113 S1293 IS: Building Understanding, Investment, Learning, and Direction Career and Technical Education Act of 2013
U.S. Senate
2013-07-11
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as
the Building Understanding,
Investment, Learning, and Direction Career and Technical Education Act of
2013
or the BUILD Career and Technical Education Act of
2013
.
2.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.
3.Pilot grant
program to support career and technical education exploration program in middle
schools and high schools
(a)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)In
this Act:
(1)Career and
technical education exploration programThe 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)The
term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.
(c)Authorization
of grant program
(1)The Secretary shall award grants to local educational
agencies to support career and technical education exploration programs.
(2)Grants awarded under this Act shall be 2 years in
duration.
(3)District
capacity taken into accountIn 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)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)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)
(1)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 equipmentAny materials or equipment
purchased with grant funds awarded under this Act shall be the property of the
local educational agency.
(3)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)
(1)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)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 departmentA local educational agency that receives a grant
under this Act shall submit evaluations conducted under this subsection to the
Secretary.
(h)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 appropriationsThere are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act $20,000,000.