HF 3650

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 02/26/2026 03:53 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a student career pathways framework; requiring
a report.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin STUDENT CAREER PATHWAYS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin A student career pathways framework is established to
improve student access to high-quality, employer-connected career experiences by removing
barriers and strengthening coordination among education, workforce, and postsecondary
systems. The legislature intends to support local innovation and flexibility in implementing
personalized learning plans and career pathway exploration.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Experiential learning" means career-connected learning experiences, including but
not limited to work-based learning, internships, job shadowing, industry projects, and other
employer-engaged activities aligned to a student's personalized learning plan or academic
program.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Participating school" means a school district or charter school that elects to participate
in the voluntary student career pathways framework established under this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Student career pathways framework. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of education, in
coordination with the commissioners of employment and economic development and higher
education, and in partnership with the P-20 Education Partnership, must establish a statewide
framework to support alignment of personalized learning plans, career and technical
education, work-based learning, and postsecondary exploration.
new text end

new text begin (b) Participation in the framework is optional for school districts and charter schools.
Nothing in this section creates a mandate or new requirement for schools.
new text end

new text begin (c) The framework must focus on:
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new text begin (1) aligning strategies and goals across secondary, postsecondary, and workforce systems
related to student career exploration and employer engagement;
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new text begin (2) supporting coordinated approaches to student career experiences that integrate
personalized learning plans, counseling, and career and technical education pathways;
new text end

new text begin (3) supporting the use of personalized learning plans as a student-centered framework
for career exploration, postsecondary planning, and experiential learning, including voluntary
guidance that promotes consistency across districts while allowing for local adaptation to
community needs;
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new text begin (4) improving coordination of employer engagement to reduce duplication and increase
access to high-quality experiences for students;
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new text begin (5) encouraging alignment of tools, practices, and data systems, including use of existing
systems, to support student transitions from high school to postsecondary education and
careers; and
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new text begin (6) advancing statewide educational attainment goals by supporting student progress
toward postsecondary credentials with labor market value, and by encouraging the use of
aligned indicators to measure participation, persistence, completion, and transitions across
secondary, postsecondary, and workforce systems.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Commissioner responsibilities. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioners of education,
employment and economic development, and higher education must review state statutes,
rules, and guidance, as well as state and federal policies and administrative practices related
to the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the federal Carl D. Perkins
Career and Technical Education Act, to identify and remove unnecessary constraints that
limit local flexibility to support the student career pathways framework. The commissioners
must establish:
new text end

new text begin (1) clear and coherent career pathway exploration, including strong alignment of career
and technical education programs with related postsecondary certificates, diplomas, and
degrees;
new text end

new text begin (2) high-quality, employer-connected experiential learning, including expanded access
to work-based learning and other career-connected opportunities for students; and
new text end

new text begin (3) alignment between secondary and postsecondary programs, enabling smooth student
transitions from high school into postsecondary education and training through pathways
such as postsecondary enrollment options, concurrent enrollment, dual training, youth skills
training, and registered or pre-apprenticeship opportunities.
new text end

new text begin (b) Using existing resources, the commissioners must issue updated joint guidance to
school districts, charter schools, workforce boards, and postsecondary institutions that
describes permissible uses of existing federal funds to support the purposes of the student
career pathways framework.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Resources. new text end

new text begin The commissioners of education, employment and economic
development, and higher education must jointly develop and maintain centralized resources,
using existing staff and systems to support local implementation, including but not limited
to:
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new text begin (1) planning tools and guidance that strengthen the use of personalized learning plans
as a foundation for career exploration and postsecondary readiness, including optional
templates that promote consistency while allowing for local adaptation to community needs;
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new text begin (2) model practices for expanding career exploration and career-connected learning,
including strategies for integrating rigorous coursework, dual enrollment, and
employer-connected experiences into student planning and personalized learning plans in
a manner that aligns with individual goals and local workforce needs;
new text end

new text begin (3) resources to support equitable access to career-connected learning opportunities,
including approaches that help schools expand participation among historically underserved
students, including students from low-income families, students of color, and students in
rural communities; and
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new text begin (4) optional tools and templates to support tracking, evaluation, and continuous
improvement of student career experiences, including transitions from high school into
postsecondary education and training.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin By January 15, 2028, the commissioners must submit a joint report to
the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education
and workforce, labor, and economic development. The report must include information on
actions taken to remove state-level barriers, the use of the student career pathway framework
by participating schools, and recommendations for further alignment using existing resources.
new text end