HB 192: Top State for Talent Act; enact

House Bill 192 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)

By: Representatives Gambill of the 15th, McDonald III of the 26th, Hong of the 103rd, Dubnik of the 29th, and Wade of the 9th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

To amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to include specific references to programs included in the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board with respect to the State Board of Education's minimum course of study in career education for students in grades six through 12; to establish an updated list of the state models and industry required content standards for focused programs of study to be developed by the Department of Education and approved by the State Board of Education and to require that such programs be aligned with programs included in such High-demand Career List; to extend a final report deadline and an automatic repealer for a program that allows certain students participating in the Dual Enrollment program to access HOPE grant funds for eligible CTAE courses; to require that the annual competitive grant program established by the State Board of Education for renovation, modernization, replacement, or purchase of equipment for the enhancement of certain programs shall also include programs that are included in such High-demand Career List; to provide for individual college and career plans for students in grades six through 12; to repeal a competitive grant program; to repeal requirements for certain grants; to repeal certain powers of the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia relative to reporting a list of the courses that have been approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to be transferrable between institutions of the university system and units of the technical college system; to provide for rules and regulations; to make conforming changes; to provide for definitions; to revise a short title; to amend Chapter 14 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the State Workforce Development Board, so as to provide for evaluation methodology, reports, and purpose; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Top State for Talent Act."

SECTION 2.

Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-145.1, relating to career education, as follows:

"20-2-145.1.

The State Board of Education shall prescribe a minimum course of study in career education for students in grades six through 12. Such minimum course of study shall be age appropriate and shall include, but not be limited to, career exploration and career oriented learning experiences in programs included in the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board as provided in Code Section

34-14-3. Career oriented learning experiences shall include, but not be limited to, participation in work based learning programs such as internships, apprenticeships, cooperative education, or employability skill development. The State Board of Education shall ensure that career oriented learning experiences include rigorous industry credentialing, as defined in Code Section 20-2-326, if such rigorous industry credentialing has been created or endorsed by Georgia employers."

SECTION 3.

Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-159.1, relating to focused programs of study, as follows:

"20-2-159.1.

(a) The Department of Education shall develop, and the State Board of Education shall approve, state models and industry required content standards, after consultation with industries in Georgia and in collaboration with the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia to ensure alignment with postsecondary opportunities, for the following focused programs of study, as defined in Code Section 20-2-326, including, but not limited to:

(1) Agriculture, food, and natural resources;

(2) Architecture and construction;

(3) Arts, audio-video technology, and communications;

(4) Business, management, and administration;

(5) Education and training;

(6) Finance;

(7) Health science;

(8) Hospitality and tourism;

(9) Human services;

(10) Information technology;

(11) Law, public safety, and security;

(12) Manufacturing;

(13) Government and public administration;

(14) Marketing, sales, and service;

(15) Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;

(16) Transportation, distribution, and logistics;

(17) Energy; and

(18) Lifeguarding and aquatic safety.

(1) Advanced manufacturing;

(2) Construction;

(3) Supply chain and transportation;

(4) Arts, entertainment, and design;

(5) Hospitality, events, and tourism;

(6) Financial services;

(7) Education;

(8) Healthcare and human services;

(9) Public service and safety;

(10) Agriculture;

(11) Energy and natural resources;

(12) Digital technology;

(13) Marketing and sales; and

(14) Management and entrepreneurship.

Such focused programs of study may be combined around these and other related clusters.

(b) The focused programs of study established pursuant to this Code section may include or be revised to include industry certifications or industry credentialing, as defined in Code Section 20-2-326, pertinent to any such focused program of study. The After consultation with employers and industries in Georgia, the Department of Education and the Technical College System of Georgia shall jointly establish a list of industry credentials that are required by Georgia employers, in alignment with programs included in the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board as provided in Code Section 34-14-3. Such list shall be made available on the Department of Education and the Technical College System of Georgia public websites. Such list shall be annually reviewed and updated as appropriate and made available prior to the beginning of the annual competitive grant application process provided for in subsection (j) of Code Section

20-2-260."

SECTION 4.

