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78R8586 KSD-D
By: Chavez H.B. No. 3295
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the administration of certain adult education and
literacy programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 301, Labor Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter I to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER I. ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY
Sec. 301.151. COOPERATION WITH TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY TO
IMPROVE ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY SERVICES. The commission
shall collaborate with the Texas Education Agency to improve the
coordination and implementation of adult education and literacy
services in this state.
Sec. 301.152. DEVELOPMENT OF WORKPLACE LITERACY AND BASIC
SKILLS CURRICULUM. (a) Under contract with the Texas Education
Agency, the commission shall develop a demand-driven workplace
literacy and basic skills curriculum aimed at assisting local
workforce development boards to equip workers and job seekers with
the skills necessary to compete for current and emerging jobs in
this state.
(b) In developing the general curriculum required by
Subsection (a), the commission shall:
(1) evaluate existing efforts and potential cost
savings resulting from designing specific curricula that address
the needs of various industry sectors in the business community;
(2) contract for field work to solicit the assistance
of workers, employers, providers, and local workforce development
boards in developing industry sector curricula;
(3) target up to five industry sectors in the business
community that are likely to benefit from the development of
specific curricula; and
(4) pilot test the curricula within the targeted
industry sectors and adjust the curricula based on feedback
received from workers and employers in those sectors.
(c) The curricula developed under this section must:
(1) address the needs of industry sectors in
coordination with the local workforce development boards;
(2) use:
(A) Spanish language or bilingual approaches as
appropriate;
(B) effective and time-sensitive instructional
methods for each population;
(C) technology as appropriate for the delivery of
the curricula; and
(D) appropriate instructional materials and
media;
(3) include:
(A) a content-appropriate assessment for student
intake; and
(B) a performance-based assessment for progress
and completion measures; and
(4) target occupations as specified by the commission
as necessary to address business demand in each local workforce
development board area.
(d) Based on the curriculum developed under this section,
the commission shall develop workforce basic skills credentials to
be used to define, measure, and certify the mastery of the basic
skills required by the curricula developed under this section.
(e) This section expires September 1, 2005.
SECTION 2. Section 302.021(a), Labor Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The following job-training, employment, and
employment-related educational programs and functions are
consolidated under the authority of the division:
(1) [adult education programs under Subchapter H,
Chapter 29, Education Code;
[(2)] proprietary school programs under Chapter 132,
Education Code;
(2) [(3)] apprenticeship programs under Chapter 133,
Education Code;
(3) [(4)] postsecondary vocational and technical
job-training programs that are not a part of approved courses or
programs that lead to licensing, certification, or an associate
degree under Chapters 61, 130, and 135, Education Code, Subchapter
E, Chapter 88, Education Code, and Subchapter E, Chapter 96,
Education Code;
(4) [(5)] employment programs under Chapter 31, Human
Resources Code;
(5) [(6)] the senior citizens employment program
under Chapter 101, Human Resources Code;
(6) [(7)] the work and family policies program under
Chapter 81;
(7) [(8)] job-training programs funded under [the Job
Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. Section 1501 et seq.) and
under] the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. Section 2801
et seq.);
(8) [(9)] the job counseling program for displaced
homemakers under Chapter 304;
(9) [(10)] the reintegration of offenders program
under Chapter 306;
(10) [(11)] the inmate employment counseling program
under Section 499.051(f), Government Code;
(11) [(12)] the continuity of care program under
Section 501.095, Government Code;
(12) [(13)] a literacy program from state, local,
federal, and private funds available to the state for that purpose;
(13) [(14)] the employment service;
(14) [(15)] the community service program under the
National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12501
et seq.);
(15) [(16)] the trade adjustment assistance program
under Part 2, Subchapter II, Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. Section
2271 et seq.);
(16) [(17)] education, employment, employment
support, training services, activities and programs funded under
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (42 U.S.C. Section 601 et
seq.);
(17) [(18)] the food stamp employment and training
program authorized under 7 U.S.C. Section 2015(d); and
(18) [(19)] the functions of the State Occupational
Information Coordinating Committee.
SECTION 3. Section 29.252, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
follows:
(a) The agency shall:
(1) provide adequate staffing to develop, administer,
and support a comprehensive statewide adult education program and
coordinate related federal and state programs for education and
training of adults;
(2) develop, implement, and regulate a comprehensive
statewide program for community level education services to meet
the special needs of adults;
(3) develop the mechanism and guidelines for
coordination of comprehensive adult education and related skill
training services for adults with other agencies, both public and
private, in planning, developing, and implementing related
programs, including community education programs;
(4) administer all state and federal funds for adult
education and related skill training in this state, except in
programs for which another entity is specifically authorized to do
so under other law;
(5) prescribe and administer standards and
accrediting policies for adult education;
(6) prescribe and administer rules for teacher
certification for adult education;
(7) accept and administer grants, gifts, services, and
funds from available sources for use in adult education; [and]
(8) adopt or develop and administer a standardized
assessment mechanism for assessing all adult education program
participants who need literacy instruction, adult basic education,
or secondary education leading to an adult high school diploma or
the equivalent;
(9) collaborate with the Texas Workforce Commission to
improve the coordination and implementation of adult education and
literacy services in this state; and
(10) monitor and evaluate educational and employment
outcomes of students who participate in the agency's adult
education and literacy programs.
(a-1) The agency shall use existing federal funds to
contract with the Texas Workforce Commission for the development of
a demand-driven workplace literacy and basic skills curriculum that
complies with the requirements adopted under Section 301.152, Labor
Code. This subsection expires September 1, 2005.
SECTION 4. The Texas Workforce Commission shall implement
Section 301.151, Labor Code, as added by this Act, as soon as
possible after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 5. The Texas Workforce Commission shall implement
Section 301.152, Labor Code, as added by this Act, not later than
February 1, 2004.
SECTION 6. The Texas Education Agency shall implement
Section 29.252(a), Education Code, as amended by this Act, and
Section 29.252(a-1), Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon
as possible after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.