[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 178 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 178
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to
authorize a connecting education and emerging professions demonstration
grant program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 8, 2009
Mr. Feingold introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to
authorize a connecting education and emerging professions demonstration
grant program.
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 ``Connecting Education and Emerging
Professions Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The majority of secondary school students in the United
States receive some career-related instruction before
graduation, and about half of secondary school students have a
strong career-related component to their educational programs.
(2) A gap still remains between what students are learning
in school and the knowledge required to succeed in the current
labor market.
(3) Employers in various economic sectors, including
technology, manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and
others, report difficulty in identifying qualified candidates
for skilled positions.
(4) A survey of more than 400 employers nationwide found
that nearly half were dissatisfied with the overall preparation
of secondary school graduates.
(5) Almost 40 percent of secondary school graduates report
feeling unprepared for the workplace or postsecondary
education.
(6) In order for companies in the United States to be
competitive in a global economy, the United States must have a
highly skilled workforce.
(7) Adequate preparation on the secondary school level can
help prepare students to enter high-demand fields in need of
skilled workers.
(8) Collaboration between businesses, industries, and
education leaders can help determine how best to prepare
students for workforce success.
(9) Career-related experiences during secondary education,
such as apprenticeships, are associated with positive labor
market outcomes for students.
(10) The United States has a secondary school graduation
rate of 70 percent, and approximately one-third of students
entering secondary school will not graduate on time.
(11) Minority and low socioeconomic status students have
significantly lower secondary school graduation rates.
(12) Disengagement from classroom instruction contributes
to student decisions to drop out of school.
(13) Studies indicate a link between career-oriented models
of secondary education, secondary school dropout rate
reduction, and higher earning potential for secondary school
graduates.
(14) Studies suggest that academic lessons taught in a work
context or an applied manner can improve some students' ability
to comprehend and retain information.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) foster improved collaboration among secondary schools,
State, regional, and local businesses, institutions of higher
education, industry, workforce development organizations, labor
organizations, and other nonprofit community organizations to
identify emerging industry pathways, as well as the academic
skills necessary to improve student success in the workforce or
postsecondary education;
(2) address industry and postsecondary education needs for
a prepared and skilled workforce;
(3) improve the potential for economic and employment
growth in covered communities; and
(4) help address the dropout crisis in the United States by
involving students in a collaborative curriculum or program
development process related to emerging industry pathways to
improve student engagement and attendance in secondary school.
SEC. 3. CONNECTING EDUCATION AND EMERGING PROFESSIONS DEMONSTRATION
GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Authorization.--Part D of title V of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``Subpart 22--Connecting Education and Emerging Professions
Demonstration Grant Program
``SEC. 5621. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subpart:
``(1) Covered community.--The term `covered community'
means a town, city, community, region, or State that has--
``(A) experienced a significant percentage job loss
in the 5 years prior to the date of enactment of this
subpart or is projected to experience a significant
percentage job loss within 5 years after the date of
enactment of this subpart; or
``(B) an unemployment rate that has increased in
the 12 months prior to the date of enactment of this
subpart.
``(2) Eligible partnership.--The term `eligible
partnership' means a partnership that includes--
``(A) a State educational agency, a consortium of
local educational agencies, or a local educational
agency that collaborates with--
``(i) a State, regional, or local business,
including a small business, that serves a
covered community in which a qualifying school
is located; or
``(ii) a regional workforce investment
board that serves a covered community in which
a qualifying school is located; and
``(B) at least one of the following entities:
``(i) An institution of higher education
that provides a 4-year program of instruction.
``(ii) An accredited community college.
``(iii) An accredited career or technical
school or college.
``(iv) A tribal college or university.
``(v) A nonprofit community organization.
``(vi) A labor organization.
``(3) Emerging industry pathways.--The term `emerging
industry pathways' means industry careers that--
``(A) are estimated to increase in the number of
job opportunities in a covered community within the 5
to 7 years after the date of enactment of this subpart;
``(B) require new academic skill sets because of
new technology or innovation in the field;
``(C) are important to the growth of the State
economy, regional economy, or local area's economy; and
``(D) may include--
``(i) green industries;
``(ii) healthcare industries;
``(iii) advanced manufacturing industries;
and
``(iv) programs of study, as described in
section 122(c)(1)(A) of the Carl D. Perkins
Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.