Said title is further amended in Code Section 20-2-161.3, relating to the "Dual Enrollment Act," purpose, dual credit courses, eligibility for participation, eligibility for secondary course credits, eligibility to meet high school graduation requirements, eligibility for award of high school diploma, funding, limitations on total hours, exceptions, and eligibility for payment, by revising subsection (d) as follows:

"(d) In consultation with and subject to approval by the commission, the department shall develop appropriate forms and counseling guidelines for the program and shall make such forms and guidelines available to eligible high schools and eligible postsecondary institutions. No later than the first day of February each year, each eligible high school shall provide general information about the program, including such forms, to all its eligible high school students. An eligible high school shall also provide counseling services to such students and their parents or guardians before the students enroll in the program. Prior to participating in the program, the student and the student's parent or guardian shall sign the form provided by the eligible high school or by an eligible postsecondary institution stating that they have received the counseling specified in this subsection and that they understand the responsibilities that shall be assumed in participating in the program. Program information and materials shall be provided to each eighth grade public school student at the time the student is developing his or her individual graduation college and career plan as required by Code Section 20-2-327."

SECTION 5.

Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-161.4, relating to accessing HOPE scholarship funds for dual enrolled students and reports, as follows:

"20-2-161.4.

(a)(1) Beginning July 1, 2023, each student participating in the Dual Enrollment program provided for in Code Section 20-2-161.3 who is eligible for a HOPE grant pursuant to Code Section 20-3-519.5 shall be allowed to access HOPE grant funds for eligible CTAE courses, as defined in Code Section 20-2-161.3, irrespective of whether such student has reached any maximum credit hour cap provided for in Code Section 20-2-161.3.

(2) For three years beginning on July 1, 2023, the Georgia Student Finance Commission, in collaboration with the Technical College System of Georgia, shall collect and report data on:

(A) Student enrollment in and completion of at least one eligible CTAE course, as defined in Code Section 20-2-161.3, as part of the Dual Enrollment program provided for in Code Section 20-2-161.3;

(B) HOPE grant funding and Dual Enrollment program funding, including, but not limited to, the number of students who received such funding and the maximum, mean, median, and mode amounts of such funding received by students;

(C) Postsecondary credits earned by students who received such funding;

(D) The number of students who enrolled in a postsecondary degree program after completing a program of study that includes at least one eligible CTAE course, as defined in Code Section 20-2-161.3, as part of the Dual Enrollment program provided for in Code Section 20-2-161.3; and

(E) The number of students employed in a high-demand field after completing a focused program of study identified by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia as part of the High Demand Apprenticeship Program provided for in Code Section 20-4-152.

No later than January 1 each year, the Georgia Student Finance Commission shall provide an interim report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education, the Senate Education and Youth Committee, the House Committee on Higher Education, and the Senate Higher Education Committee. A final report shall be provided to the same no later than December 1, 2027 2028.

(3) The Georgia Student Finance Commission, in consultation with the State Board of Education, the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, and the Office of Workforce Development, shall establish rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection.

(b) This Code section shall stand repealed on June 30, 2027 2028."

SECTION 6.

Said title is further amended in Code Section 20-2-260, relating to capital outlay funds generally under the "Quality Basic Education Act," by revising subsection (j) as follows: "(j) The State Board of Education shall establish an annual competitive grant program for renovation, modernization, replacement, or purchase of equipment for the enhancement of programs that are currently certified or in the process of achieving industry certification in educational facilities that align with industry credentials on the list developed pursuant to Code Section 20-2-159.1 or have been (1) linked to an occupation that addresses a critical local or state-wide workforce need, (2) linked to an occupation that is identified as part of the skilled trade industry, or (3) linked to an occupation that is identified in an emerging field or technology aligned with the priority areas identified by the State Workforce Development Board and included in the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board as provided in Code Section 34-14-3. The State Board of Education in awarding grants shall give priority to local programs that demonstrate local industry support and postsecondary partnerships that are linked to the verified industry need."

SECTION 7.

Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-325, relating to the short title relevant to the "Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act," as follows:

"20-2-325.

This part shall be known and may be cited as the 'Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act.' 'Top State for Talent Act.'"

SECTION 8.

Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-326, relating to definitions relevant to the "Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act," as follows:

"20-2-326.

For purposes of this part, the term:

(1) 'Articulation' means agreement between a high school and a postsecondary institution regarding the awarding of both secondary and postsecondary credit for a dual enrollment course.

(2) 'Choice technical high school' means a high school, other than the high school to which a student is assigned by virtue of his or her residence and attendance zone, which is designed to prepare a high school student for postsecondary education and for employment in a career field. A choice technical high school may be operated by a local school system or a technical school or college. A choice technical high school may also be operated as a charter school under a governance board composed of parents, employers, and representatives from the local board of education.

