Workforce Connections Action Item

DATE:	Tuesday, February 6, 2018
TO:	School Board Members
FROM:	Jeff Eakins, Superintendent
SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS
Approve the National Center for Simulation (NCS) Agreement with Certification Partners, LLC, to Provide Certification Testing for Career and Technical Education Students (Workforce Connections)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Florida Department of Education has included the Modeling & Simulation (M&S) Certification from the NCS on the 2017/2018 Career and Professional Education (CAPE) Industry Certification Funding List.  We request approval of the NCS Agreement, which will allow the delivery of the M&S Certification exams to high school students.   These industry certifications will be delivered using the Certification Partner’s online testing platform, which allows for administration of certification exams at a school site. This platform is already in use with a wide variety of career-themed courses in the Information Technology career cluster.   Industry certification tests are a required component of career-themed courses as outlined in Florida’s CAPE legislation. Students successfully earning industry certifications generate weighted full time equivalent funding and are included in the calculation of school grades.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
• Improve the high school graduation rate • Provide a student-centered learning environment that engages every child
FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted:  Yes)
Funds in the amount of $1,250 will be available in the Industry Certification budget. For tracking purposes, the project number specific to this agenda item is 4527. The test vouchers are sold at $50 per usage. It is projected that 25 vouchers will be purchased to meet student needs.
EVALUATION
In 2016/2017, students earned 664 Certified Internet Web industry certifications. This Agreement will be evaluated by the number of successful industry certifications achieved by students and teachers.
SUBMITTED BY:  Warren S. Brooks, Workforce Connections Officer, Workforce Connections

Warren S. Brooks		Gretchen Saunders
Workforce Connections Officer, Workforce Connections (813) 231-1860		Chief Business Officer (813) 272-4270
		C 6.04
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20180206_859 (Board Meeting) * Section C Item# 6.04