Senate File 328 - Reprinted SENATE FILE 328 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SF 202) (As Amended and Passed by the Senate March 15, 2011 ) A BILL FOR An Act relating to education and employment training by 1 establishing the pathways for academic career and employment 2 program and fund and the gap tuition assistance program and 3 fund and making an appropriation. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh

S.F. 328 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 260H.1 Title. 1 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Pathways 2 for Academic Career and Employment Act” . 3 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 260H.2 Pathways for academic career 4 and employment program and fund. 5 1. A pathways for academic career and employment program 6 is established to provide grants to community colleges for the 7 development of projects in coordination with the department 8 of education, the department of economic development, Iowa 9 workforce development, regional advisory boards established 10 pursuant to section 84A.4, and community partners to implement 11 a simplified, streamlined, and comprehensive process, 12 along with customized support services, to enable eligible 13 participants to acquire effective academic and employment 14 training to secure gainful, quality, in-state employment. 15 2. There is established in the state treasury a pathways 16 for academic career and employment fund to be administered 17 by the department of education. There is appropriated from 18 the general fund of the state to the pathways for academic 19 career and employment fund for each fiscal year the sum of five 20 million dollars for the purpose of implementing the pathways 21 for academic career and employment program. The aggregate 22 total of moneys awarded from the fund shall not be more than 23 five million dollars during a fiscal year. Notwithstanding 24 section 8.33, moneys in the fund at the end of a fiscal 25 year shall not revert to the general fund of the state. 26 Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or 27 earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. 28 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 260H.3 Eligibility criteria. 29 1. Projects eligible for grants from the pathways for 30 academic career and employment fund shall be projects that 31 further the ability of members of target populations to secure 32 gainful, quality employment. For the purposes of this chapter, 33 “target population” includes: 34 a. Persons deemed low skilled for the purposes of attaining 35 -1- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 1/ 10

S.F. 328 gainful, quality, in-state employment. 1 b. Persons earning incomes at or below two hundred percent 2 of the federal poverty level as defined by the most recently 3 revised poverty income guidelines published by the United 4 States department of health and human services. 5 c. Unemployed persons. 6 d. Underemployed persons. 7 e. Dislocated workers, including workers eligible for 8 services and benefits under the federal Trade Adjustment Act of 9 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-210, as determined by the department of 10 workforce development and the federal internal revenue service. 11 2. Projects eligible for grants from the pathways for 12 academic career and employment fund shall be projects that 13 further partnerships that link the community colleges to 14 industry and nonprofit organizations and projects that further 15 program outcomes as provided in section 260H.4. 16 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 260H.4 Program outcomes. 17 Projects eligible for grants from the pathways for academic 18 career and employment fund shall be programs which further the 19 following program outcomes: 20 1. Enabling the target populations to: 21 a. Acquire and demonstrate competency in basic skills. 22 b. Acquire and demonstrate competency in a specified 23 technical field. 24 c. Complete a specified level of postsecondary education. 25 d. Earn a national career readiness certificate. 26 e. Obtain employer-validated credentials. 27 f. Secure gainful employment in high-quality, local jobs. 28 2. Satisfaction of economic and employment goals including 29 but not limited to: 30 a. Economic and workforce development requirements in each 31 region served by the community colleges as defined by regional 32 advisory boards established pursuant to section 84A.4. 33 b. Needs of industry partners in areas including but not 34 limited to: 35 -2- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 2/ 10

S.F. 328 (1) Information technology. 1 (2) Health care. 2 (3) Advanced manufacturing. 3 (4) Transportation and logistics. 4 c. Any other industry designated as in-demand by a regional 5 advisory board established pursuant to section 84A.4. 6 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION . 260H.5 Program component requirements. 7 Program components of a pathways for academic career and 8 employment project implemented at a community college shall: 9 1. Include measurable and effective recruitment, 10 assessment, and referral activities designed for the target 11 populations. 12 2. Integrate basics skills and work-readiness training with 13 occupational skills training. 14 3. Combine customized supportive and case management 15 services with training services to help participants overcome 16 barriers to employment. 17 4. Provide training services at times, locations, and 18 through multiple, flexible modalities that are easily 19 understood and readily accessible to the target populations. 20 Such modalities shall support timeless entry, individualized 21 learning, and flexible scheduling, and may include online 22 remediation, learning lab and cohort learning communities, 23 tutoring, and modularization. 24 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 260H.6 Pipeline program. 25 Each community college receiving a grant from the pathways 26 for academic career and employment fund shall develop a 27 pipeline program in order to better serve the academic, 28 training, and employment needs of the target populations. A 29 pipeline program shall have the following goals: 30 1. To strengthen partnerships with community-based 31 organizations and industry representatives. 32 2. To improve and simplify the identification, recruitment, 33 and assessment of qualified participants. 34 3. To conduct and manage an outreach, recruitment, and 35 -3- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 3/ 10

