AB 314 — Revises provisions relating to economic development. (BDR 18-670)

The program mustmay includenot aprovide processreimbursement for aany persontuition tocharge, applyregistration forfee, reimbursementlaboratory fee or any other mandatory fee which was paid or otherwise provided for through a grantscholarship, describedfinancial inaid, subsectionwaiver 1.or similar financial assistance.

For the purposes of this subsection, a student education loan, as defined in NRS 226.510, must not be considered financial aid or financial assistance.

The[The] StateExcept Treasureras shallotherwise consultprovided within subsection 5, the State BoardTreasurer may provide partial reimbursement of Educationtuition beforecharges, approvingregistration fees, laboratory fees and any applicationother formandatory fees paid by a grant.person who [completed] :

4.(a) Completed a Teacher Academy College Pathway Program offered pursuant to NRS 388.223 and who has worked as a full- time, licensed teacher at a public school in this State for 1 year or 2 consecutive years [in an] ;

Theor regulations(b) adoptedCompleted a Health Care Workforce Pathway Program offered pursuant to section 3.7 of this sectionact mustand prescribe,who withouthas limitation:worked in this State for 1 year or 2 consecutive years as a full-time employee in the field of providing, or directly assisting with the provision of, health care.

(a)- The*AB314_R1* criteria– for4 eligibility– to4. receive money from the program;

andThe (b)amount Proceduresof any partial reimbursement provided pursuant to subsection 3 must not [to] exceed, for each year of service at a public school in this State [,] or for each year of service in the submissionhealth care field in this State, one-third of the total tuition charges, registration fees, laboratory fees and reviewany other mandatory fees paid by the person to an institution within the Nevada System of applicationsHigher Education which are subject to receivereimbursement moneypursuant fromto this section and the program.regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

5.

If a person has not completed a Health Care Workforce Pathway Program offered pursuant to 3.7 of this act because of circumstances beyond the control of that person, including, without limitation, because the person attended a high school that did not offer a Program, but the person satisfies the criteria set forth in paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection 1, the State Treasurer may, upon the submission of an application by that person, provide:

(a) Reimbursement for tuition charges, registration fees, laboratory fees and any other mandatory fees paid to an institution within the Nevada System of Higher Education by the person if the person has worked as a full-time, licensed teacher at a public school in this State for at least 3 consecutive years.

(b) Partial reimbursement for tuition charges, registration fees, laboratory fees and any other mandatory fees paid to an institution within the Nevada System Education, in the amount described in subsection 3, if the person has worked as a full-time, licensed teacher at a public school in this State for 1 year or 2 consecutive years.

3.3.3.

1.NRS 226.425 is hereby amended to read as follows:

The226.425 Nevada1. Education and Health Care Pathways Account is hereby created in the State General Fund.

The Nevada Grown Educator and Health Care Workforce Account is hereby created in the State General Fund.

The money in the Account must be used to carry out the program established pursuant to sectionNRS 2226.420. of this act.

- *AB314* – 3 – Sec.

3.5.

NRS 232.985 is hereby amended to read as follows:

232.985 1.

The Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation shall establish and administer a Career Pathways Demonstration - *AB314_R1* – 5 – Program to develop and implement career pathways that will enable students to prepare for employment in professions which serve the long-term needs of this State.

The Office shall identify not more than three priority industries, including, without limitation, K-12 education [,] and health care, for the development and implementation of career pathways as part of the Program.

2.

In implementing the Program, the Office shall:

(a) Establish clear, measurable objectives for the outcomes of the Program which are aligned with the State Plan for Economic Development developed by the Executive Director of the Office of Economic Development within the Office of the Governor pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 231.053, including, without limitation, targets based on reliable data concerning:

(1) The number of persons entering the career pathway;

(2) The number and percentage of persons completing distinct phases of the career pathway, as marked by earning course credit or a credential, certificate or other recognized documentation showing progression in the career pathway;

(3) The number and percentage of participants in a career pathway who obtain high-quality employment in the target industry;

and (4) The number and percentage of participants in a career pathway employed for at least 2 years in the target industry.

(b) Rely on economic and workforce development data to inform decision-making, including, without limitation:

(1) Estimates of the number of high-quality jobs in the priority industries identified by the Office, including, without limitation, K-12 education and health care, that will be required in this State in the next 5 to 10 years;

(2) Projected workforce capacity in relation to the estimates pursuant to subparagraph (1);

(3) The number and capacity of existing industry-aligned career pathway programs;

(4) Enrollment, participation and completion rates for industry-aligned career pathway programs;

(5) Credentialing rates or other industry-aligned indicators of workforce readiness;

(6) Industry-aligned, skill-based employee retention rates;

(7) The demographic information of the participants in the Program, including, without limitation, race, gender and enrollment at a Title I school;

and (8) Other relevant data available through the statewide longitudinal data system maintained by the Executive Director of the Office pursuant to NRS 232.975.