(3) 'Chronically low-performing high school' means a public high school in this state that has a graduation rate of less than 60 percent for three consecutive years, as determined in accordance with methodology established by the National Governors Association's Compact on High School Graduation Data, or that has received an unacceptable rating for three consecutive years, as defined by the Office of Student Achievement. (4)(2) 'College and career academy' means a specialized school established as a charter school or pursuant to a contract for a strategic waivers school system or charter system, which formalizes a partnership that demonstrates a collaboration between business, industry, and community stakeholders to advance work force development between one or more local boards of education, a private individual, a private organization, or a state or local public entity in cooperation with one or more postsecondary institutions. (5)(3) 'Focused program of study' means a program of study with a rigorous academic core combined with a focus in mathematics and science; a focus in humanities, fine arts, and foreign language; or a coherent sequence of career pathway courses that is aligned with graduation requirements established by the State Board of Education and content standards established pursuant to Part 2 of this article that prepares a student for postsecondary education or immediate employment after high school graduation.

(4) 'GAfutures.org' means the public website managed by the Georgia Student Finance Commission to provide students with tools and information for higher education planning and financial aid.

(5) 'Georgia MATCH' means the college admissions program for Georgia high school students that is located at GAfutures.org.

(6) 'Individual college and career plan' 'Graduation plan' means a student specific plan developed in accordance with subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-327 detailing the courses necessary for a high school student to graduate from high school and to successfully transition to postsecondary education and the work force.

(7) 'Industry certification' means a process of program evaluation that ensures that individual programs meet state, national, or international industry standards in the areas of curriculum, teacher qualification, lab specifications, equipment, and industry involvement.

(7.1)(8) 'Industry credentialing' means a process through which students are assessed by an independent third-party certifying entity using predetermined standards for knowledge, skills, and competencies, resulting in the award of individual certification or state licensure or an occupational competency that is state, nationally, or internationally recognized.

(8)(9) 'Public college or university' means a two-year or four-year college, university, or other institution under the auspices of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

(9) 'Small learning community' means an autonomous or semiautonomous small learning environment within a large high school which is made up of a subset of students and teachers for a two-year, three-year, or four-year period. The goal of a small learning community is to achieve greater personalization of learning with each community led by a principal or instructional leader. A small learning community blends academic studies around a broad career or academic theme where teachers have common planning time to connect teacher assignments and assessments to college and career readiness standards. Students voluntarily apply for enrollment in a small learning community but must be accepted, and such enrollment must be approved by the student's parent or guardian. A small learning community also includes a college and career academy organized around a specific career theme which integrates academic and career instruction, provides work based learning opportunities, and prepares students for postsecondary education and employment, with support through partnerships with local employers, community organizations, and postsecondary institutions.

(10) 'Teacher adviser system' means a system where an individual professional educator in the school who assists a small group of students and their parents or guardians throughout the students' high school careers to set postsecondary goals and help them prepare programs of study, utilizing assessments and other data to track academic progress on a regular basis; communicates frequently with parents or guardians; and provides advisement, support, and encouragement as needed.

(11) 'Technical school or college' means a college, institution, or other branch unit of the Technical College System of Georgia."

SECTION 9.

Said title is further amended in Code Section 20-2-327, relating to recognition of advanced proficiency/honors courses and counseling and development of individual graduation plans relevant to the "Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act," by revising subsection (c) as follows:

"(c)(1) Students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades six through 12 shall be provided counseling, advisement, career awareness, career interest and career demand inventories, and information to assist them in evaluating their academic skills, career oriented aptitudes, and career interests. Before the end of the second semester of the eighth grade, students shall develop an individual graduation college and career plan based on their academic skills, career oriented aptitudes, and career interests in consultation with their parents, guardians, or individuals appointed by the parents or guardians to serve as their designee. A student's individual graduation college and career plan shall be taken into consideration when scheduling a student's courses in ninth grade. High school students shall be provided guidance, advisement, and counseling annually that will enable them to successfully update and implement their individual graduation college and career plans, preparing them for a seamless transition to postsecondary study, further training, or employment, including information regarding occupations, degrees, industry credentials, certifications, and technical skills; work-ready skills in demand by Georgia employers through the department's career pipeline website; and other career related inventories made available through the Technical College System of Georgia or the Office of Student Achievement. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, such guidance, advisement, and counseling for high school students shall include providing career oriented aptitude and career interest guidance information. An individual graduation college and career plan shall:

