Student career pathways framework established, and report required.

A bill for an act

relating to education; establishing a student career pathways framework; requiring

a report.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.
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STUDENT CAREER PATHWAYS.
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Subdivision 1.

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Establishment.

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A student career pathways framework is established to

improve student access to high-quality, employer-connected career experiences by removing

barriers and strengthening coordination among education, workforce, and postsecondary

systems. The legislature intends to support local innovation and flexibility in implementing

personalized learning plans and career pathway exploration.

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Subd. 2.

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Definitions.

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(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the

meanings given.

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(b) "Experiential learning" means career-connected learning experiences, including but

not limited to work-based learning, internships, job shadowing, industry projects, and other

employer-engaged activities aligned to a student's personalized learning plan or academic

program.

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(c) "Participating school" means a school district or charter school that elects to participate

in the voluntary student career pathways framework established under this section.

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Subd. 3.

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Student career pathways framework.

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(a) The commissioner of education, in

coordination with the commissioners of employment and economic development, labor and

industry, and higher education, and in partnership with the P-20 Education Partnership,

must establish a statewide framework to support alignment of personalized learning plans,

career and technical education, work-based learning, and postsecondary exploration.

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(b) Participation in the framework is optional for school districts and charter schools.

Nothing in this section creates a mandate or new requirement for schools.

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(c) The framework must focus on:

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(1) aligning strategies and goals across secondary, postsecondary, and workforce systems

related to student career exploration and employer engagement;

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(2) supporting coordinated approaches to student career experiences that integrate

personalized learning plans, counseling, and career and technical education pathways;

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(3) supporting the use of personalized learning plans as a student-centered framework

for career exploration, postsecondary planning, and experiential learning, including voluntary

guidance that promotes consistency across districts while allowing for local adaptation to

community needs;

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(4) improving coordination of employer engagement to reduce duplication and increase

access to high-quality experiences for students;

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(5) encouraging alignment of tools, practices, and data systems, including use of existing

systems, to support student transitions from high school to postsecondary education and

careers; and

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(6) advancing statewide educational attainment goals by supporting student progress

toward postsecondary credentials with labor market value, and by encouraging the use of

aligned indicators to measure participation, persistence, completion, and transitions across

secondary, postsecondary, and workforce systems.

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Subd. 4.

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Commissioner responsibilities.

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(a) The commissioners of education,

employment and economic development, labor and industry, and higher education must

review state statutes, rules, and guidance, as well as state and federal policies and

administrative practices related to the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

and the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, to identify and remove

unnecessary constraints that limit local flexibility to support the student career pathways

framework. The commissioners must establish:

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(1) clear and coherent career pathway exploration, including strong alignment of career

and technical education programs with related postsecondary certificates, diplomas, and

degrees;

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(2) high-quality, employer-connected experiential learning, including expanded access

to work-based learning and other career-connected opportunities for students; and

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(3) alignment between secondary and postsecondary programs, enabling smooth student

transitions from high school into postsecondary education and training through pathways

such as postsecondary enrollment options, concurrent enrollment, dual training, youth skills

training, and registered or pre-apprenticeship opportunities.

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(b) Using existing resources, the commissioners must issue updated joint guidance to

school districts, charter schools, workforce boards, and postsecondary institutions that

describes permissible uses of existing federal funds to support the purposes of the student

career pathways framework.

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Subd. 5.

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Resources.

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The commissioners of education, employment and economic

development, labor and industry, and higher education must jointly develop and maintain

centralized resources, using existing staff and systems to support local implementation,

including but not limited to:

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(1) planning tools and guidance that strengthen the use of personalized learning plans

as a foundation for career exploration and postsecondary readiness, including optional

templates that promote consistency while allowing for local adaptation to community needs;

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(2) model practices for expanding career exploration and career-connected learning,

including strategies for integrating rigorous coursework, dual enrollment, and

employer-connected experiences into student planning and personalized learning plans in

a manner that aligns with individual goals and local workforce needs;

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(3) resources to support equitable access to career-connected learning opportunities,

including approaches that help schools expand participation among historically underserved

students, including students from low-income families, students of color, and students in

rural communities; and

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(4) optional tools and templates to support tracking, evaluation, and continuous

improvement of student career experiences, including transitions from high school into

postsecondary education and training.

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Subd. 6.

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Report.

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By January 15, 2028, the commissioners must submit a joint report to

the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education

and workforce, labor, and economic development. The report must include information on

actions taken to remove state-level barriers, the use of the student career pathway framework

by participating schools, and recommendations for further alignment using existing resources.

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