S AMDT 1532

S 1532 IS

To establish partnerships to create or enhance educational and skills development pathways to 21st century careers, and for other purposes.

July 30, 2009

Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Mr. BROWN, and Mr. SANDERS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To establish partnerships to create or enhance educational and skills development pathways to 21st century careers, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the ‘Promoting Innovations to 21st Century Careers Act’.

(b) Table of Contents- The table of contents of this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

Sec. 2. Findings; purposes.

Sec. 3. Definitions.

TITLE I--CAREER PATHWAYS GRANTS

Sec. 101. State partnership planning grants.

Sec. 102. State partnership implementation grants.

Sec. 103. Regional partnership subgrants.

Sec. 104. State partnership transition grants.

TITLE II--CAREER PATHWAYS PARTNERSHIP SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS

Sec. 201. State partnership supplemental grants program authorized.

Sec. 202. Types of supplemental grants.

TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 301. Establishment of the National Academic and Career Innovation Center.

Sec. 302. Accountability and performance measurement.

Sec. 303. Evaluation and research.

Sec. 304. Benefits and labor standards.

Sec. 305. Sunshine provision.

Sec. 306. Authorization of appropriations and distribution.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

(a) Findings- Congress finds the following:

(1) A highly skilled and agile workforce is necessary to compete in the global economy and maintain the standard of living of the United States.

(2) According to a 2006 report by Civic Enterprises for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nearly one-third of all public high school students in the United States do not graduate, and in 2003, 3,500,000 youth ages 16 to 25 did not have a high school diploma and were not enrolled in school.

(3) According to the Congressional Research Service’s analysis of data from the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2002-2003 (the most recent year for which all necessary data were reported by all States) more than 25 percent of first-year high school students in the United States did not receive their diploma on time. By age 24, more than 1 in 10 individuals do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

(4) High school dropouts have a high social cost. According to a 2006 report by Civic Enterprises for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 4 out of 10 young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 lacking a high school diploma received some type of government assistance in 2001, and the lifetime cost to the United States of a dropout who enters a life of crime or drugs ranges from $1,700,000 to $2,300,000.

(5) According to the National Center for Education Statistics, measuring economic outcomes as of 2000, students completing high school in 4 years had, on average, higher wage rates and annual earnings than those who took longer to complete a high school credential. High school dropouts, on average, earn about $1,000,000 less over a lifetime than college graduates.

(6) By some estimates, less than half of students who enter 9th grade graduate from high school and enter postsecondary education, and for those who do, many are not academically prepared. Twenty-eight percent of first-time college freshman in fall 2000 took at least 1 remedial course. Forty-two percent of first-time community college freshman took at least 1 remedial course.

(7) According to the Education Commission of the States, nearly 60 percent of today’s jobs require some training or education beyond high school, compared to just 20 percent in the 1940s.

(8) According to a 2003 report for the Educational Testing Service, the fastest-growing and best-paying jobs are those that require some college education. As baby-boomers retire, however, the shortage of workers with some college-level skills may increase to more than 14,000,000 by 2020.

(9) According to the findings of a 2006 study conducted by the American College Testing Program (ACT), the skills required for high school students to be ready to successfully enter postsecondary education and to enter workforce training programs are comparable. The report found that high school graduates need a comparable level of readiness in reading and mathematics to enter college-level courses without remediation and to enter workforce training programs in jobs that are likely to offer family-supporting wages and the potential for career advancement.

(10) According to a 2003 report for the Educational Testing Service, about 40 percent of American adults do not have skills typical of those with some college, but the fastest job growth will occur in those jobs in which incumbent workers currently have skill levels reflecting at least some postsecondary education.

(11) Increases in a country’s overall level of educational attainment leads to increases in its overall rate of economic growth. According to a 2003 report for the Educational Testing Service, increasing a country’s average level of schooling by only 1 year can increase economic growth by about 5 to 15 percent.

(b) Purposes- The purposes of this Act are--

(1) to increase the graduation rate of students from high school;

(2) to increase the number of high school students prepared with 21st century skills for college-level work and workforce development after graduation from secondary school;

(3) to improve the long-term labor market prospects for young people;

(4) to establish State and regional partnerships among education, business, labor, and workforce and economic development leaders for the purposes of--

(A) creating or enhancing educational pathways for high school students to postsecondary education, including registered apprenticeship programs, and to 21st century careers;

(B) aligning the requirements for successfully exiting secondary education and entering postsecondary education and workforce development; and

(C) developing a coherent vision for community development that complements and coordinates ongoing and new efforts in education and workforce and economic development;

(5) to increase the use of industry-based skill standards, such as those certifications developed by the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills; and

(6) to increase the number of highly skilled and agile workers available to employers, particularly in high skill, high demand industries.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) AT-RISK YOUTH- The term ‘at-risk youth’ means a high school student who--

(A) is economically disadvantaged, as determined by the student being--

(i) eligible for free or reduced price lunch under the Richard B Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);

(ii) eligible to receive medical assistance under the State Medicaid program established under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); or

(iii) a member of a family receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);

(B) is at risk for academic failure;

(C) is a student with disabilities;

(D) is a student who is a homeless child or youth, as defined in section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a);

(E) is a migrant student or a student with limited English proficiency;

(F) is a youth offender; or

(G) is in foster care or is aging out of the foster care system.

(2) BOARD- The term ‘Board’ means the National Academic and Career Innovation Center Board established under section 301(d).

(3) CAREER PATHWAY- The term ‘career pathway’ means a rigorous, engaging, and high-quality set of courses and services that--

(A) includes an articulated sequence of academic and career courses, including 21st century skills;

(B) is aligned with the needs of high skill, high demand industries in a region or State;

(C) prepares students for entry into the full range of postsecondary education options, including registered apprenticeships, and careers;

(D) provides academic and career counseling in student-to-counselor ratios that allow students to make informed decisions about academic and career options;

(E) meets State academic standards, State requirements for secondary school graduation and is aligned with requirements for entry into postsecondary education, and applicable industry standards; and

(F) leads to 2 or more credentials, including--

(i) a secondary school diploma; and

(ii) a postsecondary degree, an apprenticeship or other occupational certification, a certificate, or a license.

(4) CENTER- The term ‘Center’ means the National Academic and Career Innovation Center established under section 301.

(5) DIRECTOR- The term ‘Director’ means the Director of the National Academic and Career Innovation Center.

(6) DROPOUT RECOVERY- The term ‘dropout recovery’ means a wide range of effective efforts to provide former high school students who did not graduate from secondary school in a standard number of years with an opportunity to earn a secondary school diploma and continue onto postsecondary education.

(7) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT- The term ‘high school student’ means a student who is enrolled in a public secondary school--

(A) in one of grades 9 through 12; or

(B) in the case of a student enrolled in a secondary school approved by a State to issue a regular diploma concurrently with a postsecondary degree or with not more than 2 years’ worth of postsecondary academic credit, in grade 13.

(8) HIGH SKILL, HIGH DEMAND INDUSTRY-

(A) IN GENERAL- The term ‘high skill, high demand industry’ means an industry that--

(i) has a significant current or potential impact on the regional economy overall;

(ii) brings net dollars into a region or is critical to attracting and sustaining businesses within the industry;

(iii) stimulates the growth of other supporting businesses, or the growth of other industries or economic sectors within the region;

(iv) provides workers with competitive and family-supporting wages and benefits that increase the strength and vitality of the entire regional economy; and

(v) provides opportunities for career advancement.

(B) DETERMINATION- The determination of whether an industry is a high skill, high demand industry shall be made using State or regional business and labor market projections and an analysis of real time data derived from labor market transactions.

(9) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

(10) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY- The term ‘local educational agency’ has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

(11) ONE-STOP CENTER- The term ‘one-stop center’ means a one-stop center described in section 134(c) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2864(c)).

(12) PATHWAYS GRANTS- The term ‘pathways grants’ means the grants authorized under title I (excluding section 103) and title II.

(13) POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION- The term ‘postsecondary education’ means--

(A) not less than a 1-year program of instruction offered by an institution of higher education that is acceptable for credit toward an associate or a baccalaureate degree; or

(B) a certificate or registered apprenticeship program at the postsecondary level offered by an institution of higher education or a nonprofit educational institution.

(14) REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP- The term ‘regional partnership’ means a regional pathways partnership receiving funds under section 103.

(15) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM- The term ‘registered apprenticeship program’ means an industry skills training program at the postsecondary level that combines technical and theoretical training through structured on-the-job learning with related instruction (in classrooms or through distance learning) while an individual is employed, working under the direction of qualified personnel or a mentor, and earning incremental wage increases aligned to enhanced job proficiency, resulting in the acquisition of a nationally recognized and portable certificate, under a plan approved by the Office of Apprenticeship or a State agency recognized by the Department of Labor.

(16) SECONDARY SCHOOL- The term ‘secondary school’ has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

(17) STATE- The term ‘State’ means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(18) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY- The term ‘State educational agency’ has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

(19) STATE P-16 OR P-20 COUNCIL- The term ‘State P-16 or P-20 Council’ means a body of public officials and public and private sector leaders that--

(A) is established by a State executive order, statute, or voluntary agreement and may be regularly chaired or co-chaired by the Governor of the State;

(B) sets formal, aligned expectations for a seamless system of education from the earliest years of a child’s development through the kindergarten through grade 12 system and into and through postsecondary education;

(C) acts as a venue for collaboration across early learning, including preschool (the ‘P’) through the first 4 years of higher education (the ‘16’) or through doctoral and professional schools (the ‘20’); and

(D) receives State, foundation, business, or other funding to carry out the body’s agenda.

(20) STATE PARTNERSHIP- The term ‘State partnership’ means a State pathways partnership as established or appointed under section 101(b)(1).

(21) STATE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD- The term ‘State Workforce Investment Board’ has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801).

(22) WORK-BASED EXPERIENCE- The term ‘work-based experience’ means an activity for high school students, postsecondary students, or teachers that provides career knowledge, skills, and abilities, including job-shadowing and internships.

TITLE I--CAREER PATHWAYS GRANTS