1599-1600 Nyland General Assembly

[Flo]

The Nyland Work Skills Act
Assembly Bill 1599.001
Drafted by: Nyland Committee for the SKilled Trades, Travis Anderson (MCN) Submitted by: Travis Anderson (MCN Submit Date: Hearing Date: Revision Date: Summary: This bill establishes an alternative path for education in Nyland, one that advocates for skilled trades, job skills, and otherwise non-academic pursuits in Nyland education system. The alternative path will not be offered to students until 1605, the time until then will be used to establish the process, equip educators and schools, and prepare necessary resources to implement the bill. Section 1: The Aims of this Bill I) The aims of the Nyland Work Skills Act are to provide an alternative educational path for young Nylanders to pursue that is more trade-skills focused. There is a dire shortage of workers in the skilled trades, plumbers, electricians, contractors, welders, etc. This bill aims to amend this and provide for a new generation of Nylanders to enter those fields to find gainful employment in the Nyland economy. This bill is not intended to replace more academic focuses, but that path is not necessary for everyone, and providing it as the sole path can set some up for failure. Section 2: The Education System and Standards I) The new alternative path will begin in the eighth year, where students will begin their more trade-focused education. Eight-Nine years will be focused on mathematics, science, and more "practical" skills to prepare the students for apprenticeships and training they will undergo for the ten-twelve years. Students will still take more academic classes, reading, social studies, etc. but these will be more limited than in the academic educational path. II) Students will be placed in either path based on aptitude tests in the sixth and seventh years. Parents may petition to challenge the decision made by the educators, should they disagree, but the ultimate decision rests with the educational professionals. Section 3: Diplomas I) All students will still receive a standard "high school diploma" for their secondary school education, but on top of that they will receive either a trade diploma or an academic diploma to demonstrate their proficiency in whichever path they took. The intention is that those who take the trade path will be well on their way to receiving necessary certifications and will be nearly ready if not fully ready to enter the workforce upon graduation. Section 4: Leadership The Department of Education will be tasked with implementing these standards in partnership with state and local governments. On an annual basis the DoE will review these standards as well as the academic path standards to determine what future actions are necessary. This review will be presented and reported on to the legislature for any necessary oversight and to address needs/concerns as they arise.