Lawmakers seek industry credentialing in public schools
Georgia lawmakers are pushing to expand access to industry credentialing in public schools.
Senate Bill 3 sets a minimum course of study in career education for middle and high school students.
The CONNECT Act, as it’s being called (Creating Opportunities Needed Now to Expand Credentialed Training) aims to expand a nascent Georgia credentialing program that certifies skills learned, with the goal of giving every public school student access to coursework based on national and international standards. The legislation, a priority of Senate leadership, also calls on the Georgia Department of Education to expand industry partnerships and use competitive state grants as incentives.
It’s modeled on the Georgia Consortium of Advanced Technical Training Program (GACATT), a high school apprenticeship program for industrial mechanics.
“We must do more,” said Sen. Lindsey Tippins, R-Marietta, the main sponsor of the legislation. “This measure aims to provide every pupil in Georgia’s public schools with access to credential training coursework, in a critical and relevant field, to ensure our workforce needs of tomorrow can be addressed today.”
SB 3 builds on the current 18 career pathways in the Georgia high school curriculum.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
