WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

ENROLLED

House Bill 4790

By Delegates Ellington, Higginbotham, Atkinson, Hanna, Toney, Waxman, Hornbuckle, Campbell, Lavender-Bowe, R. Thompson and Zukoff

[Passed March 4, 2020; in effect ninety days from passage.]

AN ACT to amend and reenact §18-2-7d of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to Career Technical Education for middle school students; broadening workforce preparedness information to be communicated to students to include the knowledge, skills and characteristics needed for success in occupations and entrepreneurship; integration with career exploration beginning in middle school grades; and requiring county boards to provide elective Career Technical Education courses for middle school students beginning 2022 – 2023 school year.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-2-7d. Program in workforce preparedness.

(a) The Legislature finds that, in addition to specialized skills relating to specific professions and trades, students will be better prepared to enter the workforce and succeed in their chosen fields of employment or education by having the opportunity to participate in training related to general workforce preparedness, productive workplace skills and processes, time management and efficiency, and teamwork and leadership competencies in the workplace. The Legislature further finds that employers in the state are the best source for articulating the general skills and attributes they, in common, seek in future employees and that employers may collaborate in the development of a graduate profile incorporating these skills and attributes.

(b) The state board shall promulgate a rule pursuant to §29A-3B-1 et seq. of this code that adopts a program of instruction in general workforce and career preparedness for all students. The program of instruction shall include guidelines for schools working through their local school improvement councils and business partners to communicate to students the knowledge, college and career skills and life characteristics needed for success in occupations and entrepreneurship in the changing world of work. At the middle school level, the program may be integrated with comprehensive career exploration which also may include, but is not limited to, Career Technical Education foundational courses, stand-alone Career Exploration courses and mini courses, field trips, guest speakers, and career mentors as provided in the state board rule.

(c) Beginning with the school year 2022 — 2023, county boards of education shall provide elective Career Technical Education courses for middle school students that may include, but are not limited to, foundational Career Technical Education courses, Career Technical Education courses developed with a focus on high need occupational areas within the area or region, agriculture, industrial arts and family and consumer sciences.

The Joint Committee on Enrolled Bills hereby certifies that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.

...............................................................

        Chairman, House Committee

                     ...............................................................

                             Chairman, Senate Committee

Originating in the House.

In effect ninety days from passage.

...............................................................

                  Clerk of the House of Delegates

                     ...............................................................

                                                   Clerk of the Senate

                                    ...............................................................

                                                   Speaker of the House of Delegates

                                                            ...............................................................

                                                                                     President of the Senate

__________

      The within ................................................... this the...........................................

day of ..........................................................................................................., 2020.

                                                .............................................................

                                                                                                Governor