[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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