H.B. No. 1247
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the development of and report on a tri-agency
  work-based learning strategic framework by the Texas Workforce
  Commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by
  adding Chapter 318 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 318. TRI-AGENCY WORK-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
         Sec. 318.001.  TRI-AGENCY WORK-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIC
  FRAMEWORK. (a) The commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the
  Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board jointly shall develop a
  strategic framework to encourage work-based learning in this state.
  Each agency shall appoint an existing agency employee to lead the
  development of the framework.
         (b)  Not later than December 31, 2022, the commission, the
  Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board jointly shall prepare and submit to the legislature a report
  on the framework developed under Subsection (a). The report must:
               (1)  define "work-based learning opportunity" in a
  comprehensive manner that includes a variety of high-quality and
  rigorous work-based learning opportunities, such as youth
  apprenticeships, internships, simulated workplaces, service
  learning, and virtual workspaces;
               (2)  determine common language, definitions, and
  quality standards to be used by each agency for work-based learning
  opportunities that span secondary and postsecondary education;
               (3)  establish methods of identifying student and adult
  learner skills and competencies that are aligned with industry
  demand and talent needs, with a particular focus on high-demand,
  high-growth industries that offer livable wages;
               (4)  align priorities, programs, and goals across the
  agencies to ensure the development of cohesive work-based learning
  strategies that strengthen workforce pipelines;
               (5)  identify strategies for the agencies to partner
  with public primary and secondary schools, public institutions of
  higher education, businesses, workforce organizations, and
  relevant collaboratives to implement high-quality project-based
  learning in middle and junior high school classrooms and work-based
  learning experiences in high school and postsecondary education;
               (6)  provide methods of supporting partnerships
  between public institutions of higher education to create
  additional pathways for postsecondary work-based learning
  credentials of value to high-demand, high-growth industries and
  that lead to quality career opportunities;
               (7)  articulate the roles and responsibilities of
  public primary and secondary schools, public institutions of higher
  education, and workforce boards and organizations in implementing
  high-quality work-based learning programs and partnerships;
               (8)  provide a strategy for identifying industry-led
  high-quality training models that promote and replicate high-need
  jobs that lead to equitable outcomes for individuals and can be
  scaled across industries and regions;
               (9)  identify opportunities to improve and incentivize
  regional coordination across the state to better reflect regional
  workforce needs and eliminate duplicative programs, including by
  providing state support to build capacity in regional intermediary
  organizations to facilitate education-workforce partnerships and
  programs;
               (10)  identify streamlined data collection models for
  primary, secondary, and postsecondary education and workforce
  accountability that can be disaggregated as necessary to evaluate
  and increase equity in access to high-quality programs, with a
  focus on underrepresented populations;
               (11)  include recommendations to improve the
  coordination of funds and awarding of grants among the agencies to
  eliminate barriers to entry for regional partners; and
               (12)  identify any available federal funds that may be
  used for work-based learning and training and include
  recommendations regarding the use of those funds by the agencies,
  including supporting incentives for public institutions of higher
  education, work-study programs, and student advising and
  completion strategies.
         (c)  As soon as practicable after the report is submitted,
  the commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board shall, to the extent possible,
  implement the recommendations made under Subsection (b)(12).
         Sec. 318.002.  EXPIRATION. This chapter expires September
  1, 2023.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1247 was passed by the House on April
  16, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 120, Nays 25, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 1247 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 114, Nays 32,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1247 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 24, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays
  1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor