[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4782 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4782
To establish a pilot grant program to support career and technical
education exploration programs in middle schools and high schools.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 30, 2014
Mr. Schrader (for himself, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr.
Heck of Washington, and Mr. Veasey) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a pilot grant program to support career and technical
education exploration programs in middle schools and high schools.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Building Understanding, Investment,
Learning, and Direction Career and Technical Education Act of 2014'' or
the ``BUILD Career and Technical Education Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The average high school graduation rate for students
concentrating in career and technical education programs is
91.8 percent.
(2) Career and technical education concentrators improved
their 12th grade National Assessment of Educational Progress
scores by 8 points in reading and 11 in mathematics, while
students who took no career and technical education courses did
not increase their mathematics scores and only increased
reading by 4 points.
(3) Students at schools with highly integrated rigorous
academic and career and technical education programs have
significantly higher achievement in reading, mathematics, and
science than do students at schools with less integrated
programs.
(4) Four out of 5 graduates of secondary-level career or
technical education programs who pursued postsecondary
education after secondary school had earned a credential or
were still enrolled in postsecondary education 2 years later.
(5) Students who have participated in skills-training
programs see increased wages and earnings, have a higher
probability and consistency of employment, and work in higher-
quality jobs.
SEC. 3. PILOT GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
EXPLORATION PROGRAM IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
(1) To provide students with opportunities to participate
in career and technical education exploration programs and to
provide information on available career and technical education
programs and their impact on college and career readiness.
(2) To expand professional growth of, and career
opportunities for, students through career and technical
education exploration programs.
(3) To enhance collaboration between education providers
and employers.
(4) To develop or enhance career and technical education
exploration programs with ties to a career and technical
education program of study.
(5) To evaluate students' participation in coordinated
middle school and high school career and technical education
exploration programs.
(b) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Career and technical education exploration program.--
The term ``career and technical education exploration program''
means a course or series of courses that provides experiential
learning opportunities in 1 or more programs of study
(including after school and during the summer), as appropriate,
and the opportunity to connect experiential learning to
education and career pathways that is offered to middle school
students or high school students, or both.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(c) Authorization of Grant Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to local
educational agencies to support career and technical education
exploration programs.
(2) Grant duration.--Grants awarded under this Act shall be
2 years in duration.
(3) District capacity taken into account.--In awarding
grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into
account the resources and capacity of each local educational
agency that applies for a grant.
(d) Applications.--A local educational agency that desires to
receive a grant under this Act shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Secretary may require.
(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this Act, the Secretary
shall give priority to grant proposals that--
(1) demonstrate--
(A) that a partnership among the local educational
agency and business, industry, labor, or institutions
of higher education, where appropriate to the grant
project, exists and will participate in carrying out
grant activities under this Act;
(B) innovative and sustainable design;
(C) a curriculum aligned with State diploma
requirements;
(D) a focus on preparing students, including
special populations and nontraditional students, with
opportunities to explore careers and skills required
for jobs in their State and that provide high wages and
are in demand;
(E) a method of evaluating success; and
(F) that the programs to be assisted with grant
funds are not receiving assistance under the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20
U.S.C. 2301 et seq.); and
(2) include an assurance that--
(A) the local educational agency will fund the
operational costs of the activities described in this
Act after the grant period expires; and
(B) if the local educational agency charges a fee
to participate in the after school and summer
components of the career and technical education
exploration program to be carried out by the agency,
the agency will implement such fee on a sliding scale
according to income and established in a manner that
makes participation financially feasible for all
students.
(f) Uses of Funds.--
(1) In general.--A local educational agency that receives a
grant under this Act shall use the grant funds to carry out any
of the following:
(A) Leasing, purchasing, upgrading, or adapting
equipment related to the content of career and
technical education exploration program activities.
(B) Program director, instructor, or other staff
expenses to coordinate or implement program activities.
(C) Consultation services with a direct alignment
to the program goals.
(D) Support of professional development programs
aligned to the program goals.
(E) Minor remodeling, if any, necessary to
accommodate new equipment obtained pursuant to
subparagraph (A).
(F) Evaluating the access to career and technical
education exploration programs and the impact such
programs have on the transition to career and technical
programs of study (as described in section 122(c)(1)(A)
of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education
Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2342(c)(1)(A))), or other
postsecondary programs of study, high school
completion, and the number of students who earn an
industry-recognized credential, associate's degree,
bachelor's degree, or other career and technical
education related postsecondary credit in addition to a
high school diploma.
(2) Use and ownership of materials or equipment.--Any
materials or equipment purchased with grant funds awarded under
this Act shall be the property of the local educational agency.
(3) Administrative costs.--A local educational agency that
receives a grant under this Act may use not more than 5 percent
of the grant funds for administrative costs associated with
carrying out activities under this Act.
(g) Evaluations.--
(1) In general.--A local educational agency that receives a
grant under this Act shall develop an evaluation plan of grant
activities that shall include an evaluation of specific
outcomes, described in paragraph (2), and progress toward
meeting such outcomes within the timeline of the grant that
shall be measurable through collection of appropriate data or
documented through other records. Such evaluation shall reflect
the resources and capacity of the local educational agency.
(2) Outcomes.--The specific outcomes shall clearly address
the following areas:
(A) The extent of student participation in career
and technical education exploration programs.
(B) Improved rigor in technical or academic content
aligned to diploma requirements and industry recognized
technical standards.
(C) Improved alignment between career and technical
education and other courses, including core academic
subjects.
(D) The impact such programs have on the transition
to career and technical programs of study (as described
in section 122(c)(1)(A) of the Carl D. Perkins Career
and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C.
2342(c)(1)(A))) and other postsecondary programs of
study.
(3) Submission to the department.--A local educational
agency that receives a grant under this Act shall submit
evaluations conducted under this subsection to the Secretary.
(h) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds received under this Act shall
be used to supplement, and not supplant, funds that would otherwise be
used for activities authorized under this Act.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act $20,000,000.
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