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Enrolled Version - Final Version Senate Bill 303 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted

WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Enrolled

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 303

Senators Rucker and Cline, original sponsors

[Passed March 7, 2020; to take effect January 1, 2021]

 

 

AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §18-10P-1, §18-10P-2, §18-10P-3, §18-10P-4, §18-10P-5, and §18-10P-6, all relating to enacting the Students’ Right-to-Know Act; declaring purpose of helping high school students make more informed decisions about their futures and ensuring they are adequately aware of the cost and benefits of certificate programs, vocational programs, two-year college, four-year college, and other alternative career paths; requiring the State Board of Education to collect and the State Superintendent of Schools to distribute certain career landscape information; allowing the State Board of Education to execute a memorandum of understanding with any department, agency, or division for information required to be collected; requiring any department, agency, or division that possesses certain required information to provide that information to the State Board of Education annually; and establishing an effective date.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:


ARTICLE 10P.  Students’ Right-to-Know Act.


§18-10P-1. Short title.

This article shall be known and may be cited as the Students’ Right-to-Know Act.


§18-10P-2. Purpose.

The purpose of this article is to help high school students make more informed decisions about their futures and ensure they are adequately aware of the costs and benefits of certificate programs, vocational programs, two-year college, four-year college, and other alternative career paths.


§18-10P-3. Career landscape information collection.

The following information, to the extent available, shall be collected and compiled by the State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Higher Education Policy Commission and the Council for Community and Technical College Education, on an annual basis:

 (1) The most in-demand occupations in the state, including entry wage and common degree levels (e.g., associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s) for entering the occupation;

(2) The average cost of two and four-year colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the state by type of institution;

(3) The federal and state scholarship, merit, and need-based aid programs available for attending two and four-year colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the state by type of institution;

(4) The average monthly student loan payment and the average total amount of student loans for individuals who attend all two and four-year colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the state by the type of institution;

(5) The average student loan default rate for two and four-year colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the state by type of institution;

(6) Information relating to the availability of paid internship and externship opportunities for students attending two and four-year colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the state by type of institution;

(7) The average graduation rate for two and four-year colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the state by type of institution;

(8) The completion rates for apprenticeship programs, high school credential programs, and career and technical education programs;

(9) The percentage of college graduates working in an occupation that does not require a college degree for each major;

(10) Median annual wages for public college/university graduates by degree level and degree area;

(11) The average starting salary of career-technical education completers;

(12) The number of military first-term enlistments and each branch’s starting salary;

(13) Contact information for each of the two and four-year colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the state, and each branch of the U.S. armed forces, National Guard, and reserves; and

(14)  Any other information the State Board of Education, the Higher Education Policy Commission, or the Council for Community and Technical College Education deem appropriate to assist high school students in weighing the costs and benefits of post-high school training and education.


§18-10P-4. Information distribution.

No later than October 15 of each year, the State Superintendent shall distribute the information collected by the State Board of Education in §18-10P-3 of this code:

(1) To every public high school in the state for distribution to students by school guidance counselors; and

(2) To the public by making it readily available through publishing on the Department of Education’s website.


§18-10P-5. Data sharing.

The State Board of Education may execute a memorandum of understanding with any department, agency, or division for information required to be collected by this article.  Any department, agency, or division that possesses information required to be collected by this article, at least including the Department of Commerce and the Higher Education Policy Commission, shall provide that information to the State Board of Education annually.

§18-10P-6. Effective date.


The requirements of this article are effective on January 1, 2021.

 

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