(a) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 9-12 as a corequisite course for students participating in a coherent sequence of career and technical education courses in the Business Management and Administration Career Cluster. This course provides an enhancement opportunity for students to develop the additional skills necessary to pursue industry certification. Corequisite: any course in the Business Management and Administration Career Cluster. Recommended corequisite: Business Information Management I or Business Information Management II. This course must be taken concurrently with a corequisite course from the Business Management and Administration Career Cluster and may not be taken as a stand-alone course. Districts are encouraged to offer this lab in a consecutive block with the corequisite course to allow students sufficient time to master the content of both courses. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course.     
      (b) Introduction.      
        (1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education and succeed in current or emerging professions.       
        (2) The Business Management and Administration Career Cluster focuses on careers in planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating business functions essential to efficient and productive business operations.       
        (3) Business Lab is designed to provide students an opportunity to further enhance skills of previously studied knowledge and skills and may be used as an extension of Business Information Management I or Business Information Management II; it is a recommended corequisite course, and may not be offered as a stand-alone course. Students implement personal and interpersonal skills to strengthen individual performance in the workplace and in society and to make a successful transition to the workforce or postsecondary education. Students apply technical skills to address business applications of emerging technologies. Students develop a foundation in the economical, financial, technological, international, social, and ethical aspects of business to become competent consumers, employees, and entrepreneurs. Students enhance reading, writing, computing, communication, and reasoning skills and apply them to the business environment. Students incorporate a broad base of knowledge that includes the legal, managerial, marketing, financial, ethical, and international dimensions of business to make appropriate business decisions.       
        (4) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.       
        (5) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those that contain the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative samples.       
      (c) Knowledge and skills.      
        (1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills required by business and industry. The student is expected to:                  (A) communicate effectively with others using oral and written skills;                   (B) demonstrate collaboration skills through teamwork;                   (C) demonstrate professionalism by conducting oneself in a manner appropriate for the profession and workplace;                   (D) demonstrate a positive, productive work ethic by performing assigned tasks as directed;                   (E) comply with all applicable rules, laws, and regulations;                   (F) demonstrate time-management skills by prioritizing tasks, following schedules, and tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely and optimizes efficiency and results; and                   (G) pursue appropriate licensing, certification, and/or credentialing requirements relevant to the business field.         
        (2) The student develops an elevated aptitude for the essential skills listed for the recommended corequisite course(s). The student is expected to:                  (A) demonstrate deeper understanding of related course requirements;                   (B) develop mastery of hands-on skills at an industry accepted standard; and                   (C) exhibit progress toward achieving industry recognized documentation of specific expertise in a business field or skill.         
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §130.138 adopted to be effective August 28, 2017, 40 TexReg 6601