PRINTER'S NO. 1729
No. 1299 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, TOMLINSON, LOGAN, SCHWARTZ, MOWERY, COSTA,
KITCHEN, KUKOVICH, RHOADES, ERICKSON, BOSCOLA, LEMMOND,
O'PAKE AND MURPHY, FEBRUARY 19, 2002
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 19, 2002
AN ACT
1 Providing for the lifelong learning, career planning, job
2 training, job placement and social, cultural and educational
3 enrichment of mentally retarded persons 21 years of age or
4 older and establishing the Mental Retardation Adult Education
5 and Career Planning Program within the Department of
6 Education.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Short title.
10 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Mental
11 Retardation Adult Education and Career Planning Act.
12 Section 2. Definitions.
13 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
14 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
15 context clearly indicates otherwise:
16 "Adult education project." A local, individual program
17 developed at a community, State-owned or State-related college
18 or university under the Mental Retardation Adult Education and
19 Career Planning Program.
1 "Department." The Department of Education of the
2 Commonwealth.
3 "Program." The Mental Retardation Adult Education and Career
4 Planning Program.
5 "Community college." A public college or technical institute
6 which is established and operated under Article XIX-A of the act
7 of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School
8 Code of 1949, and all branches or campuses of a community
9 college.
10 "State-owned institution." An institution which is part of
11 the State System of Higher Education under Article XX-A of the
12 act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public
13 School Code of 1949, and all branches and campuses of a State-
14 owned institution.
15 "State-related institution." The Pennsylvania State
16 University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, the
17 Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lincoln University.
18 "Student." A person with mental retardation who is enrolled
19 under the Mental Retardation Adult Education and Career Planning
20 Program.
21 Section 3. Purpose.
22 Formal education for mentally retarded persons ends upon
23 reaching 21 years of age. The majority of adults with mental
24 retardation are either unemployed, underemployed or not in the
25 work force. The purpose of the act is to provide opportunities
26 for lifelong learning, career planning, job training, job
27 placement and other forms of social, cultural and educational
28 enrichment for mentally retarded persons in this Commonwealth.
29 Section 4. Mental Retardation Adult Education and Career
30 Planning Program.
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1 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established within the
2 Department of Education the Mental Retardation Adult Education
3 and Career Planning Program.
4 (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program shall be to support
5 the development of adult education projects for mentally
6 retarded persons at community, State-owned or State-related
7 colleges or universities in order to provide opportunities for
8 lifelong learning, career planning, placement and training as
9 well as social, cultural and educational enrichment for mentally
10 retarded persons in this Commonwealth.
11 (c) Program sites.--The department shall select adult
12 education project sites with representation from urban, rural
13 and suburban areas.
14 (d) Program funding.--The department shall provide funding
15 to each adult education project site in order to establish and
16 maintain the program. Additional funding for work force
17 development may be provided through the Department of Labor and
18 Industry.
19 (e) Program elements.--Each adult education project shall:
20 (1) Provide lifelong learning for mentally retarded
21 persons through classes, seminars and other educational
22 opportunities. Projects shall ensure that at least a portion
23 of classes and seminars are within the regular curriculum of
24 the college or university.
25 (2) Establish an office to provide direction, counseling
26 and assistance in career planning and placement.
27 (3) Collaborate with local employers to create and
28 develop ongoing job training and work force development
29 programs in order to satisfy the needs of employers and adult
30 students.
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1 (4) Provide adult students with classes and seminars to
2 teach the basics of financial planning, retirement planning,
3 health insurance, benefits and similar information which all
4 employees, as employees, should reasonably understand.
5 (5) Connect adult students with assistive technology,
6 transportation options, job supports and other resources
7 which may assist the student in pursuing career goals.
8 (6) Develop formal assessment procedures, including, but
9 not limited to, collecting data regarding students enrolled
10 in each project and tracking their progress through the
11 educational process and in the work force.
12 (f) Annual report.--Utilizing information provided under
13 subsection (e)(6), the department shall compile an annual report
14 to be provided to the chairman and minority chairman of the
15 Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairman and
16 minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House
17 of Representatives providing oversight of the department.
18 Section 5. Effective date.
19 This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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