Many initiatives led to the
establishment of the Texas Skill Standards
Board (TSSB). The concept of a skill
standards system was introduced in Texas in
1991 with legislation to establish the
nonprofit Texas Skills Development
Corporation. The purpose of the corporation
was to "convene existing industry groups
and industry associations to ascertain the
skill requirements of occupations in the
Texas work force." (Source: "Developing a
System of Skill Standards and Certification
for the Texas Work Force," Robert Glover,
Center for the Study of Human Resources,
LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT Austin,
January 1993, p. 20 - project conducted
under direction of the Director, Workforce
Development Division, Texas Department of
Commerce.) Although the bill was never
enacted into law, the pursuit of a skill
standards system continued.
In the following year, the Governor
charged the Texas Department of Commerce
with creating a skills development program
to work with business and industry to
establish employability standards. A panel
of business, industry and labor
representatives was convened and issued a
1993 report, entitled "Report to the
Governor: Texas Skills Development
Program". The report included
recommendations for: setting standards for
core (foundation and workplace) skills;
marketing the benefits of skill standards
and certification; establishing a State
Board of Professional and Technical
Standards to distribute industry-validated
curricula and assessments; and instituting
a system to measure and certify achievement
of skills for students and incumbent
workers.
Building on the recommendations
from the Texas Skills Development Program
report, the Tri-Agency Partnership of the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,
the Texas Department of Commerce and the
Texas Education Agency took the lead to
further research key elements of a skill
standards and certification system by
funding the Texas Skill Standards Research
and Communications Project (TSSRCP) for
1995-1996. As part of its charge, the
TSSRCP reviewed national and international
literature on skill standards; surveyed
Texas employers; conducted focus groups
with educators and training providers; and
met with skill standards officials in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico. In their final
1996 report, the TSSRCP identified
strengths and weaknesses of national skill
standards projects, and on systems in use
in other states and countries. Their
recommendations included: a skill standards
system model, adoption of a common
nomenclature and common format for skill
standards.
Legislation
The Tri-Agency Partnership funding
of the TSSRCP dovetailed in 1995 with the
establishment of the TSSB by the 74th Texas
Legislature as part of the workforce
development system. Under House Bill (HB)
1863, the TSSB was charged with the
development of a statewide skill standards
system, as delineated in four specific
mandates. In 1999, the 75th Legislature
amended the original legislation with the
passage of HB 3431.
In 1995, the 74th Texas Legislature
established the Texas Skill Standards Board
(TSSB) as part of the workforce development
system under House Bill 1863. It is an
advisory body to the Governor and
Legislature on the development of a
statewide system of industry-defined and
industry-recognized skill standards for all
major skilled, sub-baccalaureate
occupations that provide strong employment
and earnings opportunities. In 1999, the
75th Legislature amended the TSSB mandates
with the passage of HB 3431. This bill
charged the TSSB with four specific
mandates:
-
validate
and recognize nationally-established
skill standards to guide curriculum
development, training, assessment, and
certification of workforce
skills;
-
convene
industry groups to develop skill
standards and certification procedures
for industries and occupations in which
standards have not been established or
adopted and recognize the skill
standards and certification
procedures;
-
review
standards developed by other states and
nations and enter into agreements for
mutual recognition of standards and
credentials to enhance portability of
skills; and
-
promote the
use of standards and credentials among
employers
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