S.F. 328 intake process, along with accompanying support services, 1 reflecting sensitivity to the time and financial constraints 2 and remediation needs of the target populations. 3 4. To conduct orientations for qualified participants 4 to describe regional labor market opportunities, employer 5 partners, and program requirements and expectations. 6 5. To describe the concepts of the project implemented with 7 funds from the pathways for academic career and employment fund 8 and the embedded educational and support resources available 9 through such project. 10 6. To outline the basic skills participants will learn and 11 describe the credentials participants will earn. 12 7. To describe success milestones and ways in which temporal 13 and instructional barriers have been minimized or eliminated. 14 8. To review how individualized and customized service 15 strategies for participants will be developed and provided. 16 Sec. 7. NEW SECTION . 260H.7 Career pathways and bridge 17 curriculum development program. 18 Each community college receiving a grant from the pathways 19 for academic career and employment fund shall develop a career 20 pathways and bridge curriculum development program in order 21 to better serve the academic, training, and employment needs 22 of the target populations. A career pathways and bridge 23 curriculum development program shall have the following goals: 24 1. The articulation of courses and modules, the mapping of 25 programs within career pathways, and establishment of bridges 26 between credit and noncredit programs. 27 2. The integration and contextualization of basic skills 28 education and skills training. This process shall provide for 29 seamless progressions between adult basic education and general 30 education development programs and continuing education and 31 credit certificate, diploma, and degree programs. 32 3. The development of career pathways that support the 33 attainment of industry-recognized credentials, diplomas, and 34 degrees through stackable, modularized program delivery. 35 -4- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 4/ 10

S.F. 328 Sec. 8. NEW SECTION . 260H.8 Rules. 1 The department of education, in coordination with the 2 community colleges, the department of economic development, 3 and Iowa workforce development, shall adopt rules pursuant to 4 chapter 17A and this chapter to implement the provisions of 5 this chapter. Regional advisory boards established pursuant 6 to section 84A.4 shall be consulted in the development and 7 implementation of rules to be adopted pursuant to this chapter. 8 Sec. 9. NEW SECTION . 261G.1 Title. 9 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Gap 10 Tuition Assistance Act” . 11 Sec. 10. NEW SECTION . 261G.2 Gap tuition assistance program 12 and fund. 13 1. A gap tuition assistance program is established to 14 provide grants for need-based tuition assistance to applicants 15 to enable completion of continuing education certificate 16 training programs for in-demand occupations. 17 2. There is established for the community colleges a 18 gap tuition assistance fund in the state treasury to be 19 administered by the department of education. There is 20 appropriated from the general fund of the state to the gap 21 tuition assistance fund for each fiscal year the sum of five 22 million dollars for the purpose of implementing the gap tuition 23 assistance program. The aggregate total of grants awarded 24 shall not be more than five million dollars during a fiscal 25 year. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund at the 26 end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the 27 state. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest 28 or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the 29 fund. 30 Sec. 11. NEW SECTION . 261G.3 Applicants for tuition 31 assistance —— eligibility criteria. 32 1. The department of education shall adopt rules pursuant to 33 this chapter defining eligibility criteria for persons applying 34 to receive tuition assistance under this chapter. 35 -5- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 5/ 10

S.F. 328 2. Eligibility for tuition assistance under this chapter 1 shall be based on financial need. Criteria to be assessed in 2 determining financial need shall include but is not limited to: 3 a. The applicant’s family income for the twelve months prior 4 to the date of application. 5 b. The applicant’s family size. 6 c. The applicant’s county of residence. 7 3. a. The department of education shall only approve an 8 applicant for tuition assistance under this chapter if the 9 community college receiving the application determines the 10 applicant has a demonstrated capacity to achieve the following 11 outcomes: 12 (1) The ability to complete an eligible certificate 13 program. 14 (2) The ability to enter a postsecondary certificate, 15 diploma, or degree program for credit. 16 (3) The ability to gain full-time employment. 17 (4) The ability to maintain full-time employment over time. 18 b. The community college receiving the application shall 19 only approve an applicant for tuition assistance under this 20 chapter if the community college determines the applicant 21 has a strong likelihood of achieving the outcomes described 22 in paragraph “a” after considering factors including but not 23 limited to: 24 (1) Barriers that may prevent an applicant from completing 25 the certificate program. 26 (2) Barriers that may prevent an applicant from gaining 27 employment in an in-demand occupation. 28 4. Applicants may be found eligible for partial or total 29 tuition assistance. 30 5. Tuition assistance shall not be approved when the 31 community college receiving the application determines that 32 funding for an applicant’s participation in an eligible 33 certificate program is available from any other public or 34 private funding source. 35 -6- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 6/ 10

