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HF 2181

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/09/2012 02:15pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
relating to workforce training; creating a FastTRAC adult career pathway
program; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 116L.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [116L.99] MINNESOTA FASTTRAC ADULT CAREER PATHWAY
PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Creation. new text end

new text begin There is created the Minnesota fast training, resources,
and credentialing adult career pathway program, hereafter referred to as FastTRAC.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Purpose. new text end

new text begin FastTRAC is an interagency adult career pathway initiative to
increase the number of adults with postsecondary credentials in high-demand occupations
that lead to liveable wages.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Administration; leadership committee. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall provide
administration and oversight of FastTRAC. The commissioner shall establish a FastTRAC
leadership committee which must include the department, Department of Education-Adult
Basic Education, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System Office (MnSCU),
Office of Higher Education, Department of Human Services, Department of Labor and
Industry, state and local partners, and employers deemed necessary by the commissioner.
The leadership committee must develop and maintain interagency collaboration activities
and provide advice and program guidelines to the commissioner and the local program
partners.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Program design. new text end

new text begin FastTRAC is designed to use an adult career pathways
framework for delivering education, training, and employment services to participants.
This framework requires programming and policy alignment across the Department
of Education-Adult Basic Education, WorkForce Center System, MnSCU, and other
programs operated through the Department of Human Services and other state agencies
and offices that have related programming. FastTRAC local program partners must also
collaborate with employers, business and industry organizations, and community-based
organizations that provide training and employment services.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Program implementation. new text end

new text begin The leadership committee must ensure that
FastTRAC programs become standard options offered through state education and
training systems by assisting local program partners to overcome policy and other barriers
to FastTRAC program approval and delivery. Local program partners must utilize all
available integrated data capabilities and provide this data to the leadership committee to
follow participant progress and outcomes across education and employment programs.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Required local program partner. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purpose of this section, a
local program partner is defined as the organization that performs the service functions
under this section and is responsible for the delivery of outcomes under this section.
A local program partner may have relationships with other organizations that provide
assistance, but the local program partner remains solely accountable for outcomes.
new text end

new text begin (b) A local program partner must include representatives from all of the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) the Department of Education-Adult Basic Education;
new text end

new text begin (2) employers;
new text end

new text begin (3) MnSCU two-year institutions; and
new text end

new text begin (4) workforce development system partners, including community-based
organizations, workforce investment boards, tribal nonprofit organizations, and the
department.
new text end

new text begin (c) A local program partner may be formed to address any of the program guidelines
established by the leadership committee. The leadership committee shall provide a
standard form that local partners must use to apply for FastTRAC funding and assistance.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Services provided. new text end

new text begin (a) A FastTRAC local program partner must provide
three service components to participants:
new text end

new text begin (1) contextualized instruction;
new text end

new text begin (2) career development; and
new text end

new text begin (3) support services tailored to adults and delivered through collaboration of partners
and in a manner appropriate for the needs and circumstances of the participant.
new text end

new text begin (b) Contextualized instruction must be provided that integrates industry and
occupational knowledge with basic reading, math, and language skills by having
Department of Education-Adult Basic Education instructors and MnSCU postsecondary
career and technical education instructors provide integrated instruction, including any
bridge curricula needed to enroll in a postsecondary program.
new text end

new text begin (c) Workforce development system partners must provide career development
services that include work culture, exploration, and planning within a career area, job
placement, and job retention services.
new text end

new text begin (d) Other support services must be provided by WorkForce Center System, and
must be tailored to each participant and provide the participant with the information and
wraparound assistance needed to transition across education and training programs and
achieve stable career pathway employment with a liveable wage. Examples of support
service include, but are not limited to, assisting participants with finding eligible public
assistance programs, gas cards, bus cards, or child care. Whenever possible the local
program partners shall ensure that existing funding streams such as MFIP are used to
provide any services under this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Participant eligibility. new text end

new text begin (a) An eligible FastTRAC participant must meet
the requirements of the Department of Education-Adult Basic Education program under
section 124D.52.
new text end

new text begin (b) In addition to the requirement in paragraph (a), an eligible participant must be
assessed, using a nationally recognized assessment, and found to have either insufficient
college readiness or work readiness.
new text end

new text begin (c) Participants must enroll in the FastTRAC program using a form supplied by
the local program partner.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Accountability and outcome measures. new text end

new text begin (a) All FastTRAC local program
partners must administer assessments consistent with program requirements to place
participants into the appropriate courses and to measure progress. All local program
partners must use quantitative and qualitative data tracking systems to collect and analyze
key information about FastTRAC participants and graduates. This information must be
provided to the leadership committee for review under paragraph (c).
new text end

new text begin (b) Local program partners must evaluate participants on all of the measures in
this paragraph.
new text end

new text begin (1) Basic skills acquisition: Whether a participant has attained a NRS educational
functioning level (EFL) gain as adopted by the Department of Education-Adult Basic
Education.
new text end

new text begin (2) Program retention: Whether the participant partook in the duration of the
program, including information on attrition, identification of program challenges, or
other barriers to program retention.
new text end

new text begin (3) Credential attainment: Whether the participant attained an industry-recognized
certification, not to include a work readiness certificate, but including a certificate,
diploma, or degree with academic credit from a MnSCU institution.
new text end

new text begin (4) Job placement in career field: Whether the participant obtained employment in
an occupation related to FastTRAC education and training.
new text end

new text begin (5) Job retention: Whether the participant maintained employment for 12 months
after job placement.
new text end

new text begin (6) Wage progression: Preprogram and postprogram completion of a survey, annual
report, or data match, that indicates increased earnings after job placement.
new text end

new text begin (7) Continuation of career pathway training: Whether the participant enrolls in
next level of career pathway coursework.
new text end

new text begin (8) Attachment to funding stream: Whether the local program partner is able to
follow participants through publicly funded programming, such as MFIP, state dislocated
worker assistance, and food support.
new text end

new text begin (9) Participant satisfaction and other process goals as defined by the local program
partner.
new text end

new text begin (10) Employer involvement and feedback at the local level.
new text end

new text begin (c) If the leadership committee determines that the evaluation criteria in paragraph
(b) are not sufficiently met, it retains the authority to reconsider funding opportunities to
the local program partner.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA FASTTRAC ADULT CAREER
PATHWAY PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin $4,500,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2013 from the general fund to the
commissioner of employment and economic development for the FastTRAC program
under Minnesota Statutes, section 116L.99. Up to ten percent of the appropriation may
be used by the leadership committee to provide FastTRAC leadership, oversight, and
technical assistance to the FastTRAC program, including:
new text end

new text begin (1) guidelines and local requirements establishment;
new text end

new text begin (2) local program review and approval;
new text end

new text begin (3) technical assistance and staff development;
new text end

new text begin (4) program evaluation and fiscal monitoring;
new text end

new text begin (5) resource identification and development;
new text end

new text begin (6) state agency collaboration and alignment; and
new text end

new text begin (7) other duties as established by the commissioner.
new text end