SB121: Bill Text

LRB-2160/1

MDK:nwn:ph

2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE

2009 Senate BILL 121

March 17, 2009 - Introduced by Senators Lassa, Taylor, Wirch, Olsen, Darling and Holperin, cosponsored by Representatives Berceau, Sinicki, Richards, Petrowski, A. Ott, Zepnick, Spanbauer, Toles and Townsend. Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Higher Education.

SB121,1,3 An Act to create 36.25 (49) of the statutes; relating to: requiring the Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to establish a career conversations program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (center) to establish a program for students enrolled in grades 7 to 12 to engage in webcam conversations about careers with individuals in this state who have careers in math, science, agricultural education, technology education, or information technology. The bill requires the center to develop criteria for choosing the classrooms that may participate in the program during a pilot period ending on May 15, 2010. The program must do the following: 1) select individuals for conversations who have careers that are in the greatest demand in this state; 2) use student discussion guides to facilitate the conversations; and 3) allow for recording the conversations for future viewing. The program must also include requirements for the following: 1) promoting participation in the conversations among students, parents, and the business community; 2) measuring student participation in the conversations; 3) notifying parents and the business community after conversations take place; and 4) tracking the study plans of students who participate in the conversations.

The bill also requires the center to evaluate the effectiveness of the program during the pilot period in promoting careers in math, science, agricultural education, technology education, and information technology. If the center determines that the program has been effective in promoting such careers, the bill allows the center to continue the program after the pilot period, and to allow participation by additional classrooms. In addition, the center must submit a report on the program to the legislature, the Department of Public Instruction, the Department of Workforce Development, and the Department of Commerce.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB121, s. 1 Section 1. 36.25 (49) of the statutes is created to read:

SB121,2,2 36.25 (49) Career conversations program. (a) In this subsection:

SB121,2,4 1. "Center" means the Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

SB121,2,6 2. "Pilot period" means the period beginning on the date that the program is established and May 15, 2010.

SB121,2,7 3. "Program" means the program established under par. (b).

SB121,2,13 (b) The center shall establish a program for students enrolled in grades 7 to 12 to engage in webcam conversations about careers with individuals in this state who have careers in math, science, agricultural education, technology education, or information technology. The center shall develop criteria for choosing the classrooms that may participate in the program during the pilot period. The program shall satisfy all of the following:

SB121,2,15 1. The program shall select individuals for conversations who have careers that the center determines are in the greatest demand in this state.

SB121,2,17 2. The program shall use student discussion guides developed by the center to facilitate the conversations.

SB121,2,19 3. The program shall allow for recording the conversations for future viewing, at schools or over the Internet, by interested parties, including parents of students.

SB121,3,5 4. The program shall include requirements for promoting participation in the conversations among students, parents, and the business community; measuring student participation in the conversations; notifying parents and the business community after conversations take place; and tracking the study plans of students who participate in the conversations.

SB121,3,16 (c) The center shall evaluate the effectiveness of the program during the pilot period in promoting careers in math, science, agricultural education, technology education, and information technology. If, based on the results of the evaluation, the center determines that the program has been effective in promoting such careers, the center may continue the program after the pilot period and may expand the program by allowing participation by additional classrooms. The center shall prepare a report regarding the evaluation and describing whether the center has continued or expanded the program, and submit the report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3), the department of public instruction, the department of workforce development, and the department of commerce.

SB121,3,17 (End)