Budget
Brief: Work Based Learning Board
Background:
School-to-work and youth apprenticeship programs are currently in the
Department of Workforce Development (DWD), and federal tech-prep programs
are in the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the WTCS Board.
Each district currently uses this funding to provide a tech-prep coordinator
and other tech prep activities.
Work-Based Learning Board Proposed:
(1999 Assembly Bill 133)
The proposed budget would create a new Work-Based Learning Board to
be chaired by the Governor with eight other members. The WBL Board will
administer the programs currently administered by the Division of Connecting
Education and Work within the Department of Workforce Development as
well as several other new and existing programs.
The WBL Board would be composed of the following members:
- Governor, who serves as the Board’s chairperson
- State Superintendent of Public Instruction
- President of the WTCS Board
- Director of the WTCS Board
- Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development
- Administrator of DWD’s Division of Workforce Excellence
- Representative of organized labor
- Representative of business and industry
- public member
The WBL Board would administer the following programs:
- Local Youth Apprenticeship grants - $1,150,000 GPR.
- Youth apprenticeship training grants - appropriation reduced to
-0- in the Governor’s budget.
- Tech-Prep program - $2.1 million from Carl Perkins Vocational and
Technical Education Act.
- School to work programs for at-risk youth. $250,000 GPR from DPI.
- Technical college study grants - $3.3 million GPR new money to
WBL Board.
Joint Finance Committee Action:
On June 4, 1999, the Joint Finance Committee voted to approve the creation
of the governor's Work-based Learning Board.
WEAC/WFT Position
The Wisconsin Education Association Council and the Wisconsin Federation
of Teachers are opposed to the creation of the Work-Based Learning Board.
Talking Points
- The Work-Based Learning Board creates a new government entity which
shifts WTCS State Board and DPI/DWD functions.
- The Work-Based Learning Board appears to give the Governor absolute
control over the school to work, youth apprenticeship and federal
tech-prep programs without identifying any problems in the current
system.
- The shift of tech-prep funding to the Work-Based Learning Board
will result in further significant funding losses to the WTCS system.
- This initiative is a significant shift in public policy and should
be removed from the budget. This will allow the public and interested
parties to have the opportunity to appear at a public hearing where
full and open debate can occur.
For Additional Information:
If you have questions or comments, please contact Jack Coe at WEAC
Government Relations at (800) 362-8034, ext 238 or by e-mail at coej@weac.org.
Posted March 22, 1999; Updated June 4
