2023 New York Laws › EDN - Education › Title 5 - Taxation and Financial Administration › Article 73 - Apportionment of Public Moneys › Part 1 - General Provisions › 3602-D - Work-Prep Education Program.

§ 3602-d. Work-prep  education  program.  1. Legislative findings. The
legislature recognizes that  rapid  technological  advances  and  global
economic competition demand increased levels of skilled career education
preparation  and readiness on the part of youths entering the workforce.
Effective strategies  reaching  beyond  the  boundaries  of  traditional
schooling  are  necessary to provide early and sustained intervention by
parents,  teachers,  and  educational  institutions  in  the  lives   of
students.  The  establishment of a work-prep education program requiring
systematic career education articulation  agreements  between  secondary
schools  and post-secondary educational institutions is such a strategy.
Youths participating in this program will develop the skills in  liberal
arts, basic academics, including literacy instruction, and career fields
necessary  to  acquire  an  associate degree or certificate increasingly
required for positions in the workforce.
2. Definitions. As used in this section:
(a) "Articulation agreement" shall mean a commitment between secondary
and  post-secondary  institutions  to  a  program  designed  to  provide
students   with   a  non-duplicative  sequence  of  courses  leading  to
competencies, as demonstrated by an associate degree or certificate,  in
an occupationally oriented field.
(b)  "Disadvantaged"  shall  mean  individuals (other than handicapped
individuals) who have economic or academic disadvantages and who require
special services and assistance in order to enable them  to  succeed  in
work-prep  programs.  Such term includes individuals who are: members of
economically  disadvantaged  families  as  set  forth   in   regulations
promulgated  by  the  department pursuant to sections sixty-four hundred
fifty-one and sixty-four hundred fifty-two of this  chapter  or  as  set
forth  in  the  Federal Job Training Partnership Act of nineteen hundred
eighty-two (PL 97-300) (29 U.S.C.A. § 1501 et seq.);  migrants;  English
language  learners;  and  individuals  who  are  identified as potential
dropouts from secondary school.
(c) "Work-prep education program" shall mean a combined secondary  and
post-secondary   program   which:   leads  to  an  associate  degree  or
certificate; provides preparation and  establishes  competencies  in  an
occupationally oriented field; and leads to employment.
(d)  "Occupationally  oriented  field"  shall  mean  applied  science,
engineering, health sciences, mechanical or industrial arts, and/or home
economics.
3. Work-prep education program. (a) The  commissioner  shall,  out  of
available  funds pursuant to the Federal Carl D. Perkins Act (PL 98-524)
and/or its successor, provide grants on a competitive basis, to pay  the
cost of activities authorized by this section to a consortia of:
(1)  school  districts,  local  education  agencies  and/or  boards of
cooperative educational services serving secondary students; and
(2) post-secondary  educational  agencies  which  offer  an  associate
degree program or certificate program.
(b)  Each consortia interested in initiating a work-prep program shall
submit a five year  plan  for  the  development  and  implementation  of
work-prep   activities.  At  a  minimum,  the  plan  shall  contain  the
following:
(1)  an  articulation  agreement  between  the  participants  in   the
consortium;
(2)  linkages  between  the  two  years  of secondary school preceding
graduation and post-secondary study. Such  linkage  must  incorporate  a
next  generation  of  required proficiency in an occupationally oriented
field leading to an associate degree or certificate in a specific career
field;
(3)  the  development  of  work-prep  education   program   curriculum
appropriate   to   the   needs   of   consortium  participants,  program
participants, and the business community;
(4)  the  development  of  specific measures to eliminate gender-based
bias in occupational recruitment, counseling, instruction, and placement
efforts;
(5) the provision of in-service training for  counselors  designed  to
enable   counselors  to  effectively:  recruit  students  for  work-prep
programs; ensure the student's successful completion of  such  programs;
and assist in the student's employment placement; and
(6)  performance  standards  creating  measures for evaluating program
success.
(c) The commissioner shall give special consideration to  applications
which:
(1) provide for effective employment placement activities;
(2) demonstrate a commitment to continue such program activities;
(3)  include  the  input  of  business,  industry, labor unions, joint
apprenticeship   committees,   and   employers   conducting   registered
apprenticeship programs, in its development; and
(4)  address  the  issues of dropout prevention, disadvantaged youths,
and handicapped youths.
4. Apportionment of funds. (a)  Allowable  costs  under  this  section
shall  include  expenses  related  to  the  coordination, administration
and/or delivery of the work-prep program such as: costs  of  assessment,
guidance,  and  instructional materials; purchase of equipment; personal
services associated  with  joint  curriculum  planning  and  development
activities;  and costs of in-service training for participating teachers
and guidance counselors.
(b) Moneys  appropriated  under  this  section  shall  be  apportioned
ensuring  an  equitable  distribution of assistance throughout the state
and among both urban and rural participants.