``(4) Qualifying school.--The term `qualifying school'
means a secondary school that--
``(A) serves students not less than 30 percent of
whom are eligible for the school lunch program under
the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or
meet an equivalent indicator of poverty established by
the Secretary;
``(B) has a graduation rate that is lower than the
State average; and
``(C) is located in a covered community.
``(5) School- and work-based curriculum or program.--The
term `school- and work-based curriculum or program' means a
curriculum or program that incorporates a combination of
school-based instruction and work-based learning opportunities,
including internships, work experience programs,
apprenticeships, service learning programs, mentorship
opportunities, job shadowing, and other career and technical
education programs, in an emerging industry pathway.
``(6) Tribal college or university.--The term `tribal
college or university' means an educational institution that
is--
``(A) a tribal college or university, as defined in
section 2(a) of the Tribally Controlled Colleges and
Universities Assistance Act of 1978; or
``(B) one of the 1994 Institutions, as defined in
section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant
Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note).
``SEC. 5622. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
``(a) In General.--From amounts appropriated under section 5626,
the Secretary shall establish and carry out an emerging professions and
educational improvement demonstration project, by awarding grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible partnerships.
``(b) Program Periods.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants under
this subpart for periods of not more than 5 years, of which the
eligible partnership shall use--
``(A) not more than 18 months for assessing
emerging industry pathways, assessing the academic
skills needed for success in such pathways, and
designing a school- and work-based curriculum or
program to teach such academic skills necessary for
success in an emerging industry pathway;
``(B) not more than 48 months for implementing the
new emerging industry pathways school- and work-based
curriculum or program in qualifying schools; and
``(C) not more than 12 months to disseminate best
practices to other State educational agencies, local
educational agencies, or schools.
``(2) Overlap.--Each eligible partnership receiving a grant
under this subpart may carry out subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C)
concurrently.
``(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this subpart, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible partnerships that--
``(1) serve qualifying schools in which 50 percent or more
of the students are eligible for the school lunch program under
the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or meet an
equivalent indicator of poverty established by the Secretary;
``(2) serve qualifying schools the majority of which have
secondary school dropout rates in the top 25 percent statewide;
``(3) pledge to serve the students most at-risk of dropping
out of qualifying schools;
``(4) develop school- and work-based curricula or programs
serving green industries, health care industries, and advanced
manufacturing industries; or
``(5) have a demonstrated record of success in forming
collaborative partnerships with businesses, workforce
development boards, institutions of higher education, local
community and technical colleges, tribal colleges or
universities, labor organizations, and other nonprofit
community organizations.
``SEC. 5623. APPLICATIONS.
``An eligible partnership that desires to receive a grant under
this subpart shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require, including--
``(1) a description of the eligible partnership, including
the responsibilities of each partner and how each partner will
meet its responsibilities;
``(2) a description of the statewide, regional, or local
emerging industry pathways and labor market needs to be filled;
``(3) a description of how members of the eligible
partnership will collaborate with each other and interested
community stakeholders to assess the emerging industry pathways
in the State, region, or local area;
``(4) a description of how the eligible partnership will
engage students from qualifying schools to be served in the
design and implementation of the school- and work-based
curriculum or program;
``(5) a description of how the eligible partnership will
use the assessment of emerging industry pathways to establish a
school- and work-based curriculum or program to teach academic
and industry skills needed for success in such emerging
industries and how these skills will be aligned with existing
challenging State academic content standards;
``(6) a description of how teachers, parents or guardians,
and school guidance counselors will be consulted by the
eligible partnership in the development of the school- and
work-based curriculum or program developed under this subpart;
``(7) a description of how the eligible partnership will
ensure that teachers and instructors have the necessary
training and preparation to teach the school- and work-based
curriculum or program developed under this subpart;
``(8) a description of how the school- and work-based
curriculum or program developed under this subpart will improve
the academic achievement, student attendance, and secondary
school completion of at-risk students and such students'
readiness to enter into a career in an emerging industry or
pursue postsecondary education;
``(9) a description of how the eligible partnership will
design a school- and work-based curriculum or program that
meets the unique academic and career development needs of
students to be served by the curriculum or program;
``(10) a description of how the school- and work-based
curriculum or program will support statewide, regional, or
local emerging industries;
``(11) a description of how the eligible partnership will
measure and report improvement in academic and student
engagement outcomes among students who participate in the
school- and work-based curriculum or program developed under
this subpart;
``(12) a description of how the eligible partnership will
seek to leverage other sources of Federal, State, and local
funding to support the development and implementation of the
school- and work-based curriculum or program;
``(13) a description of how the eligible partnership will
work to create, use, and evaluate individual learning plans and
career portfolios for students served under this subpart;
``(14) a description of how the eligible partnership will
coordinate such curriculum or program with programs funded
under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of
2006; and
``(15) a description of how the eligible partnership plans
to sustain and expand such school- and work-based curriculum or
program after the Federal grant period ends.
