[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18819-18820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9973]
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NATIONAL SKILL STANDARDS BOARD
Request for Comments; Notice of Public Hearing
The National Skill Standards Board (NSSB) announces a public
hearing to stimulate public dialogue on key issues relevant to the
decision-making of the NSSB, and notifies the public of the date,
location, and time of the hearing. This public hearing will solicit the
public's views on the NSSB's proposed criteria necessary to receive
NSSB recognition as a Voluntary Partnership, the entity that will
develop skill standards systems in accordance with the 1994 National
Skill Standards Act. The NSSB's proposed criteria cover: roles and
governance of a Voluntary Partnership' voting leadership; and diversity
requirements.
DATE AND ADDRESS:
Hearing Date and Address
Monday, May 12, 1997, Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey
Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20001, (202) 737-1234.
Comment Date for Public Hearing
Comments and notices of intent to present oral statements at the
hearing must be received 5 business days before the hearing by the NSSB
Public Hearing Coordinator at the address below.
Written comments may be submitted through the hearing date, May 12,
to the National Skill Standards Board office. The requirements for the
comments are set forth in the ``Additional Information'' section below.
TO SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY OR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NSSB
Public Hearing Coordinator, National Skill Standards Board, 1441 L
Street, NW, Suite 9000, Washington, DC 20005-3512, (202)-254-8628
(voice) (202)-254-8646 (fax).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Form of Public Comment
The hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. and adjourn at 3:00 p.m. To
assist the NSSB in scheduling speakers, the written notice of intent to
present oral comments should include the following information: 1) the
name, address, and telephone number of each person to appear; 2) title
and affiliation; and 3) the specific questions, issues or concerns that
will be addressed.
Individuals who do not register in advance will be permitted to
register and speak, if time permits, in order of registration. Speakers
should limit their oral remarks to no more than 10 minutes. Although it
is anticipated that all persons desiring to speak will have an
opportunity to do so, time limits may not allow this to occur. However,
all written statements will be accepted and incorporated into the
public record. The proceedings will be audit-taped and transcribed.
Meeting Procedure
Members of the National Skill Standards Board will comprise the
hearing panel. A designated member of the NSSB will preside at the
hearing. The Presiding Board Member will:
(1) Regulate the course of the meeting, including the order of
appearance of persons presenting oral statements;
(2) Dispose of procedural matters; and
(3) Limit the presentations to matters pertinent to the issues
raised in this notice.
Background: National Skill Standards Board
The National Skill Standards Board was created by The National
Skill Standards Act of 1994 (108 Stat 192,20 U.S.C. 5933), signed into
law by President Clinton on March 31, 1994. The Board's purpose as
stated in the Act is ``to serve as a catalyst in stimulating the
development and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill
standards and of assessment and certification of attainment of skill
standards: (1) that will serve as a cornerstone of the national
strategy to enhance workforce skills; (2) that will result in increased
productivity, economic growth, and American economic competitiveness;
and (3) that can be used consistent with civil rights laws'' by the
stakeholders enumerated in the Act: the nation, industries, employers,
labor organizations, workers, students, entry-level workers, training
providers, educators and government.
This hearing is one in a series of activities conducted by the NSSB
to engage in extensive public consultation as it deliberates the
creation of a national voluntary skill standards system. At prior
public hearings held in 1996 at numerous locations throughout the
country, the Board gathered input from employers, professional
associations, trade associations, unions, educators, parents, community
organizations, state government agencies, and others. Their views
provided a framework for the Board's development of a voluntary system
of skill standards. The National Skill Standards Board will continue to
develop its policies and approaches by sharing its preliminary thinking
with the public before the Board's final adoption of policies.
The Board also published in the December 19, 1996 Federal Register
its Proposal to Establish a Voluntary National Skill Standard System
and requested comments from the public. The Proposal described the
grouping of jobs for the purpose of creating skill standards, as
required by the National Skill Standards Act, and the framework to
guide the establishment of a skill standards system.
Background: Voluntary Partnerships
To create these skill standards, the enabling legislation charges
the NSSB with the encouragement of the establishment of voluntary
Partnerships within each cluster. These Voluntary Partnerships will
establish the
[[Page 18820]]
standards, subject to NSSB approval, for basic skill certificates. They
will also review and endorse the standards for specialty certificates
established for more narrowly defined occupations within the
occupational cluster by groups other than the voluntary Partnership.
