Workforce Reform in the Commonwealth

Strategies for Success

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The Program 

Overview & Introduction of Panel Members Paula Dehetre

The Legislative Branch Kathy Byron

 

The Chairman’s Business Perspective Huey Battle

The Governor Elizabeth Creamer

 

Role of the Community College System Craig Herndon

 

Open Dialogue

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Member, Virginia General Assembly 22nd District

Virginia Workforce Council Member

Delegate Kathy Byron

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Chair, Virginia Workforce Council

Mr. Huey Battle

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Director of Education and Workforce Development, Office of the Virginia Secretary of Education

Ms. Elizabeth Creamer

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Vice Chancellor, Workforce Development Services Virginia’s Community Colleges

Dr. Craig Herndon

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The Legislative Branch

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Opportunity to Learn:Excerpt from the Virginia Workforce Council 2011-2012

Annual Report

Superintendent’s Memo of 2012 General Assembly legislative changes to high school diplomas

 One of the most important components of economic development is making sure that we have a well-trained, qualified workforce to fill the new jobs coming to and being created in Virginia.  In order to encourage future economic growth, we must make sure we are preparing Virginia’s youth for the high-skills and high-tech jobs of the 21st century.            Governor Bob McDonnell and the General Assembly continue to make K-12 education a top priority in order to ensure that every child, regardless of where they live in Virginia, has access to the quality education they need for rewarding jobs of the 21st century.  This includes making sure we are providing educational options for our young people, have the best teachers in our classrooms, are preparing our students for the high-demand STEM-H subjects (science, technology, engineering, math and healthcare), and have programs in place to ensure every student is college or career ready upon graduating from high school. Through innovative education initiatives advanced during the McDonnell Administration, we are making great progress towards this ambitious goal. 

This past session, we were fortunate to serve as patrons to one of Governor McDonnell’s “Opportunity to Learn” initiatives. This legislation, HB1061 and SB489, created new more stringent and streamlined Board of Education-approved diploma requirements to ensure that when students graduate and receive their high school diplomas, those degrees are reflective of the demands of the 21st Century global marketplace. With this in mind, students pursuing a standard diploma will be required to obtain an industry recognized certification ensuring those students are career ready upon graduation. Additionally, the legislation requires a non-credit bearing virtual course for all students regardless of whether they are seeking an advanced or standard diploma. By requiring a virtual course for graduation requirements, the Commonwealth helps assure that students are ready to move into higher education or the workplace where the ability to learn and work on line is increasingly essential.

Modifying graduation requirements is the first step in a reform of education and workforce systems in Virginia to ensure that they are cultivating the skills necessary for our future leaders and building a stronger future. We applaud Governor McDonnell for his efforts and look forward to building upon the foundation of education and workforce development put into place with the passage of HB1061 and SB489.

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Virginia Board of Education report on HB 1061 and SB489

.  HB1061/ SB489 Secondary school

graduation requirements; diplomas

• Directs the Board of Education to modify the credits necessary for a student to earn a standard or an advanced studies diploma.  – Advanced studies diploma shall be the recommended diploma for students 

pursuing baccalaureate study.–  The standard diploma shall include a concentration in career and technical 

education and a requirement to earn a career and technical education credential. 

– Standard or advanced studies diploma will require the successful completion of one virtual course. 

– The modified standard diploma is eliminated, but the Board shall make provisions in regulation for students with disabilities to earn a standard diploma. 

• This is the culmination of nearly five years of collaborative work to consolidate seven diplomas into three:  standard, advanced studies and general achievement adult high school.  The Board of Education is directed to promulgate rules for implementation within 280 days.

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What are the major changes?• The following high school diplomas would be retained

– Standard, Advanced Studies, Special Diploma (for students who are disabled and who complete the requirements of their IEP’s. 

• The following high school diplomas would be eliminated– Modified Standard – Designed for students with disabilities who might not 

be able to earn a Standard Diploma, this diploma will become part of the standard diploma and BOE would address accommodations for students with disabilities

– Standard Technical Diploma & Advanced Technical – Never implemented– General Achievement Diploma- would be folded into Adult high school 

Diploma, allowing adults who are not subject to compulsory attendance to meet course requirements and earn an approved career and technical credential.

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How Are We Improving K-12 Education?• This legislation adds relevance and rigor to the 

standard, advanced studies and adult diplomas that prepare students for post-secondary education and the career readiness required by the Commonwealth’s economy. 

• Students with disabilities will now be accommodated to pursue the standard diploma, not the modified diploma.  

• Students wanting to pursue baccalaureate higher education will be encouraged to pursue the Advanced Studies diploma.  

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• Better Outcomes for Students• Virginia’s students deserve streamlined, 

efficient and predictable options when planning their educational path.  Streamlining the diplomas will create a simpler, easy to understand system for student, parents, and teachers.

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• In the last seven years, students obtaining industry credentials have increased from 500 to 36,719

• The Virginia Commission on Youth study of career and technical education concludes that CTE provides pathways for young people to attend college, to secure good jobs, and to be life long learners.  

