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Strong Support Propels LABI-Supported Workforce & Education Bills to Chamber Floors
Between the House and Senate Education Committees, eight measures critical to building Louisiana’s workforce of tomorrow gained bipartisan support Wednesday. LABI was present at both meetings to testify in support of these important legislative measures that set out to equip our students with the knowledge and resources to understand—and ultimately enter—the labor force with the skills that job creators have made clear they need.
During a three-hour hearing, House Ed approved six of those measures. Here’s a quick rundown of those…
- HB 268 by Rep. Kim Carver (R-Mandeville) expands career exposure requirements for students in grades 6-8. Additionally, an amendment adopted by the Committee now requires K-5 schools to provide students with at least one career-related activity each year.
“We start exposing [students] to high-demand, high-wage, high-impact jobs as early as possible, by giving them activities, by giving them exposure, by giving them access to the jobs and opportunities that we’re going to have right in here in Louisiana so that they don’t have to look at other states,” Rep. Carver told LABI following the committee meeting. You can watch that clip here.
LABI’s Mary Beth Derrickson testified in support of HB 268, noting that a major priority of the organization this session is strengthening cradle-to-career pathways.
- HB 271 by Rep. John Wyble (R-Bogalusa) creates the Louisiana Commission on Foundational Education to research and analyze policies on foundational education initiatives and instructional practices, while strengthening family engagement.
- HB 285 by Tony Bacala (R-Prairieville) allows school boards to partner with credit unions to open branches inside high schools. The Committee amended the measure to also allow banks to participate. LABI also testified in support of this measure as it ties in our College Board partnership.
- HB 316, also by Rep. Wyble, broadens the instructor literacy training program he helped create to include grades 4-8. The program currently applies to literacy instruction for grades K-3.
- HB 649 by Rep. Ken Brass (D-Vacherie) requires the establishment and administration of a statewide application process for students to access dual enrollment programs.
- HB 807, also by Rep. Brass, establishes the Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program within Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges to bolster and expand training for high-wage, high-demand jobs. The bill was amended to include LSU Eunice and Southern Shreveport.
The Senate Education Committee met Wednesday afternoon, where three LABI-tracked three bills received approval.
- SB 27 by Sen. Patrick McMath (R-Covington) beefs up Louisiana’s High Dosage Tutoring program by broadening eligibility from K-5 all the way through 8th grade.
- SB 28, also by Sen. McMath, lowers the age of eligibility for the state’s associate educator program from 25 to 21.
- SB 305, by Senate Education Chairman Sen. Rick Edmonds (R-Baton Rouge), directs the Board of Regents, LA Works and relevant state agencies to create a publicly accessible career alignment data dashboard, detailing educational programs and the career outcomes they lead to. This transparency is critical—students need to know which opportunities exist across the state and what training is required.
LABI’s Mary Beth Derrickson also testified in support of this legislation: “As the state’s chamber, bills like this really get us excited because we want to have a transparent way—and a practical way—to reach folks in college, but also in high school. By equipping Louisiana’s young people with this knowledge, we want to connect them with high-wage, high-demand jobs, and encourage them to build their careers right.”