Substitute Senate Bill No. 1074
Substitute Senate Bill No. 1074
PUBLIC ACT NO. 97-195
AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT CAREER
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10-20a of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) (1) Local and regional boards of
education, the regional vocational-technical
school system, POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS and
regional educational service centers, MAY (A) in
consultation with REGIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
BOARDS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 31-3k,
local employers, labor organizations [,] AND
community-based organizations [and institutions of
higher education, may] establish programs leading
to a Connecticut career certificate in accordance
with this section AND (B) ENROLL STUDENTS IN SUCH
PROGRAMS BASED ON ENTRY CRITERIA DETERMINED BY THE
ESTABLISHING AGENCY. Such programs shall be
approved by the Commissioner of Education and the
Labor Commissioner after review and comment by the
regional [workforce development board established
pursuant to section 31-3k] SCHOOL-TO-CAREER
PARTNERSHIP ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF
EDUCATION PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (2) OF THIS
SUBSECTION for the region in which the program is
proposed to operate. Applications for program
approval shall be submitted to the Commissioner of
Education in such form and at such time as he
prescribes. All programs leading to a Connecticut
career certificate shall provide equal access for
all students and necessary accommodations and
support for students with disabilities.
(2) THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION SHALL
ESTABLISH REGIONAL SCHOOL-TO-CAREER PARTNERSHIPS.
THE PARTNERSHIPS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NEED NOT BE
LIMITED TO, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS AND
REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL BOARDS OF
EDUCATION, POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS,
REGIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARDS ESTABLISHED
PURSUANT TO SECTION 31-3k, BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
AND LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.
(b) Programs established pursuant to this
section may be offered for one or more years and
shall include:
(1) Not less than eighty hours [of subject
matter instruction during any one year, in one of
the career clusters] DURING ANY YEAR OF
SCHOOL-BASED INSTRUCTION WHICH FOCUSES ON THE
ACADEMIC, TECHNICAL AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
OUTLINED IN THE SKILL STANDARDS established
pursuant to subsection [(d)] (c) of this section,
AND INSTRUCTION IN THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY AND THE ROLE OF LABOR, BUSINESS AND
INDUSTRY;
(2) [Not less than one hundred eighty hours
and not more than three hundred sixty hours,
during any one year, of] WORK-BASED INSTRUCTION
WHICH INCLUDES worksite experience, including all
major activities related to the career cluster.
Such worksite experience shall: [be:] (A) [Paid]
BE PAID, except as provided in section 10-20b, AS
AMENDED BY SECTION 2 OF THIS ACT, (B) INCLUDE A
PLANNED PROGRAM OF JOB TRAINING AND WORK
EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING TRAINING RELATED TO
PREEMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TO BE MASTERED
AT PROGRESSIVELY HIGHER LEVELS, THAT ARE
COORDINATED WITH SCHOOL-BASED INSTRUCTION, (C)
INCLUDE INSTRUCTION, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, IN
ALL ASPECTS OF THE INDUSTRY, (D) RELATE TO THE
ACADEMIC, TECHNICAL AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
OUTLINED IN THE SKILL STANDARDS ESTABLISHED
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (c) OF THIS SECTION, (E)
INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, ON-THE-JOB
TRAINING, INTERNSHIPS, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND FIELD
TRIPS, (F) BE conducted in accordance with an
individualized written training and mentoring
plan, agreed to by the student, HIS PARENT OR
GUARDIAN, IF THE STUDENT IS UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS
OF AGE, the principal of the school OR THE CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE AGENCY OPERATING THE
PROGRAM in which the student is enrolled, or [his]
THE designee OF SUCH PRINCIPAL OR CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER, and the employer, and [(C)] (G) BE in
conformance with the requirements of section
10-20d, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 4 OF THIS ACT; and
(3) [Coordination of participating employers,
schools and students] ACTIVITIES THAT ENSURE
COORDINATION BETWEEN SCHOOL-BASED INSTRUCTION AND
WORK-BASED INSTRUCTION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, (A) CAREER AWARENESS AND EXPLORATION
OPPORTUNITIES, AND (B) INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE
CONCERNING TRANSITION TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.
[(c) Students in grades ten to twelve,
inclusive, and ungraded special education students
who are at least fifteen years of age and under
twenty-one years of age shall be eligible to
participate in such programs upon demonstration of
interest, entry level skills and such other
criteria as may be determined by the local or
regional board of education in consultation with
participating employers.
(d)] (c) For purposes of this section, "career
cluster" means a range of occupations which share
a set of skills and knowledge. Such skills and
knowledge [shall] include (1) academic AND
TECHNICAL skills related to the type of employment
[,] AND (2) general [workplace] EMPLOYABILITY
skills. [, (3) the history of the American economy
and the role of labor, business and industry, (4)
career guidance and information about
opportunities for effective transition to
postsecondary education.] The Commissioner of
Education, in consultation with other state,
regional and local agencies, business and industry
and labor organizations, shall [establish and
publish] MAINTAIN a list of state recognized
career clusters [not later than September 1, 1994,
and shall establish] AND skill standards for each
SUCH career cluster. [not later than November 1,
1994.]
