WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 303

By Senators Rucker and Cline

[Introduced January 10, 2020; referred
to the Committee on Education]

A BILL 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; providing purpose of making high school students aware of the cost of four-year colleges and other alternative career paths; requiring the State Board of Education to collect and disseminate certain career landscape information; 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 that they are adequately aware of the cost of four-year college and other, alternative career paths.

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

The following information shall be collected and compiled by the State Board of Education on an annual basis:

 (1) The most in-demand jobs in the state, including starting salary and education level required for those jobs;

(2) The average cost for all major colleges and vocational schools in the state;

(3) The average monthly student loan payment for individuals who attend all major colleges and vocational schools in the state;

(4) The average three-year student loan default rate for all major colleges and vocational schools in the state;

(5) The average graduation rate for all major colleges and vocational schools in the state;

(6) The completion rates for apprenticeship programs, high school credential programs, career and technical education programs, and military first-term enlistments.

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

(8) The average starting salary for individuals graduating from a major college; and

(9) The average starting salary for individuals graduating from a vocational school in the state.

§18-10P-4. Information distribution.

The information collected by the State Board of Education in §18-10P-3 of this code shall be distributed to every public high school in the state for public distribution to students by school guidance counselors no later than October 15 of each year.

§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.

§18-10P-6. Effective date.

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

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to enact the “Students’ Right-to-Know Act.” The bill provides its purpose of making high school students aware of the cost of four-year colleges and other, alternative career paths. The bill requires the State Board of Education to collect and disseminate certain career landscape information. The bill establishes an effective date.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.