FAIRMONT — There will be two legislative committee hearings at the state Capitol on Thursday regarding a bill that would provide state aid for students taking vocational classes outside of the regularly scheduled school day.

Fairmont Area Superintendent Joe Brown, vocational Principal Andy Traetow and vocational teacher Bob Bonin plan to testify. Two Fairmont students — junior Anna Nordquist and senior Adam Carstensen — also have been invited to speak.

The Fairmont group has been asked by state Rep. Peggy Bennett to appear before the Education Innovation Policy Committee and the Education Finance Committee.

On Saturday, state Reps. Bob Gunther of Fairmont and Bennett, of Albert Lea, came to Fairmont Jr./Sr. High School to tour the Saturday welding academy.

“They not only toured the welding academy and talked to some of the students and adults who are taking the class, but they also took a tour of the auto shop, agriculture shop, small engine shop and construction trades,” Brown said. “They were very impressed with how comprehensive our vocational program is, but we talked about the need for more skilled workers.”

Just a month ago, Brown sent a letter to state Sen. Gary Dahms, the assistant majority leader, asking to get a sentence added to already existing state law to allow extended time revenue for vocational classes taught outside of the traditional school day.

Right now, schools in Minnesota only generate state aid for students who are there during the regular school day. For any other classes offered on weekends, after school or in the summer, districts take money out of their general funds to pay for it, or they charge students.

“If this bill passes, we would get an extra 20 percent of funding for a student who is taking three additional classes outside of the school day,” explained Brown, adding, “It would allow us to get extended time revenue for any student, so if a student only took one 60-hour class outside of the regular school day, it would generate $445 for that class.

“This would make it possible for us to have multiple classes in the summer, in the evening and on Saturdays. We could do agriculture, family and consumer science, constructions trades, welding and automotive,” Brown said.

He noted that the additional state aid would pay for the teacher, the curriculum and materials used so that schools would not have to charge students. Right now, 11 students from another district are coming to Fairmont on the weekend for the Saturday welding academy, and the district charges their school $250 per student.

Because not every school district has a vocational program, or teachers and students willing to teach or take a class outside of the regular school day, Brown said it will be a fairly inexpensive program for the state.

“We would be able to serve other schools in the region because we have a more comprehensive vocational program. It’s a nice way for kids to come on their own time and learn a skill,” he said.

Brown explained that Fairmont Area is looking at electrical and plumbing classes; at expanding the construction trades program; and building on the welding, agriculture, and family and consumer science programs.

Both the Fairmont students invited to speak Thursday are taking higher-level classes, as well as fine arts classes, so they already have a full schedule, but they also are interested in taking vocational classes. In fact, both are taking the Saturday welding classes.

“My bottom line is, Minnesota needs more skilled workers, so we’re going to need to start training these students early,” Brown said. “We can do this. We can create more skilled workers but we need to do it in the time frame that the kids can do it in.”

Brown said that at the hearing, he will talk about Zierke Built Manufacturing moving to Fairmont, and how it has hired seven students who have graduated from Fairmont in the last two years.

The hope of Brown and others is that the bill will be included in the omnibus education act, though it will probably be about a month until a final decision is made.

“This is a non-political, non-partisan bill,” Brown said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Republican or Democrat. You still need plumbers, electricians, carpenters and welders. This bill could help both rural and urban areas in the state of Minnesota.”