Sec. 2. Section 10-20b of the general statutes
is repealed and the following is substituted in
lieu thereof:
(a) Except for the provisions of chapter 567,
all state and federal laws and regulations
relating to employment, apprenticeship and
occupational licensing shall apply to students in
a program leading to a Connecticut career
certificate pursuant to section 10-20a, AS AMENDED
BY SECTION 1 OF THIS ACT. Employers found to be in
violation of A federal or state labor law may be
prohibited from participation in the program.
(b) Students participating in such programs
shall not: (1) Replace any employee or cause any
reduction in hours of work, wages or employment
benefits of any employee of an employer
participating in the program or (2) be employed in
a job from which an employee of a participating
employer has been laid off and for which he
retains recall rights. No employer shall terminate
the employment of any of its employees or
otherwise reduce its workforce or work hours in
order to fill a vacancy so created with a student
participating in the program. The participation of
any employer who is a party to one or more
collective bargaining agreements covering work to
be performed by a student participating in the
program shall be conditioned on the written
concurrence of each labor organization that is a
party to such an agreement.
(c) The employment of students in programs
established pursuant to section 10-20a, AS AMENDED
BY SECTION 1 OF THIS ACT, shall be paid
employment, unless the Labor Commissioner, or his
designee, in consultation with the Commissioner of
Education, or his designee, receives and approves
a written request from the principal of the school
OR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE AGENCY
OPERATING THE PROGRAM in which the student is
enrolled, or [his] THE designee OF SUCH PRINCIPAL
OR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, that such employment
not be paid because of worksite experiences that
are generally not paid employment, such as
community service activities. The terms of
compensation shall be (1) negotiated between the
employer and such principal OR CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER, or [his] THE designee OF SUCH PRINCIPAL
OR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, (2) accepted by the
student, (3) based on the nature of the work and
the status of the student-worker as a student, and
(4) reasonable for the actual work performed.
Sec. 3. Section 10-20c of the general statutes
is repealed and the following is substituted in
lieu thereof:
(a) The Commissioner of Education and the
Labor Commissioner shall jointly issue a
Connecticut career certificate to students who
successfully complete a program established
pursuant to section 10-20a, AS AMENDED BY SECTION
1 OF THIS ACT, and demonstrate satisfactory
academic achievement in accordance with such
standards as may be adopted by the Commissioner of
Education.
(b) No [less] MORE than one elective credit
for purposes of section 10-221a shall be awarded
for each such program [which is successfully
completed, provided more than one elective credit
may be awarded for a program that is more
extensive than the minimum program described in
subsection (b) of section 10-20a] OF AT LEAST ONE
HUNDRED TWENTY HOURS OF WORK-BASED INSTRUCTION
WHICH IS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AT THE SECONDARY
LEVEL. CREDIT FOR WORK EXPERIENCE AT THE
POSTSECONDARY LEVEL SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OR GOVERNING AUTHORITY FOR THE
POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTION IN WHICH THE STUDENT IS
ENROLLED.
Sec. 4. Section 10-20d of the general statutes
is repealed and the following is substituted in
lieu thereof:
(a) The Commissioner of Education, in
consultation with the Labor Commissioner and the
Commissioners of Economic and Community
Development and Higher Education, shall, within
the limits of available appropriations, provide
grants to local and regional boards of education,
the vocational-technical school system, [and]
POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS, REGIONAL WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT BOARDS, regional educational service
centers AND OTHER APPROPRIATE AGENCIES AND
ORGANIZATIONS to support the development and
implementation of programs leading to a
Connecticut career certificate pursuant to section
10-20a, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 1 OF THIS ACT.
(b) In awarding grants pursuant to this
section, the Commissioner of Education shall give
priority to interdistrict programs and programs
operated in priority school districts, as
described in section 10-266p. Grant applications
shall include documentation of review and comment
by the regional [workforce development board
established pursuant to section 31-3k]
SCHOOL-TO-CAREER PARTNERSHIP ESTABLISHED BY THE
COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION for the region in which
the program is proposed to operate.
(c) If the Commissioner of Education finds
that some or all of the amount of any grant
awarded pursuant to this section is used for
purposes which are not in conformity with sections
10-20a to 10-20d, inclusive, AS AMENDED BY THIS
ACT, or is used to reduce the local share of
support for schools or to supplant a previous
source of funding, the commissioner may require
repayment of such grant to the state.
(d) Each grant recipient shall submit to the
Commissioner of Education, at such time and in
such manner as he prescribes, a biennial program
evaluation report.
Sec. 5. This act shall take effect from its
passage.
Approved June 24, 1997