COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Requires the Board of Regents, Louisiana Works, and other state agencies to develop a publicly available statewide dashboard for career alignment that provides information related to educational and career opportunities. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)
Summary
SB 305 requires the Louisiana Board of Regents, working with Louisiana Works, postsecondary management boards, and other relevant state agencies, to create and maintain a publicly available statewide dashboard or set of dashboards showing how postsecondary degree programs align with workforce outcomes in Louisiana. The dashboard is intended to help students and families understand career outcomes tied to degree programs, help policymakers evaluate whether programs match labor market needs, and help institutions improve program design and relevance to employers.
The bill specifies that the dashboard may include degree completion data, employment outcomes, wages at set intervals after completion, and alignment with high-demand or priority occupations, along with other indicators the Board of Regents deems relevant. It also directs the Board of Regents and Louisiana Works to develop procedures for collecting and analyzing data on work-based learning experiences such as internships, apprenticeships, and cooperative education, including whether those experiences are paid, how long they last, and whether they are part of a registered or credential-aligned program.
Impact
The bill adds new law in Title 17 governing the Board of Regents by creating R.S. 17:3138.2 and adding R.S. 17:3138.13(C). It expands the Board of Regents’ responsibilities to include public reporting on postsecondary workforce outcomes and formal data collection on work-based learning. The measure also authorizes rulemaking and data-sharing agreements, while expressly limiting disclosure of personally identifiable information and preserving institutional autonomy over curriculum and academic programming. The bill is described as having no fiscal impact.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment around SB 305 appears strongly positive and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate 38-0 and the House 94-0, indicating broad bipartisan support and no recorded opposition in either chamber. The bill’s focus on transparency, student information, and workforce alignment likely contributed to its favorable reception.
Contention
There was little to no visible contention in the available record. The main policy sensitivities are privacy and institutional independence: the bill limits disclosure of personally identifiable information, and it states that the dashboard cannot be used to impose performance funding mandates or restrict curriculum autonomy. Those provisions appear designed to address concerns from postsecondary institutions and privacy stakeholders while still allowing the state to collect and publish workforce-outcome data.
Creates the Task Force on Career Alignment to study ways to implement education-to-career counseling to assist public college and university students to obtain employment in Louisiana after graduation.
Requires the Workforce Investment Council to perform an annual return on investment analysis relative to industry-based credentials earned in high school and provides for student data collection and sharing for this purpose (EN NO IMPACT FF EX See Note)
Establishes the High Impact Job Program within Louisiana Economic Development and provides for administration of the program (EN SEE FISC NOTE SD EX See Note)
Requests the state Department of Education, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Board of Regents, and postsecondary education management boards to promote artificial intelligence education for students and to encourage professional development relative to artificial intelligence for faculty and staff
Transfers certain family and support programs from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Louisiana Workforce Commission and renames Louisiana Workforce Commission to Louisiana Works (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)
Education: school districts; certain information on the school district's, intermediate school district's, or public school academy's website; require a school district, an intermediate school district, or a public school academy to post. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1280h.