(A) Include rigorous academic core subjects and focused coursework in mathematics and science or in humanities, fine arts, and foreign language or sequenced career pathway coursework;

(B) Incorporate provisions of a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP), where applicable;

(C) Align educational and broad career goals and a student's course of study;

(D) Be based on the student's selected academic and career focus area as approved by the student's parent or guardian;

(E) Include experience based, career oriented learning experiences which may include, but not be limited to, participation in work based learning programs such as internships, apprenticeships, cooperative education, and employability skill development;

(F) Include any applicable industry credentialing that pertains to the student's focused program of study;

(G) Include opportunities for postsecondary studies through articulation, dual enrollment, and joint enrollment;

(H) Be flexible to allow change in the course of study but be sufficiently structured to meet graduation requirements and qualify the student for admission to postsecondary education; and

(I) Be approved by the student and the student's parent or guardian with guidance from the student's school counselor or teacher adviser;

(J) Include, beginning in the ninth grade, the creation and utilization of a GAfutures account at GAfutures.org; and

(K) Include the utilization of Georgia MATCH.

(2) An individual graduation college and career plan shall be reviewed annually, and revised, if appropriate, upon approval by the student and the student's parent or guardian with guidance from the student's school counselor or teacher adviser. An individual graduation college and career plan may be changed at any time throughout a student's high school career upon approval by the student and the student's parent or guardian with guidance from the student's school counselor or teacher adviser.

(3) The Georgia Student Finance Commission and the Department of Education shall annually collect and report on information to verify compliance with this Code section."

SECTION 10.

Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 20-2-327.1, relating to industry credentialing for career, technical, and agricultural education programs and reporting relevant to the "Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act," as follows:

"20-2-327.1.

(a) The State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Technical College System of Georgia, shall facilitate and encourage industry credentialing for career, technical, and agricultural education programs utilizing existing career pathways and individual graduation college and career plans. Further, local school systems are authorized and encouraged to align competency based career education, along with enhanced work based learning experiences, as provided for in Code Section 20-2-161.2, to facilitate and make available to students opportunities to receive industry credentialing in critical and emerging occupations in Georgia programs included in the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board as provided in Code Section 34-14-3.

(b) No later than December 31, 2018, and annually thereafter, the Department of Education shall produce a return-on-investment report identifying the industry credentialing attainment levels for the previous calendar year to the State Workforce Development Board and the Office of Planning and Budget as related to grant funds provided for in subsection (j) Code Section 20-2-260. Such report shall include the current and projected regional business and industry needs for the purpose of establishing annual goals and strategies to increase attainment rates of industry credentialing, including the development of additional industry credentials to enhance current industry certified programs."

SECTION 11.

Said title is further amended by repealing and reserving Code Section 20-2-328, relating to a competitive grant program relevant to the "Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act."

SECTION 12.

Said title is further amended by repealing Code Section 20-2-329, relating to requirements for high schools that receive reform grants as chronically low-performing high schools relevant to the "Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act," and enacting a new Code section to read as follows:

"20-2-329.

The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this part."

SECTION 13.

Said title is further amended by repealing Code Section 20-2-329.1, relating to rules and regulations relevant to the "Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia's Economy Act."

SECTION 14.

Said title is further amended in Code Section 20-2-2065, relating to waiver of provisions of this title, requirements for operating, and control and management relevant to the "Charter Schools Act of 1998," by revising paragraph (14) of subsection (b) as follows: "(14) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-327 relating to individual graduation college and career plans; and"

SECTION 15.

Said title is further amended in Code Section 20-4-11, relating to powers of the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, by inserting "and" at the end of subparagraph

(A) of paragraph (3), replacing the semicolon at the end of subparagraph (B) of such paragraph with a period, and repealing subparagraph (C) of such paragraph.

SECTION 16.

Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 20-4-20, relating to authority of Board of Regents of University System of Georgia unabridged, agreements with the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, and awarding transferable postsecondary course credits, as follows:

"20-4-20.

(a) Nothing in this article shall abridge the authority of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to establish or operate colleges or of local boards of education to operate schools.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (a) of this Code section to the contrary:

(1) The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, the State Board of Education, and local boards of education are encouraged and expected:

(A) To work continuously with the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to develop and implement policies, programs, and practices that promote and advance the objectives of serving student needs, avoiding duplication of mission, using state resources efficiently, and expanding opportunities for postsecondary degree attainment in Georgia; and

(B) Consistent with the objectives stated in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, to enter into and amend existing agreements with the Technical College System of Georgia for awarding postsecondary course credits that are transferable between units institutions of the university system, and units of the technical college system, and the State Board of Education; and

(2) The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, and the State Board of Education are encouraged and expected to promote and allow units institutions of the university system and units of the technical college system to enter into and amend existing agreements:

(A) For awarding postsecondary course credits that are transferable between such units institutions of the university system, and units of the technical college system, and the State Board of Education; and

(B) That are consistent with the objectives stated in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of this subsection."

SECTION 17.

Said title is further amended in Code Section 20-14-26, relating to duties relevant to the Office of Student Achievement, by inserting "and" at the end of paragraph (3) of subsection (a), replacing "; and" at the end of paragraph (4) of such subsection with a period, and by repealing paragraph (5) of such subsection.

SECTION 18.

Chapter 14 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the State Workforce Development Board, is amended by revising Code Section 34-14-3, relating to High-demand Career List, as follows:

"34-14-3.

(a) The State Workforce Development Board shall develop and approve a High-demand Career List that shall identify those careers most critical to the state's current and future workforce needs. The State Workforce Development Board, in consultation with the Office of Workforce Development, shall assess current labor market information and other employment data sources and determine which careers merit inclusion on such list, regionally or state wide, and shall implement a data-driven process to assess present and future growing and declining industries, occupations, skills, and credentials. As directed by the Governor, the State Workforce Development Board shall coordinate and collaborate with the Office of Student Achievement, the Department of Education, the Technical College System of Georgia, the University System of Georgia, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission to develop and implement a data-driven methodology to determine which careers merit inclusion on High-demand Career List, regionally or state wide. The High-demand Career List shall:

(1) Include the skills, certificates, licenses, diplomas, degrees, or other credentials of value required by employers for the high-demand careers included on the list; and

(2) Be published approved annually on or before December 31 on by the State Workforce Development Board's public website. Board;

(3) Be submitted annually on or before December 31 by the State Workforce Development Board to the Governor; the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the respective chairs of the House Committee on Higher Education, the Senate Education and Youth Committee, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Higher Education Committee; and the Office of Planning and Budget; and

(4) Be published annually on or before December 31 on the public websites of the State Workforce Development Board, the Office of Student Achievement, the Department of Education, the Technical College System of Georgia, the University System of Georgia, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

(b) All state agencies and political subdivisions of the state, including local school systems, shall utilize the High-demand Career List to inform their use of federal and state funding for secondary, postsecondary, and adult education programs that lead to certificates, licenses, diplomas, degrees, or other credentials of value in careers on the list to ensure alignment with such list and effective use of funding by such entities."

SECTION 19.

Said chapter is further amended by adding new Code sections to read as follows:

"34-14-4.

(a) The State Workforce Development Board shall be responsible for oversight of a return on investment analysis to evaluate and report on the effectiveness of secondary and postsecondary programs aligned with the priority areas identified by the State Workforce Development Board and included on the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board as provided in Code Section 34-14-3.

(b) As directed by the Governor, the State Workforce Development Board shall coordinate and collaborate with the Office of Student Achievement, the Department of Education, the Technical College System of Georgia, the University System of Georgia, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission to develop the return on investment methodology utilizing an analysis of data sources that include, but are not limited to, existing federal and state resources, longitudinal outcome tracking of student information, enrollment and program outcomes, and labor market analysis.

(c) The evaluation and report required by this Code section shall include a comprehensive review of student participation and outcomes, program alignment with labor market needs, and recommendations for programmatic adjustments to better meet the needs of Georgia's businesses, industries, and workforce and shall address, at a minimum, the following:

(1) The percentage of program graduates employed including retention rates and wage growth over time;

(2) Comparison of graduates' average wages to state, national, and industry benchmarks, with wage growth assessed at two-year, five-year, and ten-year intervals post-completion;

(3) The extent to which skills, certificates, licenses, diplomas, degrees, or other credentials offered by the State Board of Education, the University System of Georgia, and the Technical College System of Georgia align with the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board as provided in Code Section 34-14-3;

(4) The percentage of students, at both the secondary and post-secondary levels, that are obtaining any credentials identified in paragraph (3) of this subsection; and

(5) Transparent information to stakeholders regarding program availability and outcomes.

