Senate Bill 64

     "[NEW MATERIAL] CAREER DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS PILOT PROJECT CREATED--CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS--DEPARTMENT DUTIES--PROJECT TERMS--REPORTING--FUND CREATED.--

          A. As used in this section:

                (1) "career development program" means a program that, upon completion, results in a credential recognized by business and industry locally, statewide or nationally that verifies a person's qualification and competence to work in an occupation, trade or profession and may include:

                     (a) a career technical education program; or

                     (b) an internship approved by the department or a pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship program; and

                (2) "school district" includes charter schools.

          B. The "career development success pilot project" is created as a three-year pilot project in the department to study whether the number of students prepared to enter the workforce after graduation increases if the state provides financial incentives to school districts that promote and encourage student enrollment in, and successful completion of, career development programs. The pilot project shall be administered as follows:

                (1) a participating school district may receive a financial incentive for each of the school's ninth- through twelfth-grade students who successfully complete a career development program;

                (2) the amount of a financial incentive shall be determined by the department but shall be at least two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and no more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750);

                (3) a student may generate only one financial incentive for a school district, even if that student successfully completes more than one career development program;

                (4) financial incentives generated for a school district shall be disbursed at the end of each school year during the pilot project; and

                (5) financial incentives received by a school district may be expended at the district's discretion.

          C. By July 31, 2025, the department shall:

                (1) identify, in collaboration with the workforce solutions department and public post-secondary educational institutions, career development programs within, or otherwise accessible to, each school district and prepare a list of those programs;

                (2) establish tiered financial incentives for the career development programs in the department's list with higher dollar amounts corresponding to career development programs that are more costly to provide;

                (3) establish guidelines for a school district's participation in the pilot project; and

                (4) begin soliciting school districts to participate in the pilot project.

          D. The sum of financial incentives disbursed to a school district each semester shall not exceed ten percent of the sum of financial incentives generated statewide for all participating school districts. If the sum of financial incentives generated statewide for all participating school districts exceeds available funding, the department shall reduce financial incentives proportionally; provided that the reduced amount of a financial incentive shall be no less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

          E. By September 1 of each year of the pilot project, beginning in 2026, the department shall provide a written report to the governor and the legislative education study committee that includes:

                (1) the number and names of school districts that participated in the pilot project;

                (2) the number of students who successfully completed a career development program, disaggregated based on student demographics;

                (3) a description of the career development programs successfully completed by students;

                (4) the amount of money expended by the department to administer the project and a description of the expenditures;

                (5) an opinion as to whether, based on interest in the pilot project, the department anticipates a need for additional funding to avoid a reduction of financial incentives; and

                (6) if available:

                     (a) a comparison of the number of students who successfully completed a career development program in the reporting year with the number of students who successfully completed a career development program before the pilot project was implemented;

                     (b) a description of career development programs completed by students before the pilot project was implemented; and

                     (c) information about the post-graduation outcomes for students who generated financial incentives for school districts.

          F. By December 31, 2028, the department shall provide a final report on the pilot project to the governor and the legislative education study committee that includes the department's assessment of the pilot project and legislative recommendations.

          G. The "career development success pilot project fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants and donations. The department shall administer the fund, and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to administer the career development success pilot project. Expenditures from the fund shall be by warrant of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of public education or the secretary's authorized representative. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of fiscal year 2028 shall revert to the general fund."