HF 413 (LSB 2048HH (3) 85)

HOUSE FILE 413

BY  BYRNES, J. SMITH, GRASSLEY, KAUFMANN, STANERSON, DOLECHECK, GASSMAN, RIDING, KELLEY, and HALL

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to career and technical programs offered by community colleges or administered by the department of education and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.40, subsection 2, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   The purpose of the program shall be to build a seamless career, future
 
prepare students for the workforce, and economic development system in Iowa to
 
by connecting business and education and offering relevant workplace and career learning activities to students and teachers. The program shall be structured to accomplish all of the following:
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.40, subsection 2, paragraphs d, f, and h, Code 2013, are amended by striking the paragraphs.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.40, subsection 2, paragraph e, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   e.  Provide a one-stop contact point for information useful to both educators and employers, including a state-level clearinghouse for
 
but not limited to information relating to internships, job shadowing experiences, and other workplace
 
and career learning opportunities for students that are linked to the state’s economic goals, particularly opportunities in occupations relating to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics or to opportunities in targeted industries identified by the economic development authority in accordance with chapter 15.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256.40, subsection 2, Code 2013, is amended by adding the following new paragraphs:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  j.  Integrate services with other activities related to exploring workforce and career opportunities, such as the core curriculum plan developed pursuant to section 279.61 and the state-designated career information and decision-making system administered by the department as provided in section 279.61.
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  k.  Facilitate the attainment of portable credentials of value to employers, when appropriate.
    Sec. 5.  Section 256.40, subsections 4, 5, 6, and 7, Code 2013, are amended to read as follows:
   4.  The steering committee shall develop a design for a statewide network comprised of fifteen regional work-based learning intermediary networks. The design shall include network specifications, strategic functions, and desired outcomes.

The steering committee shall recommend program parameters and reporting requirements to the department.
   5.  Each regional network shall establish an advisory council to develop
 
provide advice and implement
 
assistance to the regional network.

Membership on the advisory council shall include but not be limited to representatives of business and industry. The advisory council shall meet at least annually.
   6.  Funds
 
Moneys deposited in the statewide work-based learning intermediary network fund created in subsection 1 shall be distributed to each region for the implementation of the statewide work-based learning intermediary network based upon the distribution of the kindergarten through grade twelve student enrollments in each region. The amount shall not exceed three dollars per student.

Upon approval of the plan submitted pursuant to subsection 7, moneys in the fund shall be distributed annually as follows:
   a.  If the moneys in the fund total less than one million five hundred thousand dollars, the moneys in the fund shall be distributed by the department on a competitive basis to regional networks or to consortia of regional networks.
   b.  If the moneys in the fund total one million five hundred thousand dollars or more, not less than one hundred thousand dollars shall be distributed to each regional network and all remaining funds shall be distributed utilizing the state aid distribution formula established pursuant to section 260C.18C as if a regional network was a community college.
   7.  The department shall provide oversight of the statewide work-based learning intermediary network and shall annually evaluate the statewide and regional network progress toward the outcomes identified by the steering committee pursuant to subsection 4.

Each regional network, or consortium of regional networks, shall annually submit a report to the department that details its operations and activities for the most recent fiscal year and includes a plan for providing, in the following year, core services to all school districts within its region and for integrating job shadowing activities into secondary career and technical education programs, and any other information required by the department.
    Sec. 6.  Section 256.40, Code 2013, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  9.  The state board of education shall adopt rules which establish the parameters of the program.
    Sec. 7.  Section 257.11, subsection 3, paragraph b, subparagraph (2), Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   (2)  Included in the
 
fall, spring, or summer community college catalog or an amendment or addendum to the
 
a fall, spring, or summer catalog.
    Sec. 8.  Section 297.22, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  The board of directors of a school district may sell, lease, exchange, give, or grant, and accept any interest in real property to, with, or from a county, municipal corporation, school district,
 
community college, township, or area education agency if the real property is within the jurisdiction of both the grantor and grantee.

