Subdivision 1.Goals.

To better prepare all learners to make transitions between education and employment, a comprehensive education and employment transitions system is established that is driven by multisector partnerships and takes a lifelong approach to workforce development. The goals of the statewide education and employment transitions system are:

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(1) to improve the skills learners need to achieve greater levels of self-sufficiency through education, training, and work;

(2) to improve work-related counseling and information about career opportunities and vocational education programs available to learners to facilitate workforce development;

(3) to integrate opportunities for work-based learning, service-learning, and other applied learning methods into the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary curriculum and state and local graduation standards;

(4) to increase participation in employment opportunities and demonstrate the relationship between education and employment at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education levels;

(5) to promote the efficient use of public and private resources by coordinating elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education with related government programs;

(6) to expand educational options available to all learners through collaborative efforts between school districts, postsecondary institutions, employers, organized labor, workers, learners, parents, community-based organizations, and other interested parties;

(7) to increase opportunities for women, minorities, individuals with a disability, and at-risk learners to fully participate in work-based learning;

(8) to establish performance standards for learners that integrate state and local graduation standards and generally recognized industry and occupational skill standards; and

(9) to provide support systems including a unified labor market information system; a centralized quality assurance system with information on learner achievement, employer satisfaction, and measurable system outcomes; a statewide marketing system to promote the importance of lifework development; a comprehensive professional development system for public and private sector partners; and a comprehensive system for providing technical support to local partnerships for education and employment transitions.

Subd. 2.Funding.

Work-based learning programs incorporating postsecondary instruction implemented under this section and sections 124D.47 to 124D.49 shall provide for student funding according to section 124D.09.

Subd. 3.Governor’s Workforce Development Board.

The governor’s Workforce Development Board is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating the statewide education and employment transitions system and achieving the goals of the system.

Subd. 4.Partnership grants.

The board must award grants to implement local education and employment transition partnerships established under section 124D.49. Grants under this section may be used for the local education and employment transitions system, youth apprenticeship and other work-based learning programs, youth employer programs, youth entrepreneurship programs, and other programs and purposes the board determines fulfill the purposes of the education and employment transitions system. The board must evaluate grant proposals on the basis of the elements required in the local plan described in section 124D.49, subdivision 3. The board must develop and publicize the grant application process and review and comment on the proposals submitted. Priority in awarding grants must be given to local partnerships that include multiple communities and a viable base of educational, work-based learning, and employment opportunities.

Subd. 5.

[Expired]

Subd. 6.

[Expired]