COMMENTARY: New Chair Of Senate Education and Career Development Committee Will Make Changes

by Gail Riecken, CCO Statehouse Editor

It looks like those supporting a closer relationship of workforce development and public education will see renewed support with the newly announced Chair of the State Senate Committee on Education and Career Development. Senator Rod Bray, Senate President Pro-Tem, has announced the chairmanship will go to Senator Jeff Raatz.

A recent Indy Star article (Nov. 9) reported Terry Spradlin, Executive Director of the Indiana School Boards Association:  “ Raatz,” he said, “ has been more engaged on some of the workforce and career and technical education issues that have been front and center in the last year or so, so there could be a shift in focus towards more of those bills.”

This is particularly interesting as the Lumina Foundation continues to take more of a prominent role pushing State policymakers toward establishing initiatives with the goal of increasing the number of post-graduate industry certifications and associates degrees.

Does the new chairmanship mean there will be legislation introduced where the department of workforce development and the education department will work closely together in both funding and policy issues?

Does the new chairmanship mean there will be more funding for high schools that favor trade-specific programs and internships graduating students with industry-recognized certifications and more funding for high schools with programs graduating more students with associate degrees?

It will be interesting to watch these issues in the State legislative session that will begin in January.