industries and
that lead to quality career opportunities;
(7) articulate the roles and responsibilities of
public primary and secondary schools, public institutions of higher
education, and workforce boards and organizations in implementing
high-quality work-based learning programs and partnerships;
(8) provide a strategy for identifying industry-led
high-quality training models that promote and replicate high-need
jobs that lead to equitable outcomes for individuals and can be
scaled across industries and regions;
(9) identify opportunities to improve and incentivize
regional coordination across the state to better reflect regional
workforce needs and eliminate duplicative programs, including by
providing state support to build capacity in regional intermediary
organizations to facilitate education-workforce partnerships and
programs;
(10) identify streamlined data collection models for
primary, secondary, and postsecondary education and workforce
accountability that can be disaggregated as necessary to evaluate
and increase equity in access to high-quality programs, with a
focus on underrepresented populations;
(11) include recommendations to improve the
coordination of funds and awarding of grants among the agencies to
eliminate barriers to entry for regional partners; and
(12) identify any available federal funds that may be
used for work-based learning and training and include
recommendations regarding the use of those funds by the agencies,
including supporting incentives for public institutions of higher
education, work-study programs, and student advising and
completion strategies.
(c) As soon as practicable after the report is submitted,
the commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board shall, to the extent possible,
implement the recommendations made under Subsection (b)(12).
Sec. 318.002. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires September
1, 2023.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1247 was passed by the House on April
16, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 120, Nays 25, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 1247 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 114, Nays 32,
1 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1247 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 24, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays
1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor