House Democrats want to give our kids a great start in life, with quality schools that prepare them for a life of learning and we want to give workers access to the education, skills and training needed for the changing workforce.

Workforce Development:

  • This bipartisan package of bills introduced by members of the House Education Committee based on recommendatins from the Select Subcommittee on Technical Education and Career Readiness would ensure the state's workforce is prepared to meet the needs of businesses and workers. 
     
  • Strengthen career and technical education programs to help prepare students and working families for high-skill careers. Funding for this program would allow employers, institutions of higher education and labor organizations to establish public-private partnerships to rant students for the technical skills required for today's jobs. 
     
  • Expand the Pennsylvania Targeted Industry Program (PA-TIP). PATIP provides needs based grants to students looking to work in high demand industries. Pennsylvania must prioritize increasing attainment of education certificates and associate degrees for our working families and their children.
  • Increase working class adults’ access to certificate and associate degree programs by establishing new workforce-ready programs at higher education institutions.
     
  • Bolster local workforce development boards by including administrators of career and technical education centers.
     
  • Improve workforce development efforts regionally by allowing career and technical education programs to establish occupational advisory committees at the IU level to serve multiple school districts and multiple technical education programs.   

Investments in public schools:

  • Expand the State Grant Distance Education Pilot Program (SGDEPP) that was established 5 years ago and will sunset with the 2017-18 Academic Year.

Higher Education:

  • Provide funding to certain institutions of higher education for school-based direct student grants for the purpose of adding and retaining additional students.

Workforce Retention:

  • Establish the PA College Graduate Homeowner Program. This loan program pays off an eligible applicants’ student loans if he or she has incurred debt of at least $1,000 but not more than 15% of the purchase price of the residential dwelling in which he or she intends to purchase. Additional provisions apply.
     
  • Encourage graduates to remain in Pennsylvania and purchase a home. This proposal establishes the First Home Grants for Grads Program for the purpose of providing grants or down payment assistance to residents who have received postsecondary educational degrees.