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• • <br />key elements of governor ARNE H. CARLSONS PLAN <br />FOR CHILDREN AND EDUCATION SERVICES <br />State of the State Address - January 14, 1993 <br />A new Department of Children and Education Services will be created, replacing the existing <br />Department of Education and the Higher Education Coordinating Board and incorporating <br />parts of a number of other state agencies. The new department will have several functions: <br />A Children's Services Division will bring together programs serving children from birth <br />to kindergarten eturoUmenL <br />The new department will be responsible for facilities and finance , standards and <br />assessment, and research and other services relating to education and special education. <br />The department will be responsible for setting educational standards and assessments, <br />developing a benchmark assessment for basic academic skills to be taken at about 10th <br />grade, setting high school graduation sta ndards and dev ’eloping alternative learning <br />methods to ensure that all children master basic academic skills. <br />A Career Preparation Division, focusing on yoimg people from about age 16 to 20, <br />offering them <br />apprenticeships to technical training. <br />A Higher Education Division, focusing on students choosing to participate in higher <br />education. <br />In addition, the plan includes: <br />$10 million in new grants, available to communities who develop collaborative ways to <br />help children and families succeed, and who make a commitment to measuring results <br />for Idds. <br />$5 million for state and local efforts to plan and design a ^stem of youth <br />apprenticeships. <br />Establishing Education and Training Accounts to encourage families to save for toeir <br />children's training and education. About $25 million in state funds would be available to <br /><children in low-inc»me families for accounts to finance their future tra ining . Foundation <br />and business contributions also could be used to enhance savings for education and <br />training for all children. <br />Legislation Umiting the numlwr of hours that young pwple can work if they have not yet <br />completed high school. Exceptions would be allowed in cases of financial hardship. <br />Support for the new Higher Education Board and consolidation of the governance <br />boards of the three higher eduerfion systems by 1995. In addition, exi .sting citizen boards <br />will be retained as advisory bodies to the new department