In the case of a community college, the provisions of this paragraph shall apply only for purposes of a joint infrastructure project as provided in section 298.3, subsection 1, paragraph “n”, or section 423F.3, subsection 3, paragraph “a”.
    Sec. 9.  Section 298.3, subsection 1, Code 2013, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  n.  Notwithstanding sections 28E.41 and 274.1, joint infrastructure projects with one or more school districts or one or more school districts and a community college established under chapter 260C, for which buildings or facilities are constructed or leased for the purpose of offering classes under a district-to-community college sharing agreement or concurrent enrollment program that meets the requirements for funding under section 257.11, subsection 3. A school district that seeks to enter into a contract for the construction or lease of a building or facility pursuant to this paragraph shall hold a public hearing on the question prior to entering into the contract.
    Sec. 10.  Section 423F.3, subsection 1, Code 2013, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  g.  Notwithstanding sections 28E.41 and 274.1, for joint infrastructure projects with one or more school districts or one or more school districts and a community college established under chapter 260C, for which buildings or facilities are constructed or leased for the purposes of offering classes under a district-to-community college sharing agreement or concurrent enrollment program that meets the requirements for funding under section 257.11, subsection 3.
    Sec. 11.  Section 423F.3, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  If the board of directors adopts a resolution to use funds received under the operation of this chapter solely for providing property tax relief by reducing indebtedness from the levies specified under section 298.2 or 298.18
 
or,
 
notwithstanding sections 28E.41 and 274.1, for joint infrastructure projects with one or more school districts or one or more school districts and a community college established under chapter 260C, for which buildings or facilities are constructed or leased for the purpose of offering classes under a district-to-community college sharing agreement or concurrent enrollment program that meets the requirements for funding under section 257.11, subsection 3, the board of directors may approve a revenue purpose statement for that purpose
 
