HB217:

Stem Education Advisory Board; required to review federal occupational categories.

Bill Summary:

Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority's Office of Education and Labor Market Alignment; STEM and Computing (STEM+C); review federal occupational categories; report. Requires the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority's Office of Education and Labor Market Alignment (the Office) to (i) review the occupational categories in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' standard occupational classification system to determine the occupational categories that are not properly captured in the Commonwealth's existing STEM+C workforce profile and the gaps in the Commonwealth's tracking of careers in these occupational categories for the purpose of furthering the Office's efforts to specifically align STEM+C workforce and education and (ii) share its findings with the Virginia Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Advisory Board (the Board) for the purpose of better aligning K-16 education priorities and the Board's tracking and coordination of STEM+C. The bill requires the Office, in conducting such review, to focus on occupational categories that are not currently tracked or categorized by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as STEM+C career fields and to submit its findings and any recommendations to the General Assembly no later than October 1, 2022.