``SEC. 5624. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.
``(a) Selection.--In awarding grants under this subpart, the
Secretary shall--
``(1) consider the information submitted by the eligible
partnerships under section 5623;
``(2) prioritize applications in accordance with section
5622(c); and
``(3) select eligible partnerships that submit applications
in compliance with section 5623.
``(b) Award Amounts.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary
shall award each grant under this subpart in an amount of not
more than $5,000,000.
``(2) Use of funds.--An eligible partnership that receives
a grant under this subpart shall use--
``(A) not more than 35 percent of the grant funds
for designing the emerging industry pathways school-
and work-based curriculum or program; and
``(B) not less than 65 percent of the grant funds
for implementing the emerging industry pathways school-
and work-based curriculum or program in qualifying
schools.
``(c) Funding To Implement Curricula or Programs.--The Secretary
may not award grant funds under subsection (b)(2)(B) to implement the
emerging industry pathways school- and work-based curriculum or program
until the Secretary certifies that the eligible partnership is in
compliance with the following:
``(1) The eligible partnership has engaged in a
collaborative process involving educators and school
administrators, including curriculum experts, as well as
representatives from local businesses and industry to assess
emerging industry demands and the academic knowledge and skills
needed to meet those demands.
``(2) The school- and work-based curriculum or program
developed by the eligible partnership is aligned with
challenging State academic content standards.
``(3) The eligible partnership has consulted with and
involved students in qualifying schools in the collaboration
process and design of the school- and work-based curriculum or
program.
``(4) The eligible partnership has received a commitment
from at least one qualifying school agreeing to implement the
school- and work-based curriculum or program in the qualifying
school.
``(5) The school- and work-based curriculum or program will
help prepare students for both direct entry into a career in
emerging industries and success in postsecondary education.
``(6) The eligible partnership has established a plan to
promote the school- and work-based curriculum or program among
qualifying schools, businesses, parental groups, and community
organizations.
``(d) Eligible Uses of Funds.--
``(1) Planning phase.--An eligible partnership that
receives a grant under this subpart shall use the grant funds
in the designing phase for the following:
``(A) Establishing collaborative working groups
consisting of educators, school administrators,
representatives of local or regional businesses,
postsecondary education representatives,
representatives from labor organizations, and
representatives from nonprofit organizations.
``(B) Identifying emerging industry pathways at the
State, regional, or local level.
``(C) Identifying the academic and skill gaps that
need to be addressed to promote success in the emerging
industry pathways identified in subparagraph (B).
``(D) Developing a school- and work-based
curriculum or program to teach and integrate the
academic and work-based skills, including soft skills,
that are needed for success in emerging industry
pathways and postsecondary education.
``(E) Creating a comprehensive set of academic and
industry skills to be taught across multiple emerging
industry pathways.
``(F) Aligning the school- and work-based
curriculum or program with challenging State academic
content standards.
``(G) Establishing professional development
opportunities for educators, business partners, school
counselors, and others who will be implementing the
school- and work-based curriculum or program.
``(H) Collaborating with multistate regions to
develop and identify a school- and work-based
curriculum or program that addresses regional emerging
industry pathways.
