(A) As used in this section:

1. (1) "Ohio career-technical associations" includes all of the following:

   1. (a) The Ohio association of career and technical education;
   2. (b) The Ohio association of career-technical superintendents;
   3. (c) The Ohio association of comprehensive and compact career-technical schools.
2. (2) "Other public school" has the same meaning as in section 3301.0711 of the Revised Code.
3. (3) "State agency" has the same meaning as in section 1.60 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than July 1, 2021, the governor's office of workforce transformation, the department of education, and the chancellor of higher education, in consultation with Ohio career-technical associations and other appropriate stakeholders, shall develop model guidance for maintaining a statewide inventory of industry-recognized credentials. The guidance shall address the following:

1. (1) Methods for state agencies to efficiently and effectively organize the different categories of industry-recognized credentials in a manner that allows students, school districts, other public schools, chartered nonpublic schools, and institutions of higher education to easily understand available credentialing options, based on the unique circumstances of each individual student;
2. (2) The potential creation of a centralized, inter-agency database of information on all industry-recognized credentials that is accessible to the public;
3. (3) Methods to streamline the process to add career-technical programs to the various approved credentialing lists;
4. (4) Methods to increase transparency in the approval process for industry-recognized credentials.