- *AB314_R1* – 6 – (c) Collaborate with school districts, the Nevada System of Higher Education, regional development authorities and representatives from priority industries.

(d) Establish criteria for evaluating the performance of career pathway projects and the entities that assist in the development and implementation of career pathway projects, including, without limitation, the Department of Education, school districts, the Nevada System of Higher Education, regional development authorities and representatives from priority industries.

3.

The Office shall develop and implement a competitive process to select proposals for career pathway projects.

Each proposal for a career pathway project selected by the Office must incorporate best practices for career pathway design and address, without limitation:

(a) The types of high-quality jobs which the career pathway project will prepare students for, based on a definition of “high- quality job” which shall be developed and promulgated by the Office.

(b) The educational opportunities that the project will offer to K- 12 pupils and students of the Nevada System of Higher Education which may include, without limitation:

(1) Early exposure to career options for pupils in elementary, junior high or middle school;

(2) Multiple entry points into the career pathway;

(3) Meaningful, practice-based learning opportunities aligned to the career pathway and the workforce priorities within the target industry, including, without limitation, paid work-based learning opportunities;

(4) Opportunities for students to receive credentials aligned to the skills and experience needed for employment in the target industry;

and (5) Work-based learning opportunities that may be eligible for exemption from federal laws and regulations from which exemptions are available for work-based learning programs for pupils.

(c) The practices that will be implemented to recruit students for the career pathway, including, without limitation, practices that will foster equity and the inclusion in the career pathway of students from historically underserved communities.

(d) The types of early career guidance, incentives and support that will be offered to participants in the career pathway, which may include, without limitation:

(1) Employment opportunities for students who participate in the career pathway, including, without limitation, employer - *AB314_R1* – 7 – commitments to recruiting students who successfully obtain the qualifications for employment through the career pathway;

(2) Professional support and development opportunities for participants early in their career in the target industry, including, without limitation, mentoring;

and (3) Financial incentives which eliminate or substantially reduce financial barriers to entry into professions in the target industry.

(e) The roles and responsibilities of the persons necessary to develop and implement the career pathway, which may include, without limitation:

(1) Program staff;

(2) School districts and the Nevada System of Higher Education;

(3) Regional development authorities;

and (4) Representatives from the target industries.

(f) The financial plan for the career pathway project, including, without limitation:

(1) The projected 5-year budget for the career pathway project;

(2) Existing funding sources for the career pathway project and the amount of funding that the person submitting the proposal will allocate to the project;

(3) Anticipated funding sources for the career pathway project;

and (4) Any additional funding necessary to implement the career pathway project which is not addressed by the existing funding sources.

(g) The goals and anticipated outcomes of the career pathway project, including, without limitation:

(1) The target number of total participants in the career pathway project;

(2) The target number of participants who will successfully complete each stage of the career pathway, as marked by earning course credit or a credential, certificate or other recognized documentation showing progression in the career pathway;

and (3) The target number of participants who will complete the career pathway, regardless of their entry point into the career pathway.

ThereThe isOffice herebymay appropriatedenter frominto thean Stateagreement Generalwith Fund to the NevadaDepartment of Education andto Healthadminister Carethe PathwaysTeacher AccountAcademy createdCollege byPathway sectionProgram 3offered ofpursuant this act the sum of $10,000,000 to carryNRS out388.223. the provisions of section 2 of this act.

Such an agreement may require the Department of Education to administer any local, state or federal funding appropriated or otherwise available to implement the Teacher Academy College Pathway Program.

- *AB314_R1* – 8 – 5.

As used in this section, “career pathway” means a series of structured and connected educational opportunities designed to help a person enter or advance within a given occupation or industry sector.

3.7.

Chapter 388 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto:

1.

Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, each large school district shall offer a Health Care Workforce Pathway Program at every high school in the school district with 250 or more pupils enrolled that will enable interested pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, to prepare for employment in professions in the field of health care.

A large school district may offer a Program at high schools with fewer than 250 pupils.

A school district that is not a large school district may offer a Program at one or more high schools in the school district.

2.

A large school district is not required to offer a Program at a specialty school.

3.

A large school district, and a school district that is not a large school district which elects to offer the Program, shall:

(a) Advertise the Program and the benefits of participation in the Program.

(b) Ensure that at least one licensed teacher is assigned full- time to implement and teach the Program at each high school in the school district which offers the Program and at which more than two class periods of the Program are offered, except that such a teacher may also serve as the person designated to coordinate career pathway programs at the high school.

(c) Assess each pupil entering grade 9 who is or will be enrolled in a high school which offers such a Program and who is interested in participating in the Program, identify any barriers, including, without limitation, academic, financial, socioeconomic and transportation barriers, to the participation in and completion of the Program by such interested pupils and, if such barriers are identified, inform the pupil and the parents or legal guardian of the pupil of any programs and services which are available to help the pupil to overcome such barriers and provide such programs and services to the pupil.

