By Casey Smith
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANAPOLIS — Multiple state offices are on the clock to put in motion statewide career-centered education and training programs that seek to graduate Hoosier students who are better prepared for the workforce.

The House and Senate compromised in the final hours of the legislative session on a massive Republican-backed plan that, at its core, seeks to expand work-based learning in Indiana high schools, like through apprenticeships and internships.

Paramount to the 85-page House Bill 1002 is a provision that would establish accounts for students in grades 10-12 to pay for career training outside their schools. The new framework is intended to enable students to earn a post-secondary credential before leaving the K-12 system. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill into law last week.

So far, lawmakers have approved more than $20 million for the plan, although Indiana schools and various state agencies are expected to spend even more to get the programs started — and to keep them running.

Sweeping Changes To Career Ready Education

House Bill 1002 was one of the last bills passed in the legislative session. A conference committee report for the proposal wasn’t approved until 11:49 p.m., April 27 and was different, in several ways, from earlier iterations.

The plan got a 75-22 vote in the House and a 35-15 vote in the Senate.

As part of the overhaul, public schools must provide career awareness instruction beginning in the 2024-25 academic year.

The Indiana Department of Education, also known as IDOE, in consultation with the Commission for Higher Education, also known as CHE, are responsible for designating and approving a new course sequence, career courses, modern youth apprenticeships and other related programs.

IDOE and the State Board of Education, also known as SBOE, must additionally establish new high school diploma requirements that make it easier for career education and certain alternative courses to count towards graduation, as well as honors diplomas.

Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner said during a SBOE meeting Wednesday, May 10, that House Bill 1002 provides necessary new incentives for schools to build up career-ready students. It also gives state education officials “more flexibility” to create the framework for new learning options.

Seven New Funds

To support the CSA program and other career learning initiatives, the final draft of House Bill 1002 created seven new funds.

Three of those funds are specific to CSAs, while the other center around teacher training, career coaching and boosting the number of available work-based learning opportunities.

Career Scholarship Account Program Fund

Lawmakers appropriated $5 million for CSAs in the new state budget’s first fiscal year, and another $10 million in the second year. Any unused funds revert to the state’s general fund.

The Indiana Treasurer of State is tasked with administering the fund, with help from CHE and the state education department. A legislative fiscal analysis predicted the treasurer’s office will likely need additional staff and resources to administer the program, although the office can leverage the infrastructure it has already built for the ESA program.

House Bill 1002 requires an annual, independent audit of the fund to be made available to the public.

Career Scholarship Account Administration Fund

The fund covers the costs of managing CSA accounts and administering the program.

The treasurer’s office can transfer up to 10% of the appropriation for the CSA program to the fund in Fiscal Year 2024. After that, the office will be able to transfer up to 5% of the appropriation for the program to the fund.

Career Scholarship Account Donation Fund

This “non-reverting fund” will receive donations and transfer them to the CSA program fund.

Money in the fund at the end of each fiscal year does not revert to the state general fund but remains for future CSA program purposes, according to the bill.

Connecting Students with Careers Fund

The fund will be used to distribute grants to schools for the purpose of hosting career fairs. The state budget does not put any money into the fund, however. Rather, House Bill 1002 indicates that gifts and grants — including from private entities — can be added to the fund.

Teacher Higher Education and Industry Collaboration Grant Program and Fund

Teachers who want to participate in approved education courses or programs designed to improve their “knowledge and familiarity” with the application work-based learning can apply for grants made available through this fund.

IDOE oversees the program and the fund, but the Commission for Higher Education will help establish criteria used to approve programs and courses. Approved teacher education can be offered by postsecondary educational institutions or employers. It’s not yet clear how many grants will be available, or how much each teacher qualifies to receive. Those details will have to be hashed out by state officials.

Career Coaching Grant Fund

Under current law, the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet is tasked with establishing a career navigation and coaching system and administering an existing Career Coaching Grant Fund.

House Bill 1002 eliminates that fund and establishes a new Career Coaching Program and a new grant fund – with the same name — to instead be administered by the higher education commission.

CHE must develop and implement a new but similar program and award grants from the fund to schools, intermediaries or “career coaching providers” that agree to help establish or implement “comprehensive career navigation and coaching systems” for students.

The bill does not earmark any dollars for the fund. The bill indicates that money for the fund can come from future legislative appropriations.

Intermediary Capacity Building Fund

Administered by CHE, the fund provides one-time grants to approved intermediaries to help increase their ability to serve a greater number of students. Lawmakers gave the fund $5 million for the fund in the first year of the budget.

The commission will approve entities in the program and help parents and students navigate how to connect with intermediaries. Each intermediary can get a one-time grant of up to $250,000.

An annual survey of program participants must also be completed.

See full article here.