INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana House of Representatives recently advanced legislation supported by Johnson County legislators that would expand work-based learning opportunities in high schools around the state.
State Rep. Michelle Davis (R-Whiteland), who co-authored the bill, said House Bill 1002 would create Career Scholarship Accounts for Hoosier students to pay for career training, apprenticeships, certifications, and internships. The legislation would also allow quality, work-based learning to count toward high school graduation requirements and create a framework for students to earn post-secondary credentials.
Under the legislation, Career Scholarship Accounts could be used by sophomores, juniors, and seniors to enroll in earn-and-learn opportunities, as well as to pay for items like transportation and uniforms to remove barriers to accessing these experiences. The Indiana Department of Education would approve available courses and tracks, and accounts would be awarded $5,000 under the recently proposed House Republican budget.
It could also incentivize schools and career centers to embrace more earn-and-learn partnerships. It would also task the State Board of Education with re-examining high school diploma requirements in order to provide more flexibility in student schedules so they can pursue apprenticeships, applied learning experiences, work-based learning, and credentials.
State Rep. Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinsville) said this legislation would also allow post-secondary scholarships, such as the Frank O’Bannon Grant and the 21st Century Scholarship, to be used for training provided by intermediaries, employers, or a labor organization.
House Bill 1002 now heads to the Indiana Senate for further consideration. For more information about this legislation, visit iga.in.gov.
