Relating to career education, including middle school career exploration and industry-recognized credential seals and certificates for high school students

This bill relates to career education, including middle school career exploration and industry-recognized credential seals and certificates for high school students. The bill requires the director of the department of education (DE) to develop and make available on DE’s internet site a list of industry-recognized credentials or certifications that are attainable by students enrolled in grades through and that are aligned with career and technical education service areas. The director must also develop and distribute to school districts a seal that is aligned to the list. The bill establishes that school districts are to report to DE information related to students who attain an industry-recognized credential or certification that is aligned to the student’s career and technical education program of study and that is on the list. School districts must also recognize high school graduates who, prior to graduation, have attained an industry-recognized credential or certification that is aligned to the student’s career and technical education program of study and that is on the list by either affixing the seal developed by the director of DE to the student’s high school transcript or by providing the student with a certificate to which the seal is affixed. The bill modifies provisions related to the instruction provided to students enrolled in grades five and six to require instruction related to career planning and pathways, which shall include career investigation, career connections, and career intentions. The bill modifies provisions related to the career exploration and development curriculum provided to students enrolled in grades seven and eight by requiring the provision of a career instruction, exploration, and development curriculum, which shall include career investigation, career connections, and career intentions.11(3) and (4), which describe the subjects that must be taught to students enrolled in grades one through eight.3.16.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.