TITLE 33

EDUCATION

CHAPTER 22

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION — FEDERAL AID

33-2214.  Idaho career ready students Program. (1) There is hereby established the Idaho career ready students program to create additional opportunities for career technical education programs across Idaho that are responsive to community and statewide workforce needs while preparing Idaho secondary students in grades 7 through 12 for careers after graduation. For the purpose of this section, "program" means the Idaho career ready students program.

(2)  There is hereby established in the state treasury the Idaho career ready students program fund to be administered by the state department of education. Moneys in the fund shall consist of:

(a)  Legislative appropriations;

(b)  Interest earned on idle moneys in the fund; and

(c)  Contributions from other sources, such as donations or gifts.

(3)  There is hereby established in the state department of education, with the superintendent of public instruction as the department’s executive officer and a member of the state board for career technical education, the Idaho career ready students program council.

(a)  The council shall be comprised of eleven (11) members as follows:

(i)   The state superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent’s designee, who shall serve as the chair of the council;

(ii)  The administrator for the division of career technical education;

(iii) Two (2) persons teaching secondary-level career technical education courses, as appointed by the career technical educators of Idaho (CTEI) in its capacity as the professional association for career technical educators in Idaho;

(iv)  One (1) person teaching a postsecondary career technical education course, as appointed by CTEI in its capacity as the professional association for career technical educators in Idaho;

(v)   Three (3) persons representing various industries as appointed by the governor;

(vi)  One (1) person representing the Idaho workforce development council as appointed by such council;

(vii) One (1) member of the house of representatives as appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and

(viii) One (1) member of the senate as appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate.

(b)  Each member of the council shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years. If a vacancy occurs, a new council member shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of the original appointment for the unexpired portion of the vacated term. Council members may be replaced by the applicable appointing authority, in consultation with the council chair, because of poor attendance, lack of participation in the council’s work, or malfeasance in office.

(4)  The council shall establish a process for accepting Idaho career ready students program proposals from local education agencies on an individual or regional basis. The council shall determine eligible expenses for the program, including but not limited to capital costs associated with building programming and initial investments for partnerships between local education agencies, local industry, and, as practicable, community colleges to create apprenticeships or local pathways. The council shall further establish a process for prioritizing program grants and awarding grants to local education agencies on either an annual or multi-year basis.

(5)  Preference in grant awards shall be given to local education agencies with proposals that are responsive to community and statewide workforce needs, including local education agencies that create partnerships with local industry and other stakeholders, propose a plan that is sustainable and meets local needs, and have challenges accessing resources to sustain high quality career technical programming for secondary students in grades 7 through 12, especially in rural communities.

(6)  The superintendent of public instruction shall report annually to the governor, the legislature, and the state board for career technical education on the administration and outcomes of the program. The council shall determine the outcome measures for the program.

History:

[33-2214, added 2023, ch. 231, sec. 1, p. 715.]