S.F. 328 Sec. 12. NEW SECTION . 261G.4 Applicants for tuition 1 assistance —— additional provisions. 2 1. An applicant for tuition assistance under this 3 chapter shall provide to the community college receiving the 4 application documentation of all sources of income. 5 2. Only an applicant eligible to work in the United States 6 shall be approved for tuition assistance under this chapter. 7 3. An application shall be valid for six months from the 8 date of signature on the application. 9 4. A person shall not be approved for tuition assistance 10 under this chapter for more than one eligible certificate 11 program. 12 5. Eligibility for tuition assistance under this chapter 13 shall not be construed to guarantee enrollment in any community 14 college certificate program. 15 6. Eligibility for tuition assistance under this chapter 16 shall be limited to persons earning incomes at or below two 17 hundred percent of the federal poverty level as defined by the 18 most recently revised poverty income guidelines published by 19 the United States department of health and human services. 20 Sec. 13. NEW SECTION . 261G.5 Eligible costs. 21 Costs of a certificate program eligible for coverage by 22 tuition assistance shall include but are not limited to: 23 1. Tuition. 24 2. Direct training costs. 25 3. Required books and equipment. 26 4. Fees including but not limited to fees for industry 27 testing services and background check testing services. 28 Sec. 14. NEW SECTION . 261G.6 Eligible certificate programs. 29 For the purposes of this chapter, “eligible certificate 30 program” means a program meeting all of the following criteria: 31 1. The program is not offered for credit, but is aligned 32 with a certificate, diploma, or degree for credit, and does any 33 of the following: 34 a. Offers a state, national, or locally recognized 35 -7- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 7/ 10

S.F. 328 certificate. 1 b. Offers preparation for a professional examination or 2 licensure. 3 c. Provides endorsement for an existing credential or 4 license. 5 d. Represents recognized skill standards defined by an 6 industrial sector. 7 e. Offers a similar credential or training. 8 2. The program offers training or a credential in an 9 in-demand occupation. For the purposes of this chapter, 10 “in-demand occupation” includes occupations in the following 11 industries: 12 a. Information technology. 13 b. Health care. 14 c. Advanced manufacturing. 15 d. Transportation and logistics. 16 e. Any other industry designated as in-demand by a regional 17 advisory board established pursuant to section 84A.4. 18 Sec. 15. NEW SECTION . 261G.7 Initial assessment. 19 An applicant for tuition assistance under this chapter shall 20 complete an initial assessment administered by the community 21 college receiving the application to determine the applicant’s 22 readiness to complete an eligible certificate program. The 23 assessment shall include assessments for completion of a 24 national career readiness certificate, including the areas of 25 reading for information, applied mathematics, and locating 26 information. An applicant must achieve a bronze-level 27 certificate or the minimum score required for an eligible 28 certificate program, whichever is higher, in order to be 29 approved for tuition assistance. An applicant shall complete 30 any additional assessments and occupational research required 31 by an eligible certificate program. 32 Sec. 16. NEW SECTION . 261G.8 Program interview. 33 An applicant for tuition assistance under this chapter shall 34 meet with a member of the staff for an eligible certificate 35 -8- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 8/ 10

S.F. 328 program offered by the community college receiving the 1 application. The staff member shall discuss the relevant 2 industry, any applicable occupational research, and any 3 applicable training relating to the eligible certificate 4 program. The discussion shall include an evaluation of 5 the applicant’s capabilities, needs, family situation, work 6 history, educational background, attitude and motivation, 7 employment skills, vocational potential, and employment 8 barriers. The discussion shall also include potential start 9 dates, support needs, and other requirements for an eligible 10 certificate program. 11 Sec. 17. NEW SECTION . 261G.9 Participation requirements. 12 1. A participant in an eligible certificate program who 13 receives tuition assistance pursuant to this chapter shall do 14 all of the following: 15 a. Maintain regular contact with staff members for the 16 certificate program to document the applicant’s progress in the 17 program. 18 b. Sign a release form to provide relevant information to 19 community college faculty or case managers. 20 c. Discuss with staff members for the certificate program 21 any issues that may impact the participant’s ability to 22 complete the certificate program, obtain employment, and 23 maintain employment over time. 24 d. Attend all required courses regularly. 25 e. Meet with staff members for the certificate program to 26 develop a job search plan. 27 2. A community college may terminate tuition assistance 28 for a participant who fails to meet the requirements of this 29 section. 30 Sec. 18. NEW SECTION . 261G.10 Oversight. 31 1. The department of education, in coordination with the 32 community colleges, shall establish a steering committee. The 33 steering committee shall determine if the performance measures 34 of the gap tuition assistance program are being met and shall 35 -9- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 9/ 10

S.F. 328 take necessary steps to correct any deficiencies. The steering 1 committee shall meet at least quarterly to evaluate and monitor 2 the performance of the gap tuition assistance program. 3 2. The department of education, in coordination with the 4 community colleges, shall develop a common intake tracking 5 system that shall be implemented consistently by each 6 participating community college. 7 3. The department of education shall coordinate statewide 8 oversight, evaluation, and reporting efforts for the gap 9 tuition assistance program. 10 Sec. 19. NEW SECTION . 261G.11 Rules. 11 The department of education, in consultation with the 12 community colleges, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A 13 and this chapter to implement the provisions of this chapter. 14 -10- SF 328 (5) 84 je/nh 10/ 10