Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

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 Chairman Phil Mendelson                                    Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr.

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 Councilmember Charles Allen                               Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie

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 Councilmember Trayon White Sr.                             Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

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 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George                               Councilmember Brooke Pinto

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 Councilmember Matthew Frumin                              Councilmember Christina Henderson

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                                                               Councilmember Zachary Parker

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                                               A BILL

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                    IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

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 To establish a Workforce Ready Program that is locally funded and administered by the Office

        of the State Superintendent of Education.

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        BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this

 act may be cited as the “Vocational Education for a New Generation Act of 2024”.

        Sec. 2. Definitions.

        For the purposes of this title, the term:

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                (1) “Adult student” shall have the same meaning as provided in Section 4(2) of

 The District of Columbia Nonresident Tuition Act, approved September 8, 1960 (74 Stat. 854;

 D.C. Official Code § 38-301(2)).

                (2) “CTE” means career and technical education.

                (3) “Formula” shall have the same meaning as provided in section 102 of the

 Uniform Per Student Funding Formula for Public Schools and Public Charter Schools Act of

 1998, effective March 26, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-207; D.C. Official Code § 38-2901(8)).

                (4) “Industry certification” or “credential” means industry-endorsed assessments

 that are designed to indicate an individual’s ability and competence in a field of work and

 signifies satisfactory completion of education and experience requirements.

                (5) “Labor organization" shall have the same meaning as provided in Section 102

 of the Human Rights Act of 1977, effective December 13, 1977 (D.C. Law 2-38; D.C. Official

 Code § 2–1401.02(15)).

                (6) “Local education agency” shall have the same meaning as provided in Section

 3(b) of the State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000, effective October 21, 2000 (D.C.

 Law 13-176; D.C. Official Code § 38-2602(b)(20)(O)(iii)).

                (7) “Nonprofit” means an organization or institution that is exempt from federal

 income tax under the provisions of 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) and that meets the requirements

 of Chapter 4 of Title 29.

                (8) “Participant” means individuals pursuing a CTE pathway or CTE program.

                (9) “Perkins V Grant” means the Strengthening Career and Technical Education

 for the 21st Century Act, approved July 31, 2018 (Pub. L. No. 115-224; 132 Stat. 1563).

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                (10) “Technical occupation” means a job that does not require a bachelor’s degree

 and provides workers with a career path that will allow them to build skills through experience

 toward in-demand jobs and achieve economic mobility.

                (11) “Work-based learning” means an instructional opportunity for students to

 interact with industry professionals to learn technical and employability skills and knowledge

 necessary in a field of work.

        Sec. 3. Establishment of a local career and technical education program.

        (a) There is established a local fund for a CTE and Workforce Ready Program

 (“Workforce Ready Program”), which shall be administered by the Office of the State

 Superintendent of Education (“OSSE”), beginning in the 2024 to 2025 school year, in

 accordance with subsections (d) and (e) of this section.

        (b) The funding for the Workforce Ready Program shall be supplemental to Formula,

 federal, or other funds received by OSSE for CTE.

        (c) OSSE shall have the authority to issue grants or enter into contracts or partnership

 agreements using money from the Workforce Ready Program fund to District of Columbia

 Public Schools, local education agencies, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations,

 employers, and labor organizations to improve the quality and accessibility of career and

 technical education opportunities. The grants, contracts, and partnership agreements awarded

 shall be supplemental to Formula, federal, or other funds received by a school for CTE.

        (d) Money in the Workforce Ready Program fund shall be used for the following

 purposes:

                (1) Establishment of new CTE programs and programs of study;

                (2) Expansion of existing CTE programs to meet industry demand;

                (3) Expansion of CTE courses, including dual enrollment courses;

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                (4) Expansion of CTE programs of study for adult students enrolled in Perkins V

 Grant funded local education agencies;

                (5) Industry certification or credential fees; and

                (6) Career guidance and counseling services for participants.

        (e) Money in the Workforce Ready Program fund may be used for the following

 purposes:

                (1) Transportation costs for participants to cover commuting to and from CTE

 programs, off-site internships, or work-based learning opportunities;

                (2) Training for CTE instructors to meet industry demand;

                (3) Expansion of CTE programs of study and participant seats at the District of

 Columbia Advanced Technical Center; and

                (4) Student wages in work-based learning opportunities.

        (f) Each recipient of Workforce Ready Program funds shall offer at least one CTE

 program that leads to industry certification, credentials, or degrees associated with technical

 occupations upon completion of the program.

         (g) Each recipient of Workforce Ready Program funds shall submit to OSSE an Industry

 Certification Plan that includes the following:

                (1) A timeline outlining the sequence of steps that will prepare students to acquire

 industry certifications, credentials, or degrees upon completion of the CTE program;

                (2) Resources necessary to meet paragraph (1) of this subsection such as

 technology and equipment, training for teachers and instructors, work-based learning

 opportunities, career counseling and guidance services, transportation assistance, resources for

 outreach efforts to attract students to enroll in its CTE program; and

                (3) Any additional information deemed pertinent by OSSE.

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        (h) Within 6 months after the applicability date of the Vocational Education for a New

 Generation Act of 2024, OSSE shall develop, and publish on its website, a method to assess

 student demand for CTE programs and conduct a student demand assessment. No later than one

 month after the completion of the student demand assessment, OSSE shall establish, and publish

 on its website, goals for CTE program capacity expansion based on the results of the student

 demand assessment in accordance with this subsection, and OSSE shall meet the established

 goals within 3 years. The method to assess student demand shall consider, at the minimum, the

 following:

                  (1) Labor market demand;

                  (2) Student interest;

                  (3) Current CTE program participation;

                  (4) Number of available student seats in CTE programs and programs of study;

                  (5) Quality of CTE programs and programs of study; and

                  (6) Programmatic capacity to meet student interest and labor market demand.

        Sec. 4. Reporting.

        (a) On October 1 of the year after the establishment of the Workforce Ready Program

 fund, and annually thereafter, OSSE shall publish on its website the core indicators of

 performance mandated by the federal Perkins V Grant and the following information concerning

 its CTE programs for the previous school year:

                  (1) The total number of students enrolled in CTE courses;

                  (2) The total number of students who participated in work-based learning

 opportunities;

                  (3) The total number of students who obtained an industry certification or

 credential and the specific types of industry certifications or credentials obtained;

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                (4) The total number of students who enrolled in postsecondary education or

 secured a job placement upon high school graduation and, to the extent possible, at 6 months and

 12 months after high school graduation; and

                (5) A description of collaborations and partnerships with employers, local

 education agencies, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations to increase job

 placement opportunities for CTE students.

        Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement.

        The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal

 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,

 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

        Sec. 6. Effective date.

        This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the

 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as

 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December

 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of

 Columbia Register.

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