Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Work Based Learning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tennessee board hears plan for a statewide work‑based learning quality framework and pilot
Summary
Department staff presented a work‑based learning continuum, participation metrics (over 30,000 students, 51,000+ credits, average 14.4 hours/week), and proposed a 2026‑27 pilot to evaluate a quality framework and employer resources to scale effective placements.
Matthew Spinella, director of workforce partnerships and experiences at the Tennessee Department of Education, told the State Board that work‑based learning (WBL) is a statutory continuum that spans career awareness through immersive, credit‑bearing experiences and can be in‑person or virtual, paid or unpaid. Spinella cited federal and state definitions and referenced Tennessee code in his overview.
Spinella gave participation metrics for the most recent reported year: more than 30,000 students enrolled in WBL courses, more than 51,000 credits earned across those students, and an average of 14.4 hours per week invested by students across credits. He noted the statutory limit allowing up to six WBL credits in a school year (statute cited by number during the presentation).
On outcomes, Spinella summarized a longitudinal study from the Department of Finance and Administration’s Office of Evidence and Impact showing that students who participated in WBL were about 25% more likely to enroll in postsecondary education, had a 12% higher postsecondary completion rate, and an 11% higher median wage six years after graduation compared with peers who did not participate.
Spinella identified employer partnerships (Valmont Industries highlighted) and a proposed 'earned clinical pathways' pilot that would provide stipends for students who pursue unpaid clinical placements (for example, CNA clinicals) to reduce financial barriers to credential attainment. He said the department is developing employer‑facing resources and a data collection system to pilot a quality evaluation tool in 2026‑27 before statewide scaling.
Board members asked about engaging major incoming employers (AI and manufacturing) and whether WBL can include professional placements beyond technical and community college pathways; Spinella said coordinated interagency work with Economic and Community Development and the Department of Labor directs outreach to major employers and that WBL placements include a broad range of pathways.
