Jun. 07, 2017
HARRISBURG – A bill designed to provide career and technical education students with additional pathways to fulfilling their graduation requirements unanimously earned Senate approval this week and is now on its way to the governor. The bill is sponsored by House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) and Rep. Mike Tobash (R-Schuylkill/Dauphin).
Understanding that not all students are the same,
House Bill 202 would allow students who are enrolled in a vocational education program either in a career-technical school or a school district, in addition to exhibiting core subject area mastery, to demonstrate proficiency on an approved industry-based competency assessment such as exams developed by 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 career and technical education,” said Turzai. “This bill ensures our career and technical education system is flexible enough to adapt to the needs of emerging industries, is accountable to ensure every child has a chance to succeed, and is providing robust support for our educators.”
“With this legislation, we are addressing some simple facts: Our economy is starved for workers with skills in the trades and not every student is best suited for academic education pathways,” said Tobash. “We recognize that knowledge is valuable and different types of knowledge are important for students, employers and our economy.”
These options would 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.
Speaker of the House Mike Turzai signs House Bill 202 as Rep. Mike Tobash looks on. The lawmakers authored the bill to help ensure technical education students have additional pathways to fulfilling their graduation requirements. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature.
Representative Mike Turzai
Speaker of the House
28th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Stephen Miskin
Smiskin@pahousegop.com
717.772.9943 (office), 717.756.3936 (cell)
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