1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; directing the commissioner of education to consult with 
1.3 	experts to determine the content and status of Minnesota's career and technical 
1.4 	education programs; appropriating money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. CONSULTATION; CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION 
1.7 	PROGRAMS.
 1.8 	(a) The commissioner of education must consult with experts knowledgeable about 
1.9 	secondary and postsecondary career and technical education programs to determine the 
1.10 	content and status of particular career and technical education programs in Minnesota 
1.11 	school districts and postsecondary institutions and the rates of student participation and 
1.12 	completion for these various programs, including: agriculture, food, and natural resources; 
1.13 	architecture and construction; arts, audio-visual technology, and communications; 
1.14 	business management and administration; finance; health science; hospitality and tourism; 
1.15 	human services; information technology; manufacturing; marketing; science, technology, 
1.16 	engineering, and mathematics; and transportation, distribution, and logistics.
1.17 	(b) To accomplish paragraph (a) and to understand the current role of local school 
1.18 	districts and postsecondary institutions in providing career and technical education 
1.19 	programs, the commissioner of education, in consultation with experts, also must examine:
1.20 	(1) the alignment between secondary and postsecondary education programs 
1.21 	throughout Minnesota;
1.22 	(2) the alignment of academic and career and technical education content and 
1.23 	the extent to which secondary and postsecondary education programs offer students a 
2.1 	progression of coordinated, nonduplicative courses that adequately prepare students to 
2.2 	successfully complete a career and technical education program;
2.3 	(3) opportunities for secondary students to acquire postsecondary credit toward 
2.4 	completing a career and technical education program; and
2.5 	(4) students' success in attaining a postsecondary industry-recognized credential or 
2.6 	certificate or an associate or baccalaureate degree.
2.7 	(c) Consistent with this section, the commissioner of education must submit a report 
2.8 	by November 1, 2014, to the legislature, including the education policy and finance 
2.9 	committees of the legislature, examining the content and status of particular career and 
2.10 	technical education programs in Minnesota school districts and postsecondary institutions 
2.11 	and the rates of student participation and completion for these various programs.

2.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.13 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.14 	$150,000 in fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
2.15 	commissioner of education for the purpose of examining particular career and technical 
2.16 	education programs in Minnesota school districts and postsecondary institutions and the 
2.17 	rates of student participation and completion for these various programs.

2.18 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for fiscal year 2015.