SB446 - Revises provisions relating to work-based learning programs. (BDR 34-533)

S.B. 446 - *SB446* SENATE BILL NO. 446–COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (ON BEHALF OF THE JOINT INTERIM STANDING COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION) MARCH 24, 2025 ____________ Referred to Committee on Education SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to work-based learning programs. (BDR 34-533) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact. Effect on the State: No. CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE (§ 1) (NOT REQUESTED BY AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT) ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to education; revising the qualifications for a pupil to participate in a work-based learning program; revising the requirements relating to criminal background investigations of volunteers in work-based learning programs; authorizing, under certain circumstances, the board of trustees of a school district to reimburse a business, agency or organization for the cost of an investigation into the criminal background of an employee who volunteers in a work-based learning program; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law authorizes the board of trustees of a school district or the 1 governing body of a charter school to offer a work-based learning program upon 2 application to and with the approval of the Superintendent of Education. An 3 application to offer a work-based learning program must include the qualifications 4 of a pupil to participate in the work-based learning program. Such qualifications 5 must allow a majority of pupils to be eligible to participate in the work-based 6 learning program. (NRS 389.167) Section 1 of this bill provides instead that such 7 qualifications must allow a majority of pupils who are least 16 years of age to be 8 eligible to participate in the work-based learning program. 9 – 2 – - *SB446* Existing law requires, with certain exceptions, a volunteer at a charter school, 10 university school for profoundly gifted pupils or public school who is likely to have 11 unsupervised contact with pupils to submit his or her fingerprints for the purpose of 12 a criminal background check before beginning his or her service as a volunteer and 13 at least once every 5 years thereafter. (NRS 388A.515, 388C.200, 391.104) 14 Existing law authorizes, under certain circumstances, the board of trustees of a 15 school district to exempt volunteers who are employed by a business, agency or 16 organization participating in a work-based learning program from the requirements 17 of submitting fingerprints for an investigation into the criminal background of the 18 volunteers. (NRS 391.1055) Section 2 of this bill provides instead that the board of 19 trustees may exempt any volunteer if the volunteer has passed an investigation into 20 his or her criminal background as a requirement for: (1) employment with the 21 business, agency or organization; or (2) obtaining a professional or occupational 22 license in this State. Section 2 further provides that the board of trustees may 23 authorize the volunteer to submit his or her fingerprints for an investigation into the 24 criminal background of the volunteer less often than every 5 years. Finally, section 25 2 authorizes the board of trustees, to the extent money is available, to reimburse a 26 business, agency or organization for the cost incurred by the business, agency or 27 organization for submitting fingerprints for the investigation into the criminal 28 background of the volunteer. 29 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 389.167 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1 389.167 1. A pupil enrolled at a public school must be 2 allowed to apply one or more credits toward the total number of 3 credits required for graduation from high school if the pupil 4 successfully completes the number of hours in a work-based 5 learning program required by regulation of the State Board to earn 6 such credits. Any credits earned for successful completion of a 7 work-based learning program must be applied toward the pupil’s 8 elective course credits and not toward a course that is required for 9 graduation from high school. 10 2. The board of trustees of a school district or the governing 11 body of a charter school may offer a work-based learning program 12 upon application to and with the approval of the Superintendent of 13 Public Instruction. An application to offer a work-based learning 14 program must include, without limitation: 15 (a) The fields, trades or occupations in which a work-based 16 learning program will be offered. 17 (b) The qualifications of a pupil to participate in the work-based 18 learning program. Such qualifications must allow a majority of 19 pupils who are least 16 years of age to be eligible to participate in 20 the work-based learning program. 21 (c) A description of the process that will be used by pupils to 22 apply to participate in a work-based learning program. 23 – 3 – - *SB446* (d) A description of the manner in which participation in a 1 work-based learning program and completion of the requirements of 2 a work-based learning program will be verified. 3 (e) A description of the manner in which the performance of a 4 pupil who participates in the work-based learning program will be 5 evaluated, which must include, without limitation, an on-site 6 evaluation of the performance of the pupil. 7 3. Upon approval by the Superintendent of Public Instruction 8 of an application to offer a work-based learning program submitted 9 pursuant to subsection 2, the board of trustees or the governing body 10 shall: 11 (a) Designate an employee of the school district or charter 12 school, as applicable, to serve as a work-based learning coordinator 13 to coordinate and oversee work-based learning programs. Such an 14 employee must ensure that each business, agency or organization 15 that will offer employment and supervision of a pupil as part of the 16 work-based learning program is suitable for participation in a work- 17 based learning program. 