*This report was replaced in its entirety by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia on June 28, 2024.

SB 1280, passed by the 2023 General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Youngkin, amended the Code of Virginia by adding § 23.1-906.1, relating to public institutions of higher education and internships or work-based learning experiences. § 23.1-906.1 states:

The governing board of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education shall adopt policies requiring that participation in an internship or work-based learning experience be integrated into a student's degree program so as not to extend the time to complete the degree.

SB 1280 directed the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to “convene a work group for the purpose of making recommendations on the development, adoption, and implementation of the policies required pursuant to this act." The workgroup itself was charged to determine whether the “adoption of the policies required by § 23.1-906.1 of the Code of Virginia…is logistically and fiscally viable for each baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, and in the event that such work group makes such determination, [§ 23.1-906.1] shall become effective on July 1, 2025." SB 1280 required further that “the work group shall submit its recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than June 30, 2024."

The workgroup’s report addresses each of the requirements of SB1280, in sections I-VI, as follows:

I. Introduction: describes the task of the workgroup and specifies the higher education institutions subject to § 23.1-906.1; workgroup members are listed in Appendix B.

II. Principles: articulates seven principles that guided the workgroup’s development of recommendations and interpretations required by SB 1280. The workgroup has, insofar as possible, prioritized Principles that support meeting the goals of SB1280 while recognizing variations in the logistical and fiscal viability for each baccalaureate public institution responsible for implementing § 23.1-906.1.

III. Definitions: articulates a definition of work-based learning experiences that reflects definitions utilized by the U.S. Department of Education, Virginia Department of Education and the National Association of Colleges and Employers. In addition, a set of typical characteristics is provided, and a comprehensive set of corollary standards is provided in Appendix C.

IV. Structure for non-degree work-based learning experiences that will enable the development of successful workforce skills: articulates the workgroup’s recommendation on such a structure. The workgroup recommends that rather than a single “structure," what is needed is a multiplicity of approaches, informed in each case by institutional capacity, disciplinary knowledge and norms, and the availability of work-based learning experiences.

V. Credit Applicability: articulates the workgroup’s recommendations on two points related to the granting of credit for work-based learning experiences. The workgroup determined that it would not be feasible to set a universal minimum for work-based hours that would generate college credit. Further, the workgroup determined that it is not advisable to establish a universal maximum number of work-based generated credits.

VI. Exceptions to Board Policies: articulates a set of exceptions to the Board policies mandated by § 23.1-906.1. As a corollary to the recognized exceptions, the workgroup described a comprehensive set of barriers to implementing quality work-based learning experiences.

VII. Conclusion: “Logistical and fiscal viability of required policies for each baccalaureate institution": describes the procedure used by the workgroup to assess the logistical and fiscal viability for each baccalaureate public institution. The workgroup made its recommendations and interpretations in sections II-VI publicly available and solicited each institution’s response. Of 14 responding institutions, eight indicated that the mandate of § 23.1-906.1 would not be viable for them. A summary of major themes from the responses is provided, and the full responses are included in Appendix E. The workgroup’s final determination is that wholesale adoption of the policies required by § 23.1-906.1 is not logistically and fiscally viable for each baccalaureate public institution of higher education.