HB 12-1227 Summary

• Directs the state board of community colleges and occupational education to design a certificate program allowing students needing basic skills remediation or eligible for adult literacy education to earn a career and technical education certificate within 12 months by combining basic skills training with college-level occupational skills training.

• Requires the board to collaborate with the departments of education and labor through memorandums of understanding to coordinate the certificate program with existing family literacy education and workforce investment programs.

• Mandates that each course in the program integrate basic skills instruction with occupational skills training and be jointly designed and taught by both a basic skills instructor and an occupational skills instructor for at least 50 percent of instructional time.

• Requires participating community colleges and junior colleges to submit annual reports to the board detailing enrolled students, successful completions, and employment outcomes, with the board summarizing and submitting findings to the legislature.

• Makes implementation conditional on the availability of state or federal funding, with the act taking effect 90 days after the 2012 legislative session adjournment unless subject to referendum petition.