18 (b) Establish and maintain a list of businesses, agencies and 19 organizations that have been found suitable by the work-based 20 learning coordinator pursuant to paragraph (a). 21 4. To receive approval from the Superintendent of Public 22 Instruction to offer a work-based learning program, the work-based 23 learning program must include, without limitation, requirements 24 that: 25 (a) A detailed training agreement and training plan be completed 26 for each pupil participating in the work-based learning program for 27 credit that identifies the specific tasks in which the pupil will 28 participate that will develop competency of the pupil in the 29 workplace; 30 (b) A pupil participating in the work-based learning program be 31 allowed to leave the public school in which he or she is enrolled 32 during the school day to participate in such a program; 33 (c) Participation by a pupil in the work-based learning program 34 will develop a broad range of skills and will allow a pupil to focus 35 on his or her chosen career pathway; and 36 (d) Training be completed by each pupil participating in the 37 work-based learning program on: 38 (1) Identifying and reporting harassment in the workplace; 39 (2) Developing and maintaining healthy relationships in the 40 workplace; and 41 (3) Identifying the signs of a person engaging in predatory 42 conduct to prepare a pupil for sexual activity or to foster an 43 inappropriate personal or professional relationship with a pupil, 44 including, without limitation, through communicating or attempting 45 – 4 – - *SB446* to befriend or establish a relationship or other connection with a 1 parent or legal guardian of a pupil in furtherance of such conduct. 2 5. A school district or charter school may allow a pupil who 3 successfully completes a work-based learning program to earn dual 4 credit for participation in the work-based learning program. 5 6. On or before January 15 of each odd-numbered year, the 6 board of trustees of a school district and the governing body of a 7 charter school that offers a work-based learning program shall 8 prepare a report concerning the manner in which the work-based 9 learning program has been carried out and submit the report to the 10 State Board and the Legislature. The report must include, without 11 limitation: 12 (a) The number of pupils participating in the work-based 13 learning program; and 14 (b) The types of work-based learning offered through the work- 15 based learning program. 16 7. The number of pupils participating in the work-based 17 learning program reported pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 6 18 must be disaggregated on the basis of the following characteristics: 19 (a) Pupils who are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, 20 Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or 21 Pacific Islander, white or two or more races; 22 (b) Gender of pupils; 23 (c) Pupils who are migrants; and 24 (d) Pupils who are members of special populations, as defined in 25 20 U.S.C. § 2302(48). 26 Sec. 2. NRS 391.1055 is hereby amended to read as follows: 27 391.1055 1. The Department shall prescribe by regulation a 28 method for the board of trustees of a school district to determine if a 29 business, agency or organization that is seeking to employ and 30 supervise a pupil as a part of a work-based learning program 31 pursuant to NRS 389.167 should be subject to the provisions of 32 NRS 391.104 requiring a volunteer who is likely to have 33 unsupervised contact with pupils to submit his or her fingerprints for 34 an investigation into the criminal background of the volunteer. 35 2. The method prescribed by the Department pursuant to 36 subsection 1 must include, without limitation, a process outlining 37 how the board of trustees of a school district shall: 38 (a) Examine a business, agency or organization seeking to 39 participate in a work-based learning program pursuant to NRS 40 389.167; and 41 (b) Determine if the employment and supervision of a pupil in 42 the work-based learning program by the business, agency or 43 organization examined pursuant to paragraph (a) would be 44 appropriate for the pupil. 45 – 5 – - *SB446* 3. If the board of trustees of a school district determines the 1 employment of a pupil in a work-based learning program pursuant 2 to this section is appropriate for the pupil pursuant to subsection 2, 3 the board of trustees may [exempt] : 4 (a) Exempt any [volunteers] volunteer employed by the 5 business, agency or organization from the requirements of NRS 6 391.104 requiring a volunteer who is likely to have unsupervised 7 contact with pupils to submit his or her fingerprints for an 8 investigation into the criminal background of the volunteer [.] if the 9 volunteer has passed an investigation into his or her criminal 10 background as a requirement for: 11 (1) Employment with the business, agency or organization; 12 or 13 (2) Obtaining a professional or occupational license in this 14 State; or 15 (b) Authorize the volunteer to submit his or her fingerprints 16 for an investigation into the criminal background of the volunteer 17 less often than every 5 years. 18 4. To the extent money is available, the board of trustees of a 19 school district may reimburse a business, agency or organization 20 for the cost incurred by the business, agency or organization for 21 submitting fingerprints for the investigation into the criminal 22 background of the volunteer. 23 Sec. 3. The provisions of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any 24 additional expenses of a local government that are related to the 25 provisions of this act. 26 H