PI 26.01 Applicability and purpose
Under s. 121.02 (1) (m), Stats., every board shall provide access to an education for employment program approved by the state superintendent. The purpose of education for employment programs is to prepare elementary and secondary pupils for future employment; to ensure technological literacy; to promote lifelong learning; to promote good citizenship; to promote cooperation among business, industry, labor, postsecondary schools, and public schools; and to establish a role for public schools in the economic development of Wisconsin. This chapter defines education for employment, describes the process for developing education for employment plans, and establishes performance indicators for education for employment opportunities.
PI 26.02 Definitions
In this chapter:
- "Advanced placement program" means an international program administered by The College Board whereby pupils are eligible to receive advanced placement or credit at participating colleges by taking an advanced placement exam and if the score on the exam meets the postsecondary institution's criteria.
- "Advanced standing credit" means a high school pupil has successfully completed a course taught by a high school teacher using a high school curriculum wherein the high school and a technical college have aligned curriculum competencies and developed an articulation course agreement. The credit is awarded upon enrollment in a technical college.
- "Articulation course agreement" means a written agreement between the board and a postsecondary institution that may allow a pupil to receive high school or postsecondary credit, or both, for a course taken at a high school or postsecondary institution.
- "Basic skills" means reading, language arts, mathematics, science and social studies concepts and skills.
- "Board" means the school board in charge of the public schools of the district.
- "Business and education partnerships" means formal cooperative relationships between public schools and school districts and businesses which benefit and involve pupils, professional staff, the school district, businesses, and the community.
- "Career awareness" means activities that incorporate workplace operations to illustrate why people work, the kinds of conditions under which they work, the various levels of training and education needed to work, appropriate work behaviors and how expectations at school are related to expectations in the world of work.
- "Career exploration" means activities covering the entire career spectrum using clusters of similar or related careers as a framework to study all occupational groups while simultaneously evaluating personal interests and skills in relation to the jobs studied.
- "Career planning and preparation" means activities which are focused on personal career interest areas and experiencing the work in these areas.
- "CESA" means a cooperative educational service agency under ch. 116, Stats.
- "Department" means the Wisconsin department of public instruction.
- "Employability skills and work behaviors" means the skills needed by pupils to obtain and retain employment, and which are applicable and transferable to general employment situations.
- "Model academic standards" means the Wisconsin model academic standards established by the governor's council on model academic standards under executive order 326 in January 1998.
- "Postsecondary credit" means credit awarded by a technical college, or a 2-year or 4-year college or university.
- "Public schools" has the meaning described under s. 115.01 (1), Stats.
- "School supervised work based learning experience" means a set of planned educational experiences, either paid or unpaid, coordinated by licensed school personnel, and designed to enable learners to acquire work behaviors, skills and knowledge for work and other life roles by participating in actual or simulated work settings.
- "Service learning" means pupils learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized services that meet the needs of the community.
- "State superintendent" means the state superintendent of public instruction.
- "Study of economics and American economic institutions" means the study of economics including business, industry, labor, and agricultural operations and organizations and their role in a local, state, national and international economy; entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills; consumer and family economics; and the role of citizens in a local, state, national, and international economy.
- "Tech prep" means a program as defined under 34 CFR 400.
- "Transcripted credit" means postsecondary credit earned by a high school pupil for successfully completing a college level course. The pupil receives a transcript from the technical college, 2- or 4-year college, or university.
- "Vocational education" means career and technical instructional programs designed to achieve pupil mastery of the skills set forth in s. 118.01 (2) (b), Stats.
- "Youth apprenticeship" means a program described under s. 106.13 (3) to (4), Stats.
PI 26.03 General Requirements for Education for Employment Programs
An education for employment program under s. 121.02 (1) (m), Stats., shall include all of the following:
- An education for employment long range plan shall be developed by the board. The plan shall be consistent with any other district plans, shall be defined in incremental steps and shall be modified by September 1, 2004. The plan shall be reviewed annually by the council specified under s. PI 26.05 and revised, if necessary, at least once every 5 years by the board.
The plan shall include all of the following:
(a) An analysis of local, regional and state labor market needs and the educational and training requirements for occupations which will fill those needs.
(b) A description of vocational education provided in the district.
(c) A strategy to be used in developing the education for employment program and determining staff development needs and secondary and postsecondary education relationships.
The plan shall identify other educational program requirements that will be included in the education for employment program, including all of the following:
(a) The school district standards under s. 121.02 (1), Stats.
(b) Vocational skills required under s. 118.01 (2) (b), Stats.
(c) High school graduation requirements under s. 118.33, Stats.
(d) Programs for children at risk under s. 118.153, Stats.
(e) Tech prep under s. 118.34, Stats.
(f) Youth options under s. 118.55, Stats.
(g) Youth apprenticeship under s. 106.13 (3) to (4), Stats.
NOTE: Tech prep combines 2 years of secondary education with a minimum of 2 years of postsec-ondary education in a nonduplicative, sequential course of study. It integrates academic, vocational, and technical instruction. It provides technical preparation in career fields; builds pupil competence through applied, contextual academics in a sequence of courses; it leads to an associate or baccalaureate degree in a specific career field; and leads to placement in appropriate employment or further education.
- The program shall provide to all pupils in grades kindergarten through 12 access to an education for employment program which provides for foundations of good citizenship and which links academic and occupational standards to workplace skills and experiences. The program shall provide information to pupils at various grade levels as follows:
(a) Career awareness at the elementary grade levels.
(b) Career exploration at the middle grade levels. Career exploration shall address stereotyping and may include work based learning experiences and career research identifying personal preferences in relation to future work roles.
(c) Career planning and preparation at the high school levels, including all of the following:
1. Career research identifying personal preferences in relation to specific occupations and school supervised work based learning experiences.
2. Instruction in career decision making and employability skills, including work behaviors.
3. Instruction which provides for the practical application of academic skills and applied technologies.
4. The study of the practical application of economics and American economic institutions, including entrepreneurship education.
5. Pupil access to technical education programs which have a curriculum incorporating accurate national, regional and state labor market information, including labor market supply and demand.
PI 26.04 General Requirements for School Boards
- The board shall insure district representation on the technical preparation council as created under s. 118.34 (2), Stats.
- The board shall designate a staff person certified under s. PI 34.32 (7) (a), to coordinate and direct the education for employment program.
- The board shall encourage the development of business and education partnerships. The council under s. PI 26.05 may assist the district in the development of these partnerships.
- The board may coordinate the education for employment program with other public school districts; CESAs; technical college districts; colleges and universities; and workforce development programs.
- Upon request, the board shall make available copies of the district's education for employment plan.
- The board shall indicate on a pupil's transcript the name of the course; the high school credits earned and whether those credits were earned through advanced standing, transcripted credit, or the advanced placement program; and the participating postsecondary institution, when appropriate.
PI 26.05 Technical Preparation Council Requirements
Annually, the council created under s. 118.34 (2), Stats., shall prepare and make available a report to the board on the progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the council.
PI 26.06 Approval of Education for Employment Programs
A program shall be approved by the state superintendent if it meets all of the requirements under this chapter.
The treatment of s. PI 26.04 (6), relating to pupil transcript provisions first applies to school boards issuing transcripts for pupils graduating after August 30, 2004.
The rules contained in this order become effective July 1, 2004.
Users must have a pdf reader installed and configured on their web browser to view pdf files. The Acrobat reader is available free at Adobe's web site.