| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the Florida Ready to Work Certification |
| 3 | Program; creating s. 1004.99, F.S.; creating the program |
| 4 | to provide students with workforce skills assessment, |
| 5 | instruction related to an occupation, and certification |
| 6 | based on demonstration of such skills; providing for |
| 7 | institutional eligibility; providing program components; |
| 8 | authorizing rulemaking; providing appropriations; |
| 9 | providing an effective date. |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Section 1. Section 1004.99, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 14 | to read: |
| 15 | 1004.99 Florida Ready to Work Certification Program.-- |
| 16 | (1) There is created the Florida Ready to Work |
| 17 | Certification Program to provide workforce skills assessment; |
| 18 | instruction designed to address specific academic, technical, |
| 19 | and work ethics skills related to an occupation; and |
| 20 | certification based on demonstration of these skills. High |
| 21 | school students may participate in the program if they are |
| 22 | enrolled in a program of study that results in career education |
| 23 | certification on their high school diplomas. The program is |
| 24 | intended to prepare participants for entry-level employment in |
| 25 | the most expeditious manner possible by focusing instruction on |
| 26 | skills required for successful employment that the student does |
| 27 | not demonstrate upon program entry. |
| 28 | (2) The Florida Ready to Work Certification Program may be |
| 29 | conducted in public secondary schools, community colleges, area |
| 30 | technical centers, one-stop career centers, vocational |
| 31 | rehabilitation centers, and Department of Juvenile Justice |
| 32 | educational facilities. The Department of Education shall |
| 33 | establish institutional readiness criteria for program |
| 34 | implementation. |
| 35 | (3) The Florida Ready to Work Certification Program shall |
| 36 | be composed of: |
| 37 | (a) A profile of skills associated with occupations |
| 38 | identified for inclusion in the program by the Agency for |
| 39 | Workforce Innovation. A comprehensive set of academic, |
| 40 | technical, and work ethics skills shall be developed for each |
| 41 | such occupation, which skills students must demonstrate to |
| 42 | receive certification. |
| 43 | (b) A preinstructional assessment that delineates the |
| 44 | student's mastery level on specific academic, technical, and |
| 45 | work ethics skills identified in the profile for that |
| 46 | occupation. |
| 47 | (c) A targeted instructional program that is limited to |
| 48 | the academic, technical, and work ethics skills in which the |
| 49 | student is not proficient as measured by the preinstructional |
| 50 | assessment. Instruction must be available on the Internet and |
| 51 | must be revisable to meet identified specific needs of local |
| 52 | employers. |
| 53 | (d) A certificate and portfolio awarded to students upon |
| 54 | successful completion of the instruction. The portfolio must |
| 55 | delineate the skills demonstrated by the student in a manner |
| 56 | that informs prospective employers of the student's preparation |
| 57 | for employment. |
| 58 | (4) The State Board of Education and the Agency for |
| 59 | Workforce Innovation may adopt rules necessary to implement the |
| 60 | Florida Ready to Work Certification Program. |
| 61 | Section 2. (1) From the $39 million transferred in fiscal |
| 62 | year 2006-2007 to the Educational Media and Technology Trust |
| 63 | Fund in the Department of Education, $11 million is appropriated |
| 64 | in fiscal year 2006-2007 for student assessments, curriculum, |
| 65 | and instruction for the Florida Ready to Work Certification |
| 66 | Program created under s. 1004.99, Florida Statutes. |
| 67 | (2) From the balance of funds transferred to the |
| 68 | Educational Media and Technology Trust Fund pursuant to |
| 69 | subsection (1), $13 million shall be appropriated in fiscal year |
| 70 | 2007-2008 for student assessments, curriculum, and instruction |
| 71 | for the Florida Ready to Work Certification Program created |
| 72 | under s. 1004.99, Florida Statutes. |
| 73 | (3) From the balance of funds transferred to the |
| 74 | Educational Media and Technology Trust Fund pursuant to |
| 75 | subsection (1), $15 million shall be appropriated in fiscal year |
| 76 | 2008-2009 for student assessments, curriculum, and instruction |
| 77 | for the Florida Ready to Work Certification Program created |
| 78 | under s. 1004.99, Florida Statutes. |
| 79 | Section 3. (1) From the $11 million transferred in fiscal |
| 80 | year 2006-2007 to the Employment Security Administration Trust |
| 81 | Fund in the Agency for Workforce Innovation, $4 million is |
| 82 | appropriated in fiscal year 2006-2007 for business outreach and |
| 83 | profiling for the Florida Ready to Work Certification Program |
| 84 | created under s. 1004.99, Florida Statutes. |
| 85 | (2) From the balance of funds transferred to the |
| 86 | Employment Security Administration Trust Fund pursuant to |
| 87 | subsection (1), $4 million shall be appropriated in fiscal year |
| 88 | 2007-2008 for business outreach and profiling for the Florida |
| 89 | Ready to Work Certification Program created under s. 1004.99, |
| 90 | Florida Statutes. |
| 91 | (3) From the balance of funds transferred to the |
| 92 | Employment Security Administration Trust Fund pursuant to |
| 93 | subsection (1), $3 million shall be appropriated in fiscal year |
| 94 | 2008-2009 for business outreach and profiling for the Florida |
| 95 | Ready to Work Certification Program created under s. 1004.99, |
| 96 | Florida Statutes. |
| 97 | Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |