PRINTER'S NO. 766
No. 715 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY BELAN, STOUT, COSTA, AFFLERBACH, WAGNER, BODACK,
KUKOVICH, MELLOW AND SCHWARTZ, MARCH 14, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MARCH 14, 1997
AN ACT
1 Establishing a pilot program for business and school cooperation
2 in economically distressed regions; and making an
3 appropriation.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Business and
8 School Cooperative Act.
9 Section 2. Legislative purpose.
10 It is the intent of the General Assembly to establish
11 incentives for cooperation between business or industry and
12 public secondary educational institutions that specialize in
13 vocational training. Since regions experiencing economic
14 distress have a great need to cultivate a prepared work force in
15 order to break the cycle of economic downturn, these regions are
16 where these legislated incentives should be concentrated.
17 Section 3. Pilot program.
18 The Department of Community and Economic Development shall
1 implement a pilot program for business and school cooperation in
2 economically distressed regions. The Department of Community and
3 Economic Development shall design the program to encourage
4 dialogue between business and educational leaders in these
5 regions for the purpose of identifying problems and recommending
6 solutions regarding preparedness of high school graduates for
7 local employment.
8 Section 4. Challenge grants.
9 (a) Identification of economically distressed regions.--The
10 Department of Community and Economic Development shall identify
11 regions which suffer economic distress and shall prioritize
12 these regions.
13 (b) Grant recipients.--The Department of Community and
14 Economic Development shall invite pilot program proposals from
15 school districts or groups of school districts in economically
16 distressed regions. Grants of up to $15,000 shall be awarded to
17 pilot program participants based on need, severity of economic
18 distress in the region, worthiness of the pilot program proposal
19 and evidence of local commitment.
20 (c) Pilot program proposal criteria.--Grants shall be used
21 to accomplish any of the following:
22 (1) Schedule joint business and school exchange programs
23 where students, teachers and administrators regularly visit
24 diverse businesses and business people visit schools to
25 create a mutual awareness of career options and
26 opportunities.
27 (2) Strengthen business cooperation with vocational
28 schools to ensure that the vocational-technical programs are
29 imparting skills which the local business community needs.
30 (3) Develop apprenticeship programs between high schools
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1 and businesses which would lead to full employment after high
2 school graduation.
3 (4) Sponsor business and school partnerships which
4 include tutoring and mentoring as a guard against school
5 drop-out.
6 (5) Establish programs which encourage business
7 employees to become involved with their childrens' schools.
8 For example, joint business and school seminars may be held
9 at the workplace to apprise parents of occupational
10 opportunities for their children, and employee participation
11 in school government, such as seeking election to school
12 boards, would be encouraged.
13 (d) Local commitment criteria.--In applying for a business
14 and education cooperative grant, school districts shall
15 demonstrate a philosophical and financial, including cost-
16 sharing, commitment from local businesses to cooperate with the
17 schools to provide the region with an adequately educated and
18 fully-employed population.
19 Section 5. Appropriation.
20 The sum of $150,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
21 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Community and
22 Economic Development for the fiscal year July 1, 1997, to June
23 30, 1998, to carry out the provisions of this act.
24 Section 6. Effective date.
25 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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