(d) The evaluation and report required by this Code section shall be:

(1) Approved by the State Workforce Development Board on or before December 1 of each even-numbered year;

(2) Submitted by the State Workforce Development Board to the Governor; the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the respective chairs of the House Committee on Education, the Senate Education and Youth Committee, the House Committee on Higher Education, and the Senate Higher Education Committee; and the Office of Planning and Budget; and

(3) Published on the public websites of the State Workforce Development Board, the Office of Student Achievement, the Department of Education, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission on or before December 31 of each even-numbered year.

(e) All state agencies and political subdivisions of the state, including postsecondary education institutions and local school systems, shall cooperate in collecting and sharing all data and other pertinent information necessary for the implementation of the evaluation and preparation of the report required by this Code section, subject to applicable privacy protections, within a predetermined time frame as set by the State Workforce Development Board. Such agencies and political subdivisions shall use the findings of the report to recommend continuation, modification, or discontinuation of programs to better align with workforce needs.

(f) The purpose of this Code section is to ensure the effective use of state resources, prepare Georgians for high-demand career pathways, and support the state's economic development by fostering a workforce aligned with employer needs.

34-14-5.

(a) The State Workforce Development Board shall develop and approve a report detailing the alignment of policies, programs, and practices of the State Board of Education, the Department of Education, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission that promotes and advances the objectives of serving student needs, avoiding duplication of mission, using state resources efficiently, and expanding opportunities for postsecondary credential attainment.

(b) As directed by the Governor, the State Workforce Development Board shall coordinate and collaborate with the Department of Education, the University System of Georgia, and the Technical College System of Georgia to create the report required by this Code section that shall include the following:

(1) A list of the courses articulated from the State Board of Education to the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and HOPE-eligible private institutions;

(2) A list of the courses approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to be transferrable between institutions of the university system and units of the technical college system;

(3) Of the courses listed as provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection, identification of the university system baccalaureate degree program or programs for which each such course has been approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to be a degree prerequisite;

(4) Of the courses listed as provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection, identification of the technical college system degree program or programs for which each such course has been approved by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to be degree prerequisites;

(5) A summary of efforts undertaken by the Technical College System of Georgia in collaboration with the University System of Georgia to reduce barriers to degree completion by students who have earned course credits in the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, or both;

(6) A list of the courses approved by HOPE-eligible private institutions and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to be transferrable between units of the HOPE-eligible private institution and the technical college system;

(7) A list of the courses approved by HOPE-eligible private institutions and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to be transferrable between units of the HOPE-eligible private institution and the university system;

(8) A summary of efforts undertaken to develop plans and procedures for reverse transfers. As used in this paragraph, the term 'reverse transfer' means the process of transferring the credits a student has earned from a four-year institution to any unit of the Technical College System of Georgia from which a student has transferred so that such credits will be available to such student for purposes of his or her enrollment in or completion of programs offered by the Technical College System of Georgia;

(9) A summary of the efforts undertaken on behalf of the Technical College System of Georgia, the University System of Georgia, and the State Board of Education to comply with the requirements of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-4-20;

(10) A summary of efforts undertaken to align articulated, transferrable courses and degree completion to the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board as provided in Code Section 34-14-3, including the total number of articulation agreements aligned to the state's high-demand list for the State Board of Education, the University System of Georgia, and the Technical College System of Georgia;

(11) The number of students enrolled in programs of study provided for in subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-159.1 receiving articulated credit with the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia and which credits those students receive; and

(12) Of the articulation agreements listed as provided for in paragraph (1) of this subsection, identification of the number of articulated credits awarded, which institutions awarded which credits, and the local school system or public school represented by the students who earned such credits.

(c) The report required by this Code section shall be:

(1) Approved by the State Workforce Development Board on or before December 1 of each even-numbered year;

(2) Submitted by the State Workforce Development Board to the Governor; the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the respective chairs of the House Committee on Education, the Senate Education and Youth Committee, the House Committee on Higher Education, and the Senate Higher Education Committee; and the Office of Planning and Budget; and

(3) Published on the public websites of the State Workforce Development Board, the Office of Student Achievement, the Department of Education, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission on or before December 31 of each even-numbered year.

(d) All relevant state agencies and educational institutions included in this process shall cooperate in collecting and sharing data necessary for the preparation of the report required by this Code section, subject to applicable privacy protections, within a predetermined time frame as set by the State Workforce Development Board."

SECTION 20.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.