Senate passes bill to further ongoing legislative initiatives that promote career and technical education

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – The Florida Senate passed comprehensive legislation furthering ongoing legislative initiatives that promote career and technical education, or CTE, with a focus on work-based learning linked to local employment opportunities for students in grades 6-12.

The legislation was carried by Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine. It would still need approved by the House before heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk.

“In 2008, only 803 students in the entire state of Florida earned national industry certifications in our high schools. Last year, over 100,000 students earned these valuable work-based credentials across 17 Career and Technical Education Pathways, covering everything from Architecture and Agriculture, to Tourism and Technology, to Manufacturing and Marketing,” Hutson said in a press release.

Hutson said the legislation builds on these in-demand, widely successful programs, by creating regionally-targeted links between work-based learning and real jobs in high-demand fields.

The legislation specifies that each school board must provide all students in high school with the option to enroll in at least one work-based learning opportunity, which may include diversified education, preapprenticeships, and apprenticeships.

Under the bill, schools, local workforce boards, community or faith-based organizations, and trade associations can sponsor student apprenticeships.

“There is a clear connection between engagement in CTE and graduation, as students who take several related CTE courses have a nearly 100 percent graduation rate. Again, we are taking that amazing record one step further, creating more avenues to both college credit and professional credentials that will help CTE students have a head start as they pursue college and career opportunities after high school,” Hutson said.

The bill provides $100 million for the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program for schools to fund the creation or expansion of career and technical education programs.

“The legislation by Senator Hutson that we passed today builds on this tremendous progress by creating additional partnerships between local schools and businesses, expanding opportunities for students to gain on-the-job experience in meaningful, high-paying fields needed in our growing communities,” Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said in a press release.