High school career training program.

WORKING DRAFT
2007
STATE OF
WYOMING
07LSO-0422.E1

SENATE FILE
NO.
SF0098

High school career training program.

Sponsored by:
Senator(s)
Jennings
and Coe

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to high school vocational career training; appropriating funds to the department of workforce services to develop a high school vocational career training program; specifying participants and program components; imposing duties and reporting requirements; granting rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.

(a)

Six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000.00) is appropriated from the budget reserve account to the department of workforce services to develop a high school vocational career training program designed to prepare Wyoming high school students for employment in Wyoming upon high school graduation, subject to the following:

(i)

The primary purpose of the high school vocational career training program is to provide high school students with the technical skills necessary to assess quality employment within Wyoming in an industry for which the student receives training under this program;

(ii)

The department shall by rule and regulation establish a program to train
Wyoming
high school students for
Wyoming
jobs and shall consult with industry, training entities and school districts in developing and designing training programs under this section. As used in this paragraph:

(A)

"Industry" means a business entity, group of entities or an industry association;

(B)

"Training entities" mean community colleges, public and private post secondary education institutions, private schools or organizations providing career training in Wyoming which are licensed or registered under W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
401 through 21
‑
2
‑
407, and boards of cooperative educational services.

(iii)

Subject to department rule and regulation, industry and training entities may apply to the department for funding to develop and operate a training program under this section based upon industry standards. Training program funding under this section shall target high demand occupations and shall require approval by the department;

(iv)

The training program shall not exceed six (6) months and shall be designed such that:

(A)

A student or individual may enroll during the spring semester of grade twelve (12) or within three (3) months immediately following high school graduation or attainment of a general educational development (GED) equivalency diploma, as applicable;

(B)

Participation is limited to a student or individual between the ages of sixteen (16) and twenty-one (21) years;

(C)

Program participation may include an individual not enrolled in high school but actively pursuing a GED equivalency diploma; and

(D)

For students or individuals screened and sponsored by industry or training entities prior to placement in a specific program, industry shall reimburse the cost of tuition to the student upon the student's graduation. A non sponsored student may enter the program, but shall not receive industry reimbursement of tuition upon graduation.

(b)

The department shall develop educational tools to promote and provide awareness of
Wyoming
career training opportunities under this section. Industry shall apply to the department for inclusion in the development and implementation of educational tools under this subsection.

(c)

Prior to the 2010 general session of the legislature, the department shall report to the joint education interim committee and the joint appropriations interim committee on the training program, industry and student participation in the program and on expenditures of amounts appropriated under subsection (d) of this section.

(d)

The amount appropriated from the budget reserve account under subsection (a) of this section shall be for the period commencing on the effective date of this act and ending on June 30, 2010, and shall be expended by the department as follows:

(i)

Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) for the high school vocational career training program authorized under subsection (a) of this section. This appropriation shall be expended only after receipt of matching funds from private sources in an amount equal to the appropriation;

(ii)

One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) for the educational tools developed. This appropriation shall be expended only after receipt of matching funds from private sources in an amount equal to the appropriation.

Section 2.

This act is effective immediately upon co
m
pletion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constit
u
tion.

(END)

1
SF0098