either of such purposes without submitting the revenue purpose statement to a vote of the electors.
    Sec. 12.  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— STATEWIDE WORK-BASED LEARNING INTERMEDIARY FUND.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For deposit in the statewide work-based learning intermediary network fund created pursuant to section 256.40:
.................................................. $  3,000,000
    Sec. 13.  SECONDARY CAREER AND TECHNICAL PROGRAMMING TASK FORCE.
   1.
  a.  The director of the department of education, or the director’s designee, shall convene a task force that includes secondary and postsecondary education stakeholders to review current secondary career and technical programming offered by community colleges and make recommendations for programming that reduces skill shortages, enhances the state’s economic growth, and ensures that all students statewide have access to high quality globally competitive career and technical education programs.
   b.  The task force shall review appropriate provisions of the Iowa Code, including but not limited to Code chapter 258, relating to vocational education, and section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph “h”, relating to vocational service area requirements in the core curriculum standards for grades nine through 12, and related provisions of the Iowa administrative code. The task force shall consider measures to ensure rigorous standards, consistency in program quality statewide, alignment with postsecondary programs leading to middle-skill occupations with family-sustaining wages, responsiveness to labor market needs, robust business and industry participation, including participation on advisory committees, and efficient statewide delivery of programming. The task force shall also review the definition of “career academy” for purposes of Code sections 260C.18A and 261E.10, and review and recommend core components of career academies and regional centers.
   c.  The task force shall recommend specific changes in policy or statute to ensure that all students statewide have access to high-quality, globally competitive career and technical education programs. The task force shall submit an interim progress report by January 15, 2014, and a final report with its findings and recommendations by November 1, 2015, to the state board of education, the governor, and the general assembly.
   2.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For expenses associated with the activities of the secondary career and technical programming task force pursuant to subsection 1:
.................................................. $     50,000
EXPLANATION
   This bill relates to career and technical programs offered by community colleges or administered by the department of education and makes appropriations.
   STATEWIDE WORK-BASED LEARNING INTERMEDIARY NETWORK —— APPROPRIATION. The bill makes a number of changes to Code section 256.40, relating to the statewide work-based learning intermediary network program administered by the department of education. The purposes of the program are modified to purposes focused on preparing students for the workforce by connecting business and education and offering relevant, work-based learning activities to students and teachers, particularly opportunities in occupations relating to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics or to opportunities in targeted industries identified by the economic development authority.
   The program’s purposes must also include integrating services with other career exploration-related activities and facilitating the attainment of portable credentials of value to employers, when appropriate.
   Current purposes stricken by the bill relate to the sharing of best practices; implementing services to all students, staff, and districts and integrating workplace skills into the curriculum; and improving the skills of Iowa’s future workforce.
   The program’s steering committee is directed to recommend program parameters and reporting requirements to the department. The state board of education is directed to adopt rules which establish the parameters of the program.
   Each regional network’s advisory council is directed to provide advice and assistance to the regional network. The council must also meet at least annually and must include in its membership representatives of business and industry.
   Each regional network, or consortium of regional networks, must annually submit a report to the department that includes a plan for providing core services to all school districts within its region and for integrating job shadowing activities into secondary career and technical education programs, and any other information required by the department. Upon approval of the plan, moneys in the statewide work-based learning intermediary network fund shall be distributed annually to each region for the implementation of the statewide work-based learning intermediary network. If the moneys in the fund total more than $1.5 million, the moneys shall be distributed using the state aid distribution formula established for community colleges, but if the moneys in the fund total less than $1.5 million, the moneys shall be distributed on a competitive basis.
   The bill appropriates $3 million from the general fund of the state to the department of education for FY 2013-2014 for deposit in the statewide work-based learning intermediary network fund.
   WEIGHTING FOR DISTRICT-TO-COMMUNITY COLLEGE SHARING OR CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT —— SUMMER. Code section 257.11, relating to additional weighting under a district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, is amended to specify that “community college catalog” includes the fall, spring, or summer catalog.
   USE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY —— PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT LEVY (PPEL) REVENUES AND STATEWIDE SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS. The bill permits a school district to sell, lease, exchange, give, or grant, and accept any interest in real property to, with, or from a community college for purposes of a joint infrastructure project, and allows the district to use PPEL revenues or statewide school infrastructure revenues for a joint infrastructure project with one or more school districts or one or more school districts and a community college for buildings or facilities constructed or leased for the purpose of offering classes under a district-to-community college sharing agreement or concurrent enrollment program. If the district intends to use PPEL funds, it must hold a public hearing on the question of using the funds prior to entering into a contract. However, to use statewide school infrastructure revenues, the school board may adopt a resolution to use the funds for such purpose and may approve a revenue purpose statement without submitting it to election.
   SECONDARY CAREER AND TECHNICAL PROGRAMMING TASK FORCE —— APPROPRIATION. The director of the department of education or designee is directed to convene a task force that includes secondary and postsecondary education stakeholders to review current statutory secondary career and technical programming offered by community colleges and make recommendations for programming that reduces skill shortages and enhances the state’s economic growth. The task force shall consider measures to ensure rigorous standards, consistency in program quality statewide, alignment with postsecondary programs that focus on income levels and skills, as specified in the bill, robust business and industry participation, including participation on advisory committees, and efficient statewide delivery of programming. The task force shall also review the definition of “career academy” for purposes of Code sections 260C.18A and 261E.10, and review and recommend core components of career academies and regional centers. The task force shall recommend specific changes in policy or statute to ensure that all students statewide have access to high-quality, globally competitive career and technical education programs. The task force shall submit an interim progress report by January 15, 2014, and a final report with its findings and recommendations by November 1, 2015, to the state board of education, the governor, and the general assembly.
   The bill appropriates $50,000 from the general fund of the state to the department of education for FY 2013-2014 for expenses associated with the activities of the task force.