• Their final report to the Governor stated that career and technical education programs can help students remain in and be successful in high school. A quality CTE program can reduce a school’s dropout rate by as much as 6%. 

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Our education policies must empower today’s and tomorrow’s students to pursue an academic and career pathway that leads to success –  

  “We fail our children if we do not ensure that they have the basic knowledge, training and skills necessary to compete in the complex global marketplace, and we sacrifice the futures of our young people and our country if we are not vigilant about ensuring that our diplomas prepare our students to thrive.”  Governor McDonnell

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The Chairman’s Business Perspective

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Statewide Criteria for Career Pathways

Career Pathways Goals

• Career pathways in Virginia will:– Encompass all individuals including K-12

students, postsecondary students, unemployed and underemployed youth and adults, registered apprentices and incumbent workers.

– Provide system flexibility to respond to evolving business needs.

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Why Career Pathways?For the educational and workforce

community– Link secondary and postsecondary

training opportunities with employment opportunities and needs of the workforce

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Why Career Pathways?

For the individual learner– Match the education abilities and

desires of the learner with the market demands of the workforce

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Educational Goals for the Individual Should Be Realistic

For every 100 ninth graders:– 67 Graduate from high school on time– 38 Directly enter college– 26 Still enrolled at sophomore year– 18 Graduate in 150% of the time from a

2- or 4-year colleges

College and Career Transitions Initiative (CCTI)http://www.league.org/league/projects/ccti/index.html35

Why Should Learners Pursue Postsecondary Education…?

85% of current jobs and 90% of the fastest-growing and best-paying jobs now require some postsecondary education.

Business-Higher Education Forum, 2003

U.S. Department of Labor, 2006

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…And Because Education Pays!

Note: Data are 2007 annual averages for persons age 25 and over. Earnings are for full-time wage and salary workers.

http://www.bls.gov/emp/emptab7.htm

U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment rate in 2007

Education attainedMedian annual

earnings in 2007

1.4% Doctoral degree $77,844

1.3% Professional degree $74,204

1.8% Master's degree $60,580

2.2% Bachelor's degree $51,324

3.0% Associate degree $38,480

3.8% Some college, no degree $35,516

4.4% High-school graduate $31,408

7.1 % (6.8%)Less than a high school

diploma $22,256

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The Governor

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Goals of Workforce PlanI. Establish career pathways 

as a model and driver for increasing collaboration between education and workforce development programs

III.    Increase attainment of education and workforce credentials valued by economic development and employers through career pathways and workforce development programs

II. Expand Virginia’s pipeline of workers for key industry sectors through career pathway systems

IV. Strengthen data  and reporting for Virginia’s Career Pathways System

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Role of the Community

College System

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Virginia’s Community Colleges

23 Colleges40 Campuses

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Virginia’s Community Colleges

286,000+ students served annually through credit instruction41% pursuing a transfer degree33% pursuing a career technical credential65% attending part-time

164,000+ people served annually through noncredit workforce training and services

11,000+ employers served by college education and training programs and service

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Strategic Goals

In support of Achieve 2015 and the Workforce Investment Act, Virginia’s Community Colleges foster Career Pathways that aim to:

1.Increase credential attainment

2.Increase employment attainment

3.Enhancing services to businesses 

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Career Readiness Certificate

• Virginia's Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) is an assessment-based credential that gives employers and career seekers a uniform measure of key workplace skills

• Endorsed by Governor McDonnell as well as Governors Kaine and Warner

•The opportunity to earn a CRC is available through Virginia’s Community Colleges and local Virginia Workforce Centers. 

•48,000 CRCs earned in Virginia

•For more information visit crc.virginia.gov

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High School Career Coaches

•Community college employees based in local high schools to help students prepare for college and careers, including apprenticeships and workforce training

•Program began in January 2005 with 11 coaches based at 13 high schools. Today, nearly 120 Career Coaches serve students in more than 150 high schools and 12 technical and alternative centers throughout Virginia (47% of high schools)

•Coaches served 36,811 in individual and small groups, with 26,991 career plans formed

•Over the past few years, high schools with coaches produced impressive outcomes:

• 11% increase in Dual Enrollment students• 8% increase in community college enrollment

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Adult Career Coaches Target: adult populations  in career and educational transition

Adult Career Coaches provide:•Individual skills and needs assessment•Academic & career planning•Connection to support services•Intensive coordination with regional partners such as Virginia Employment Commission and One-Stop offices•Encouragement, mentorship, support, including:

•Training to improve job seeking skills•Training to improve general life skills

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On Ramp

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Open Dialogue

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Mr. Huey Battle, Chairman, Virginia Workforce Councilhueybattle@washgas.com

Delegate Kathy Byron, Member, Virginia General Assembly and Virginia Workforce Council Member

DelKByron@house.virginia.gov

Ms. Elizabeth Creamer, Director of Education and Workforce Development, Office of the Virginia Secretary of Education

Elizabeth.creamer@governor.virginia.gov

Dr. Craig Herndon, Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development Servicescherndon@vccs.edu

Virginia Workforce Networkhttp://vwn.vccs.edu/

Contact Information

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