1. There is hereby established the “Career Readiness Course Task Force” to explore the possibility of a course covering the topics described in this section being offered in the public schools to students in eighth grade or ninth grade. Task force members shall be chosen to represent the geographic diversity of the state. All task force members shall be appointed before October 31, 2018. The task force members shall be appointed as follows:

(1) A parent of a student attending elementary school, appointed by the joint committee on education;

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(2) A parent of a student attending a grade not lower than the sixth nor higher than the eighth grade, appointed by the joint committee on education;

(3) A parent of a student attending high school, appointed by the joint committee on education;

(4) An elementary education professional from an accredited school district, appointed by the joint committee on education from names submitted by statewide education employee organizations;

(5) Two education professionals giving instruction in a grade or grades not lower than the sixth nor higher than the eighth grade in accredited school districts, appointed by the joint committee on education from names submitted by statewide education employee organizations;

(6) Two secondary education professionals from accredited school districts, appointed by the joint committee on education from names submitted by statewide education employee organizations;

(7) A career and technical education professional who has experience serving as an advisor to a statewide career and technical education organization, appointed by a statewide career and technical education organization;

(8) An education professional from an accredited technical high school, appointed by a statewide career and technical education organization;

(9) A public school board member, appointed by a statewide association of school boards;

(10) A secondary school principal, appointed by a statewide association of secondary school principals;

(11) A principal of a school giving instruction in a grade or grades not lower than the sixth nor higher than the eighth grade, appointed by a statewide association of secondary school principals;

(12) An elementary school counselor, appointed by a statewide association of school counselors;

(13) Two school counselors from a school giving instruction in a grade or grades not lower than the sixth nor higher than the eighth grade, appointed by a statewide association of school counselors;

(14) A secondary school counselor, appointed by a statewide association of school counselors;

(15) A secondary school career and college counselor, appointed by a statewide association of school counselors;

(16) An apprenticeship professional, appointed by the division of workforce development of economic development;

(17) A representative of Missouri Project Lead the Way, appointed by the statewide Project Lead the Way organization;

(18) A representative of the state technical college, appointed by the state technical college;

(19) A representative of a public community college, appointed by a statewide organization of community colleges; and

(20) A representative of a public four-year institution of higher education, appointed by the commissioner of higher education.

2. The members of the task force established under subsection 1 of this section shall elect a chair from among the membership of the task force. The task force shall meet as needed to complete its consideration of the course described in subsection 5 of this section and provide its findings and recommendations as described in subsection 6 of this section. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation. No school district policy or administrative action shall require any education employee member to use personal leave or incur a reduction in pay for participating on the task force.

3. The task force shall hold at least three public hearings to provide an opportunity to receive public testimony including, but not limited to, testimony from educators, local school boards, parents, representatives from business and industry, labor and community leaders, members of the general assembly, and the general public.

4. The department of elementary and secondary education shall provide such legal, research, clerical, and technical services as the task force may require in the performance of its duties.

5. The task force established under subsection 1 of this section shall consider a course that:

(1) Gives students an opportunity to explore various career and educational opportunities by:

(a) Administering career surveys to students and helping students use Missouri Connections to determine their career interests and develop plans to meet their career goals;

(b) Explaining the differences between types of colleges, including two-year and four-year colleges and noting the availability of registered apprenticeship programs as alternatives to college for students;

(c) Describing technical degrees offered by colleges;

(d) Explaining the courses and educational experiences offered at community colleges;

(e) Describing the various certificates and credentials available to earn at the school or other schools including, but not limited to, career and technical education certificates described under section 170.029 and industry-recognized certificates and credentials;

(f) Advising students of any advanced placement courses that they may take at the school;

(g) Describing any opportunities at the school for dual enrollment;

(h) Advising students of any Project Lead the Way courses offered at the school and explaining how Project Lead the Way courses help students learn valuable skills;

(i) Informing students of the availability of funding for postsecondary education through the A+ schools program described under section 160.545;

(j) Describing the availability of virtual courses;

(k) Describing the types of skills and occupations most in demand in the current job market and those skills and occupations likely to be in high demand in future years;

(l) Describing the typical salaries for occupations, salary trends, and opportunities for advancement in various occupations;

(m) Emphasizing the opportunities available in careers involving science, technology, engineering, and math;

(n) Advising students of the resources offered by workforce or job centers;

(o) Preparing students for the ACT assessment or the ACT WorkKeys assessments required for the National Career Readiness Certificate;

(p) Administering a practice ACT assessment or practice ACT WorkKeys assessments required for the National Career Readiness Certificate to students;

(q) Advising students of opportunities to take the SAT and the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery;

(r) Administering a basic math test to students so that they can assess their math skills;

(s) Administering a basic writing test to students so that they can assess their writing skills;

(t) Helping each student prepare a personal plan of study that outlines a sequence of courses and experiences that concludes with the student reaching his or her postsecondary goals; and

(u) Explaining how to complete college applications and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid;

(2) Focuses on career readiness and emphasizes the importance of work ethic, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity;

(3) Demonstrates that graduation from a four-year college is not the only pathway to success by describing to students at least sixteen pathways to success in detail and including guest visitors who represent each pathway described. In exploring how these pathways could be covered in the course, the task force shall consider how instructors for the course may be able to rely on assistance from Missouri’s career pathways within the department of elementary and secondary education;

(4) Provides student loan counseling; and

(5) May include parent-student meetings.

6. Before December 1, 2019, the task force established under subsection 1 of this section shall present its findings and recommendations to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president pro tempore of the senate, the joint committee on education, and the state board of education. Upon presenting the findings and recommendations as described in this subsection, the task force shall dissolve.