Turzai, Tobash Career and Technical Education Bill Passes House Unanimously
HARRISBURG – Understanding that not all students are the same, the House unanimously passed legislation introduced by Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) and Rep. Mike Tobash (R-Schuylkill/Dauphin) designed to provide career and technical education students with additional pathways to fulfilling their graduation requirements.
House Bill 202 would allow students who participate in a vocational education program, either in a vocational-technical school or in a school district, in addition to exhibiting core subject area mastery, to show career readiness through other industry-related factors such as industry-based competency certifications including the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) or the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS).
“We continue to recognize the importance of providing multiple avenues for students to demonstrate educational achievement, especially for students enrolled in a career and technical education,” said Turzai. “We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to ensure this piece of legislation makes it to the governor’s desk and is signed into law.”
“Not everyone may choose a college pathway immediately after high school, and employers want and need skilled and knowledgeable people,” Tobash said. “It’s past time we embrace the realities of the job market and encourage, for those who want it, a quality education that focuses on the skills and abilities for which our job creators and manufacturers are looking.”
These options would only be available during school years in which demonstrated proficiency on a Keystone Exam is a requisite condition for high school graduation. Act 1 of 2016 delayed implementation of the Keystone Exams as a high school graduation requirement until the 2018-19 school year.
The bill now awaits consideration in the Senate.
Representative Mike Turzai
Speaker of the House
28th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
RepTurzai.com /
Facebook.com/RepTurzai /
Twitter.com/RepTurzai