The state board of education shall prepare a plan of action for accelerating the modernization of the vocational curriculum into courses of study that can furnish students with the basic science, English language arts, mathematics, and technology skills needed to participate successfully in the workforce of the future. A preliminary plan setting forth a timetable for the plan's development and implementation and identifying specific objectives, susceptible of measurement, that are to be accomplished by the end of each fiscal year through 1999 shall be presented to the general assembly by July 1, 1990. Beginning with the fiscal year 1991, the state board shall issue a progress report on the plan's implementation each year through fiscal year 2000. Each progress report shall measure the extent to which the plan's objectives have been met and the extent to which they have not been realized and shall specify any legislative action needed to proceed with the plan's implementation and the reasons why such action is necessary. The board shall revise the plan as necessary and include any such revisions in the next progress report. The plan shall embody at least the following:

(A) A redefinition of vocational education that takes into account the changes in the kinds of knowledge and skills students must acquire if they are to participate effectively in the workforce of the future.

(B) Modernization of the minimum standards for vocational education programs and the adoption of standards that are attainable, relevant, affordable, and measurable.

(C) Proposals for taking advantage of joint vocational school districts' greater resource bases and their larger and more diverse student populations to develop, house, and maintain magnet schools to strengthen the academic programs available to each city, local and exempted village school district's students without regard to whether students are pursuing vocational or college preparatory programs. The proposals should provide for the development of at least one magnet school within each joint vocational school district that has any member district lacking either the number of students or the financial resources needed to provide a mathematics, science, technology, or language program that exceeds state board of education minimum standards.

(D) The assimilation into the vocational curriculum of more stringent science, mathematics, English language arts, and technology components sufficient to equip students preparing for careers with the knowledge and confidence they need to absorb, apply, and adapt to the technological changes that will confront them in the twenty-first century; to broaden the career options available to students and pursue vocational curricula; and to give vocational graduates educational foundations that will enable them not only to be absorbed into the workforce but will also decrease the likelihood they will be displaced in the future as the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace undergo change.

(E) A plan for reallocating personnel, resources, and responsibilities among school districts where reallocations can strengthen the curriculum and the course offerings, reduce costs, provide more efficient uses of educational resources, or better serve students' needs.

(F) Provision for the realization of the objectives set forth in this section within the existing level of financial support from local, state, federal, and private sources, and establishment of plans for strengthening vocational education programs as additional revenues become available to individual districts and for maintaining strong curricula, regardless of changes in the year-to-year level of financial support.

(G) Alternative transportation plans districts can implement to overcome obstacles that impede pupils' attendance at the locations where they should be attending school or participating in other educational activities.

Effective Date: 10-02-1989.