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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the development of and report on a tri-agency |
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work-based learning strategic framework by the Texas Workforce |
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Commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by |
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adding Chapter 318 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 318. TRI-AGENCY WORK-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK |
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Sec. 318.001. TRI-AGENCY WORK-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIC |
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FRAMEWORK. (a) The commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the |
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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board jointly shall develop a |
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strategic framework to encourage work-based learning in this state. |
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Each agency shall appoint an existing agency employee to lead the |
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development of the framework. |
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(b) Not later than December 31, 2022, the commission, the |
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Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board jointly shall prepare and submit to the legislature a report |
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on the framework developed under Subsection (a). The report must: |
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(1) define "work-based learning opportunity" in a |
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comprehensive manner that includes a variety of high-quality and |
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rigorous work-based learning opportunities, such as youth |
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apprenticeships, internships, simulated workplaces, service |
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learning, and virtual workspaces; |
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(2) determine common language, definitions, and |
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quality standards to be used by each agency for work-based learning |
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opportunities that span secondary and postsecondary education; |
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(3) establish methods of identifying student and adult |
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learner skills and competencies that are aligned with industry |
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demand and talent needs, with a particular focus on high-demand, |
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high-growth industries that offer livable wages; |
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(4) align priorities, programs, and goals across the |
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agencies to ensure the development of cohesive work-based learning |
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strategies that strengthen workforce pipelines; |
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(5) identify strategies for the agencies to partner |
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with public primary and secondary schools, public institutions of |
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higher education, businesses, workforce organizations, and |
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relevant collaboratives to implement high-quality project-based |
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learning in middle and junior high school classrooms and work-based |
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learning experiences in high school and postsecondary education; |
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(6) provide methods of supporting partnerships |
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between public institutions of higher education to create |
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additional pathways for postsecondary work-based learning |
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credentials of value to high-demand, high-growth industries and |
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that lead to quality career opportunities; |
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(7) articulate the roles and responsibilities of |
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public primary and secondary schools, public institutions of higher |
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education, and workforce boards and organizations in implementing |
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high-quality work-based learning programs and partnerships; |
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(8) provide a strategy for identifying industry-led |
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high-quality training models that promote and replicate high-need |
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jobs that lead to equitable outcomes for individuals and can be |
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scaled across industries and regions; |
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(9) identify opportunities to improve and incentivize |
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regional coordination across the state to better reflect regional |
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workforce needs and eliminate duplicative programs, including by |
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providing state support to build capacity in regional intermediary |
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organizations to facilitate education-workforce partnerships and |
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programs; |
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(10) identify streamlined data collection models for |
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primary, secondary, and postsecondary education and workforce |
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accountability that can be disaggregated as necessary to evaluate |
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and increase equity in access to high-quality programs, with a |
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focus on underrepresented populations; |
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(11) include recommendations to improve the |
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coordination of funds and awarding of grants among the agencies to |
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eliminate barriers to entry for regional partners; and |
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(12) identify any available federal funds that may be |
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used for work-based learning and training and include |
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recommendations regarding the use of those funds by the agencies, |
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including supporting incentives for public institutions of higher |
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education, work-study programs, and student advising and |
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completion strategies. |
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(c) As soon as practicable after the report is submitted, |
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the commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall, to the extent possible, |
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implement the recommendations made under Subsection (b)(12). |
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Sec. 318.002. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires September |
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1, 2023. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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* * * * * |