HF 1811

as introduced - 81st Legislature (1999 - 2000) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; distinguishing among types of 
  1.3             credentials awarded in technical colleges; limiting 
  1.4             the use of standardized assessment; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 1998, section 136F.32, subdivision 2, and by 
  1.6             adding a subdivision. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 136F.32, 
  1.9   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 2.  [TECHNICAL AND CONSOLIDATED TECHNICAL COLLEGES.] 
  1.11  (a) A technical college or consolidated technical community 
  1.12  college shall offer students the option of pursuing diplomas and 
  1.13  certificates in each technical education program, unless the 
  1.14  board determines that this is not practicable for certain 
  1.15  programs a degree is the only acceptable credential for career 
  1.16  entry in a specific field.  All credits earned for a diploma or 
  1.17  certificate shall be applicable toward any available degree in 
  1.18  the same program.  
  1.19     (b) Certificates and diplomas are credentials that 
  1.20  demonstrate competence in a vocational or technical area and, 
  1.21  therefore, do not include a general education component.  
  1.22  Students shall be provided with applied training in general 
  1.23  studies to the extent that the training is necessary for 
  1.24  competence in the program area.  Degrees awarded in a field may 
  1.25  require a general education component; certificates and diplomas 
  1.26  may not have this requirement.  Students who have earned a 
  2.1   diploma in the same field may earn a degree if they complete the 
  2.2   general education component of the degree. 
  2.3      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 136F.32, is 
  2.4   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.5      Subd. 3.  [ASSESSMENT.] To reduce barriers to enrollment 
  2.6   and to train a skilled workforce, students enrolling in a 
  2.7   program for a certificate or diploma shall not be required to 
  2.8   undergo standardized assessment of their math and English skills.
  2.9   Students may be assessed for skills necessary for competency in 
  2.10  a technical or vocational field as part of their program.