Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 13.2 of Title 22.1 a section numbered 22.1-253.13:11 as follows:

§22.1-253.13:11. College and Career Readiness Steering Committee.

A. The Secretary of Education shall establish the College and Career Readiness Steering Committee (the Committee). The Committee shall consist of 21 members as follows: (i) four members of the Virginia House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; (ii) three members of the Virginia Senate, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; (iii) seven nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor, consisting of one division superintendent, two representatives of the business community in the Commonwealth, two representatives of community or nonprofit organizations in the Commonwealth, and two members of civil rights organizations in the Commonwealth; and (iv) seven ex officio members, or their designees, who shall serve with voting privileges, consisting of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the President of the Board of Education, the Secretary of Education, the Chief Workforce Advisor to the Governor, the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, the Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Legislative members and nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for terms of two years. An affirmative vote by a majority of the legislative members in attendance and a majority of nonlegislative members in attendance shall be required for the Committee to adopt any recommendations.

B. The Committee shall:

1. Develop and oversee implementation of a strategic plan for ensuring that all students in the Commonwealth, and particularly subgroups of students who have been historically underserved, graduate from high school (i) meeting the requirements for an advanced studies diploma; (ii) having had the opportunity to participate and succeed in pathways that integrate rigorous academic instruction aligned with the Standards of Learning, including career and technical education, work-based learning, wraparound services, and opportunities to earn credit for postsecondary education while enrolled in high school; and (iii) having had a high school experience that is aligned with expectations for postsecondary education and employer demand;

2. Provide the Governor and the General Assembly with recommendations for achieving the objectives described in subdivision 1, including:

a. Increasing opportunities for all high school students, including subgroups of high school students who have been historically underserved such as students of color, low-income students, and students with disabilities, to participate in a paid internship or other work experience in a regional or statewide high-demand field;

b. Increasing opportunities for all high school students, including subgroups of high school students who have been historically underserved such as students of color, low-income students, and students with disabilities, to enroll and succeed in advanced courses, including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and dual enrollment courses and the courses necessary to graduate with an advanced studies diploma; and

c. Making the advanced studies diploma the default diploma for high school students in the Commonwealth;

3. Review the policies of existing statewide programs and make recommendations on actions that should be taken by the Commonwealth to align elementary and secondary education, higher education, and workforce development programs in the Commonwealth;

4. Provide guidance and leadership to agency staff involved in implementing policy relevant to the strategic plan and recommendations set forth in this subsection;

5. Set and track annual goals for implementing the strategic plan and recommendations set forth in this subsection; and

6. Assist in convening stakeholders and increasing participation in activities that will support the implementation of the strategic plan and recommendations set forth in this subsection.