A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to enact the North carolina MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND north carolina EMPLOYER WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE ACT.
Whereas, North Carolina must continue to decrease its dropout rate by motivating students to stay in school; and
Whereas, modern technology linking students to career paths is an effective means of encouraging students to stay in school; and
Whereas, all students, especially disadvantaged students, gain encouragement to stay in school when they make the connection between their life prospects and their education; and
Whereas, workforce development is a critical objective for North Carolina whereby employers benefit from students learning in school to acquire the knowledge and skills they will need; and
Whereas, all citizens benefit when students find fulfilling careers where they can contribute to society; and
Whereas, the focus and strength of Futures for Kids is career exploration for sixth through twelfth graders utilizing modern technology by providing an unassisted self‑guided career assessment tool, helping career counselors leverage their time and resources so they can reach all of our students, and creating an interactive system utilized by students, teachers, businesses, and parents; and
Whereas, Futures for Kids is currently implemented in over 900 middle and high schools across North Carolina involving over 500,000 students, 7,500 educators in 74 local school administrative units, and more than 1,000 employers and career coach mentors statewide, and is proving to be successful; and
Whereas, many schools should have an opportunity to participate in Futures for Kids program and their students would benefit from such additional career exploration; and
Whereas, North Carolina's business community has been highly supportive of Futures for Kids; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 2013‑2014 fiscal year for the Futures for Kids program. These funds shall be used for equipment, staff development, and other costs of the implementation and maintenance of the program by Futures for Kids, Inc.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2013.