The enabling legislation requires representation of all key
stakeholders groups as described herein:
Excerpted from the National Skill Standards Act of 1994
Establishment of Voluntary Partnerships to Develop Standards.--
(1) In General--For each of the occupational clusters identified
pursuant to subsection (a), the National Board shall encourage and
facilitate the establishment of voluntary partnerships to develop a
skill standards system in accordance with subsection (d).
(2) Representatives--Such voluntary partnerships shall include the
full and balanced participation of--
(A)(i) representatives of business (including representatives of
large employers and representatives of small employers) who have
expertise in the area of workforce skill requirements, and who are
recommended by national business organizations or trade associations
representing employers in the occupation or industry for which a
standard is being developed; and
(ii) representatives of trade associations that have received
grants from the Department of Labor or the Department of Education to
establish skill standards prior to the date of enactment of this title;
(B) employee representatives who have expertise in the area of
workforce skill requirements and who shall be--
(i) individuals recommended by recognized national labor
organizations representing employees in the occupation or industry for
which a standard is being developed; and
(ii) such other individuals who are nonmanagerial employees with
significant experience and tenure in such occupation or industry as are
appropriate given the nature and structure of employment in the
occupation or industry;
(C) representatives of--
(i) educational institutions;
(ii) community-based organizations;
(iii) State and local agencies with administrative control or
direction over education, vocational-technical education, or employment
and training;
(iv) other policy development organizations with expertise in the
area of workforce skill requirements; and
(v) non-governmental organizations with a demonstrated history of
successfully protecting the rights of racial, ethnic, or religious
minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, or older persons; and
(D) individuals with expertise in measurement and assessment,
including relevant experience in designing unbiased assessments and
performance-based assessments.
(3) Experts--The partnerships described in paragraph (1) may also
include such other individuals who are independent, qualified experts
in their fields.
The NSSB Proposed Criteria in Addition to Statutory Criteria Necessary
for Recognition as a Voluntary Partnership
The NSSB proposes that there will be two levels of participation in
the Voluntary Partnerships; (1) general membership; and (2) voting
membership.
General membership will be open to all individuals interested in
participating in the discussion and receiving communications about the
development of a voluntary skill standards system for the cluster.
Representatives from the trade associations that have received grants
from the Department of Labor or the Department of Education to
establish skill standards prior to the date of enactment of the
National Skill Standards Act of 1994 are specifically invited to
participate at this level, and may participate in the voting membership
as well.
Voting membership will be determined by the general membership
through a democratic process. The voting membership will make decisions
regarding the cluster's skill standards systems. The voting leadership
must reflect, to the extent possible, the criteria defined below.
The NSSB mission statement indicates that ``voluntary skill
standards will be developed by industry in full partnership with
education, labor and community stakeholders.'' The NSSB expects that,
in keeping with its mission statement, the Voluntary Partnerships will
demonstrate employer leadership, but will make every effort to include
equal numbers from each of the following three broadly defined groups
of stakeholders in the voting leadership:
(1) Employer representatives from large, medium, small companies,
public and private employers, and trade associations.
(2) Worker representatives from recognized national labor
organizations and expert workers who are representatives of employee
associations.
(3) Community representatives from education and training
institutions, community-based organizations, relevant state and local
agencies, other policy development organizations with expertise in the
area of workforce skill requirements, individuals with expertise in
measurement and assessment, and non-governmental organizations with a
demonstrated history of successfully protecting the rights of women,
individuals with disabilities, older persons, and racial, ethnic or
religious minorities.
Specific representation from community members and institutions
will be determined as is logical for the cluster, e.g. if training is
primarily delivered in community and career colleges, then
representation should include individuals from that community.
The voting members of the Voluntary Partnerships shall also, to the
extent feasible, be geographically representative of the United States
and reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the United
States.
A copy of the authorizing legislation will be available at the
hearing. Interested parties may access a copy on the National Skill
Standards Board web site, www.nssb.org or call (202) 254-8628 to
request a copy.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 14th day of April, 1997.
Edie West,
Executive Director, National Skill Standards Board.
[FR Doc. 97-9973 Filed 4-16-97; 8:45 am]
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