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Texas is one of a number of states to meet the challenge by reforming public education and embracing the concept of skill standards. Reform of the Texas system includes mandated foundation skills for K-12 and a framework of knowledge and skills for the career education curriculum. The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) were developed by teams of writers for each of four foundation areas and seven areas of instruction in career and technology education. Each team was comprised of stakeholders representing business, industry, and education, as well as parents and students. Knowledge and skill statements were developed that identify what students should know and be able to do upon completion of a particular course or program. The sub-baccalaureate component of voluntary skill standards is primarily delegated to the community and technical colleges. Coordination of a state wide common course system is provided through the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The manual serves as a guideline for course and curriculum alignment and as a basis for course standardization and transferability within the state.
Movement toward the concept of a skill standard system for Texas began in 1991 with the introduction of legislation to establish the nonprofit Texas Skills Development Corporation. The purpose of the corporation was to bring together representatives of business and industry to identify skills required by the various occupations in the Texas workforce. Even though this bill was never enacted into law, the seed was planted that gave momentum to the voluntary skill standards movement in Texas. The next year, governor Ann Richards gave a charge to the Texas Department of Commerce to create a framework to begin the development of employability standards for the Texas workforce. An appointed panel of industry and labor representatives advocated core standards for foundation and workforce skill standards. The panel made the recommendation to disseminate to the various stakeholders the benefits of an industry validated curriculum containing voluntary skill standards that would ultimately result in certification.
Prompted by the recommendations of the Texas Skill Standards report, a partnership was formed between the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Department of Commerce to research the area of skill standards and certification. The partnership researched the literature of state, national and international skill standards systems and surveyed individuals and stakeholders within the systems. Employers and educators were surveyed to gain input at the local level. From the study a proposed framework was developed that contained a system model, common nomenclature, and a common format for skill standards. As a result of the project recommendations the leadership of the Texas Legislature supported and enacted legislation that established the Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB). The board, operating under the umbrella of the Texas Skill Standards Infrastructure (TSSI), acts as an advisory body to the Governor and State Legislature concerning voluntary skill standards and is responsible for the coordination of projects initiated by business and industry. A primary function of the board within the conceptual infrastructure is to serve in a leadership capacity to provide stability and quality assurance for standard systems development and recognition. Community colleges and the State Technical College system have been recognized as the primary instructional entities for voluntary delivery of a comprehensive statewide system of industry defined and recognized skill standards for sub-baccalaureate occupations in the Texas workforce.
In 1999, the State Legislature affirmed its position in the skill standards movement by amending prior legislation to include specific mandates to the Texas Skill Standards Board to validate and recognize nationally established skill standards. These mandates created the much needed liaison between education and industry. The identified and recognized standards were to be guidelines for the development of curriculum, instruction, and assessment of workforce skills leading to certification. Industries were encouraged to initiate the effort of developing skill standards and certification procedures in occupational areas where standards or certification did not exist. Representatives of business, industry and education were encouraged to review the standards of other states or nations and enter agreements if applicable for the portability of standards and credentials and promote the use of standards and credentials among the employers of Texas. This piece of legislation set in motion the beginning of a statewide skill standards system.
The Texas Skill Standards Board achieved a major goal through the May 2001 publication: Guidelines for the Development, Recognition and Usage of Skill Standards - Texas ' Framework for Skill Standards. This document provides a valuable resource for individuals or entities seeking guidance in the area of industry validated voluntary skill standards development and implementation. As of October, 2004, efforts of the Texas Skill Standards Board, business, industry, and education have resulted in the recognition or conditional recognition of standards for 31 occupations. Recognized standards are those developed and validated in Texas and formatted according to the Board's established elements. Conditional recognition may be granted to standards developed and validated outside the State of Texas but endorsed by another valid recognition authority and accepted within a particular industry or those standards not formatted to the Board's elements. Both recognized and conditionally recognized standards are viewed with equal merit. Eight of the 31 approved occupations currently have recognized status. Those occupations are: Database Development and Administration; Hazardous Materials Management Technician; Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Technician; Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technician; Machinist Level I; Machinist Level II; Telecommunications Maintenance Technician; and Web Development and Administration. The remaining 23 occupations having conditional recognition are: Biotechnology and Biomedical Skill Standards for Regulatory Affairs and Clinical Trials; Biotechnology and Biomedical Skill Standards for Research, Development, and Manufacturing; Computer-Aided Drafting and Design; Customer Service and Sales; Digital Media; Enterprise Systems Analysis and Integration; Highly Automated [Manufacturing] Systems Technician; Manufacturing Health, Safety, and Environmental Assurance; Manufacturing Logistics and Inventory Control; Manufacturing Maintenance, Installation and Repair; Manufacturing Production; Manufacturing Production Process Development; and Manufacturing Quality Assurance. Also conditionally recognized are: Metalforming Level I; Metal Stamping Level II; Metal Stamping Level III; Network Design and Administration; Programming/Software Engineering; Retail Operations and Management; Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Technician; Technical Support; Technical Writing; and Texas County Corrections Officer Job Task Analysis Report.
In addition to the recognized standards disseminated through the board's Texas Skill Standards Repository, the TSSB also maintains an extensive list of certifications grouped into fifteen industry clusters for use in assessment and credentialing. The clusters are: 1-Agriculture; Forestry, and Fishing; 2-Business and Administrative Services; 3-Construction; 4-Education and Training; 5-Finance and Insurance; 6-Health and Human Services; 7-Manufacturing, Installation, and Repair; 8-Mining; 9-Public Administration, Legal, and Protective Services; 10-Restaurants, Lodging, Hospitality and Tourism, and Amusement and Recreation; 11-Retail Trade, Wholesale Trade, Real Estate, and Personal Services; 12-Scientific and Technical Services; 13-Telecommunications, Computers, Arts and Entertainment, and Information; 14-Transportation; and 15-Utilities and Environmental and Waste Management.
The Texas Skill Standards Board's publication, Guidelines for the Certification and Credentialing of Skill Attainment provides assistance to educators and trainers in the usage of skill standards for curriculum development and provides guidance and policies regarding workforce skill certification and assessment. Another resource provided by the board is a toolkit of resources for the integration of skills standards into technical education curriculum. This collection of resources includes A users Guide: Incorporating Skill Standards into Community and Technical College Curriculum, Training Handbook for WECM-Skill Standards Integration Workshop, and Guidelines for the Certification and Credentialling of Skill Attainment. All of these valuable publications and resources are available for free download from the TSSB's website at .org.
The cornerstone of success for skill standards implementation in Texas has been the tenacity of the Texas Skills Standard Board and the cooperative spirit of all stakeholders. The partnership of industry, education, and TSSB is an example of collaboration at the highest level and more importantly, one that works.
Resources
National Skill Standards Board Institute. .org/
Texas Education Agency, ..us/
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. ..us/teks/
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. ..us/
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (2002, March 15). Workforce Education Course Manual [On-line]. Available: ..us/ctc/ip/wecm2000/
Texas Skill Standards Board, .org/
Texas Skill Standards Board. (2001, May). Guidelines for the Development, Recognition and Usage of Skill Standards - Texas' Framework for Skill Standards [On-line], Available: .org/wwwpages/pdfiles/
Texas Skill Standards Board. (2004, July 12) Guidelines for The Certification and Credentialing of Skill Attainment. [On-line] Available: .org/wwwpages/pdflles/
Texas Workforce Commission, ..us/
JASON L. DAVIS
Texas A&M University-Commerce
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