(d) Enter into an agreement with the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada to:

(1) Enable pupils who participate in the Program to earn up to 12 units of college credit for courses taken and internships engaged in as part of the Program and, to the extent that money is available, the provision of such courses and internships at no cost or reduced cost to the pupil.

- *AB314_R1* – 9 – (2) Establish qualifications for teachers of the school district who teach courses in the Program which are eligible for college credit, which may include, without limitation, a minimum of 4 years of classroom teaching experience or a master’s degree.

(3) Guarantee the admission of otherwise academically qualified pupils who complete the Program to institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education.

(4) Provide programs, services, scholarships and financial aid to assist pupils who participate in the Program in applying for admission to institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education and completing the Program at such an institution.

(e) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, offer dual credit courses that align with the goals of the Program at each high school in the school district which offers the Program.

(f) Inform pupils who participate in the Program and the parents and legal guardians of such pupils about programs, services, scholarships and financial aid which are available to assist pupils in applying for admission to institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education and completing the Program at such an institution.

4.

A school district may apply to the State Board for an exemption from the provisions of paragraph (d) of subsection 2 with respect to a high school which is not located in an incorporated city if the school district can demonstrate that the location of the high school makes compliance with those provisions impracticable.

A large school district, and a school district that is not a large school district which elects to offer the Program, may enter into an agreement with the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada to provide a faculty mentor from the Nevada System of Higher Education to teachers of the school district who teach courses in the Program to ensure such courses align with the contents and rigor of equivalent courses taught at institutions within the Nevada System of Higher Education.

If the provisions of this subsection conflict with the provisions of chapter 388G of NRS, the provisions of this subsection prevail.

6.

To complete the Program a pupil must:

(a) Successfully complete at least 2 academic years in a program of career and technical education established pursuant to NRS 388.380 in the area of health care;

and (b) Participate in at least 15 hours of paid or unpaid work- based learning which is relevant to the field of health care and may include, without limitation, an internship offered pursuant to paragraph (e) of subsection 3 or a work-based learning opportunity provided pursuant to NRS 232.990.

- *AB314_R1* – 10 – 7.

The State Board:

(a) Shall adopt regulations that prescribe the curriculum for the Program which are consistent with the provisions of this section.

To the extent a school district provides programs of career and technical education other than the Program, such programs of career and technical education must nonetheless be consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to this paragraph, to the extent applicable.

(b) May adopt such other regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

8.

A pupil who is enrolled in a high school within a school district, or a parent or legal guardian of such a pupil, who is aggrieved by a final decision regarding the implementation of the Program made by an administrator of the high school or the board of trustees may, within 30 days after the decision is rendered, make a written request to the board of trustees for a hearing for reconsideration of the decision.

The board shall schedule the hearing within 30 days after receiving the request.

The decision of the board of trustees after its reconsideration hearing is a final decision subject to judicial review as provided by law.

9.

As used in this section:

(a) “Career Pathway Program” means a career pathway offered as part of the Career Pathways Demonstration Program pursuant to NRS 232.985.

(b) “Large school district” means any school district in this State which has more than 100,000 pupils enrolled in its public schools.

(c) “Program” means the Health Care Workforce Pathway Program created pursuant to this section.

Sec.

3.9.

NRS 396.1219 is hereby amended to read as follows:

396.1219 1.

The Board of Regents may enter into an agreement with a school district pursuant to NRS 388.223 to assist in the implementation of a Teacher Academy College Pathway Program [.] and pursuant to section 3.7 of this act to assist in the implementation of a Health Care Workforce Pathway Program.

2.

The Board of Regents may, by regulation, establish a program to:

(a) Identify pupils who have completed the Program, or who are expected to complete the Program by the end of grade 12, and who wish to apply for admission to an institution within the System;

and (b) Inform such pupils of the institutions within the System where such pupils may academically qualify for admission.

3.

As used in this section, “Program” [has the meaning ascribed to it in] means the Teacher Academy College Pathway Program and the Health Care Workforce Pathway Program - *AB314_R1* – 11 – created pursuant to NRS 388.223 [.] and section 3.7 of this act, respectively.

Sec.

4.

(Deleted by amendment.) Sec.

4.5.

The provisions of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any additional expenses of a local government that are related to the provisions of this act.

Sec.

5.

Sections 2,1 3to and4.5, 4inclusive, of this act become effective:

(a) Upon passage and approval for the purpose of adopting any regulations and performing any other preparatory administrative taskstas(b) thatOn areOctober necessary1, to2025, carryfor outall theother provisionspurposes.ns of this act;

and (b)H On- October*AB314_R1* 1, 2025, for all other purposes.

H - *AB314*