PRINTER'S NO. 875
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
796
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, BERNSTINE, KLUNK, MURT, SIMS,
SCHLOSSBERG, HILL-EVANS, CIRESI, KEEFER, OTTEN, LAWRENCE,
MARKOSEK, NEILSON, ECKER, HARRIS AND COX, MARCH 12, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 12, 2019
AN ACT
Establishing the Schools-to-Work Program; and providing for
powers and duties of the Department of Education.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Schools-to-
Work Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Business." An entity authorized to do business in this
Commonwealth and subject to taxes imposed under Article III, IV,
VI, VII, VIII, IX, XV or XX of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6,
No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, or a tax under
Article XVI of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known
as The Insurance Company Law of 1921. The term includes a pass-
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
through entity, including a pass-through entity the purpose of
which is participating under this act and whose shareholders,
partners or members are composed of owners or employees of other
business firms.
"Department." The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Participating partnership." A school or schools partnered
with one or more businesses which have been awarded a grant
under the program.
"Program." The Schools-to-Work Program established under
section 3.
"School." A public school, including a charter school, cyber
charter school, intermediate unit or area vocational-technical
school, operating in a school district in this Commonwealth.
Section 3. Schools-to-Work Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Schools-to-Work Program is
established in the department to distribute grants on a
competitive basis to schools to support the establishment or
enhancement of partnerships with local businesses in order to
fill current and anticipated needs for employees with necessary
job qualifications and certifications.
(b) Grant proposals.--In order to apply for a grant under
the program, a school must submit a grant proposal to the
department. Subject to department and school district policy, a
school may join with other schools within or outside the school
district in submitting a proposal. The proposal may provide for
partnership with one or more businesses. The proposal shall
include all of the following:
(1) Participation of at least one local business.
(2) Work-based learning opportunities for participating
20190HB0796PN0875 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
students, including workplace visits, internships,
apprenticeships, mentorships or employment opportunities.
(3) Identification of the qualifications and
certifications necessary to fill current and anticipated
employment needs of the participating business.
(4) Opportunities for students to earn industry-
recognized qualifications and certifications.
(5) Identification of additional personnel needed, if
any, in order to matriculate the number of certificate-
holding and qualified students needed to fill positions
within participating businesses.
(6) Description of the relationship between the
participating business and the school in creating curricula
that will lead to certification of students, apprenticeships
and jobs with participating businesses.
(c) Additional information.--A grant proposal may include
all of the following:
(1) Participation of a local work force investment
board.
(2) Opportunity for students to earn college credit.
(3) A commitment of private matching funds.
(4) Participation of a chamber of commerce or other
similar business organization.
(d) Priority of applications.--The department shall give
priority to proposals that:
(1) Demonstrate a strong need for career and technical
instructors.
(2) Provide internships or apprenticeships to students
from grade nine through graduation.
(3) Indicate the intent of a participating business to
20190HB0796PN0875 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
hire students in the program upon graduation.
(4) Involve a partnership between multiple schools and
multiple businesses.
(5) Demonstrate additional financial or personnel
resources that will be used as matching support, in whole or
in part, for the grant proposal.
(e) Grant distribution.--The department shall award a total
of eight grants under the program. No participating partnership
is eligible to receive more than two grants. Each grant award is
limited to no more than 25% of the total funds appropriated for
the program in any fiscal year. The department shall consider
geographic diversity when selecting grant recipients.
(f) Limitation.--A school may use grant money only for the
purposes stated in the school's grant proposal. A school shall
return to the department any remaining grant money not used for
the program.
Section 4. Memorandum of understanding.
A participating partnership shall execute a memorandum of
understanding that outlines the responsibilities of the
participants. The responsibilities shall include all of the
following:
(1) Commitment to align high school and postsecondary
coursework with technical skills and workplace competencies
as defined by industry.
(2) Meaningful work-based learning opportunities for
participating students, including workplace visits,
internships, apprenticeships and mentorships.
(3) Commitment to develop a scope and sequence of
courses, curricula and work-based learning programs that
ensure students can earn relevant postsecondary credits or
20190HB0796PN0875 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
industry certification.
(4) Articulation language that ensures any postsecondary
credits earned in the program are transcripted and
transferrable.
(5) If the participating partnership includes multiple
schools or businesses:
(i) Delineation of the responsibilities of each
school and business.
(ii) How grant money and resources dedicated to the
program will be divided among the participants.
Section 5. Reporting requirements.
(a) Schools.--A school participating in the program shall be
required to report to the department data related to the
program, including all of the following:
(1) The number of students certified as a result of the
program.
(2) The number of students who secured internships or
apprenticeships with participating businesses.
(3) The number of students employed as a result of
participating in the program.
(4) A detailed description of the use of grant money,
including an itemized list of expenditures.
(5) Other data deemed relevant or necessary by the
department.
(b) Annual reporting.--A school shall submit a report under
subsection (a) for each year in which the school participates in
the program.
Section 6. Expiration.
This act shall expire June 30, 2024.
Section 7. Effective date.
20190HB0796PN0875 - 5 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20190HB0796PN0875 - 6 -
1