``(2) Implementing phase.--An eligible partnership that
receives a grant under this subpart shall use the grant funds
in the implementing phase for the following:
``(A) Integrating the emerging industry pathways
school- and work-based curriculum or program into
classroom- or work-based instruction.
``(B) Providing professional development
opportunities designed around the school- and work-
based curriculum or program for educators, business
partners, and others.
``(C) Identifying and creating school- and work-
based learning curricula or programs for students in
such emerging industry pathways.
``(D) Promoting the school- and work-based
curriculum or program among school guidance counselors.
``(E) Working with pupil services staff to develop
opportunities for career exploration among emerging
industry pathways business partners.
``(F) Conducting ongoing evaluations of the school-
and work-based curriculum or program, including
assessing whether participating students report
increased engagement in learning, increased school
attendance, and improved success upon entry into the
workforce or postsecondary education.
``(G) Purchasing resources, including textbooks,
reference materials, assessments, labs, computers, and
software, for use in the school- and work-based
curriculum or program.
``(3) Dissemination phase.--An eligible partnership that
receives a grant under this subpart shall use the grant funds
in the dissemination phase for the following:
``(A) Evaluating, cataloging, and disseminating
best practices from the school- and work-based
curriculum or program.
``(B) Disseminating the school- and work-based
curriculum or program to--
``(i) the National Research Center for
Career and Technical Education;
``(ii) State, regional, and local
professional education organizations; and
``(iii) institutions of higher education.
``(e) Matching Contributions.--An eligible partnership that
receives a grant under this subpart shall provide, from non-Federal
sources, matching funds, which may be provided in cash or in-kind, to
carry out the activities supported by the grant, in an amount equal
to--
``(1) for the first year of the grant, 5 percent of the
amount of the grant for such year;
``(2) for the second year of the grant, 10 percent of the
amount of the grant for such year;
``(3) for the third year of the grant, 15 percent of the
amount of the grant for such year;
``(4) for the fourth year of the grant, 20 percent of the
amount of the grant for such year; and
``(5) for the fifth year of the grant, 25 percent of the
amount of the grant for such year.
``(f) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Grant funds awarded under this
subpart shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal,
State, and local funds available to implement secondary school
education programs or career and technical education programs.
``SEC. 5625. EVALUATION AND REPORTS.
``(a) Annual Reports.--An eligible partnership that receives a
grant under this subpart shall submit an annual report to the Secretary
during the grant period detailing how the eligible partnership is using
the grant funds under this subpart, including--
``(1) how the State educational agency or local educational
agency that is a member of the eligible partnership
collaborated with local businesses, workforce boards,
institutions of higher education, and community organizations
to assess emerging industry pathways;
``(2) how the eligible partnership has consulted with and
involved students in qualifying schools in the design and
implementation of the emerging industry pathways school- and
work-based curriculum or program;
``(3) the effectiveness of the school- and work-based
curriculum or program with respect to improving--
``(A) student engagement;
``(B) attendance;
``(C) secondary school graduation rates; and
``(D) preparation for and placement in a career in
an emerging industry or in postsecondary education;
``(4) how the eligible partnership has improved its
capacity to respond to new workforce development priorities and
create educational opportunities that address such new
workforce development priorities; and
``(5) any other information the Secretary may reasonably
require.
``(b) Final Reports.--
``(1) In general.--An eligible partnership that receives a
grant under this subpart shall, at the end of the grant period,
collect and prepare a report on the following information:
``(A) The number and percentage of students served
by the eligible partnership who--
``(i) graduated from secondary school with
a regular secondary school diploma in the
standard number of years;
``(ii) entered into a job in an emerging
industry; and
``(iii) enrolled in a postsecondary
institution.
``(B) The emerging industry pathways school- and
work-based curriculum or program and the--
``(i) successes of such curriculum or
program, including placement rates of students
in work or postsecondary education and trends
in secondary school graduation rates in
qualifying schools utilizing the school- and
work-based curriculum or program;
``(ii) areas of improvement for the school-
and work-based curriculum or program;
``(iii) lessons learned from the
implementation of the school- and work-based
curriculum or program in secondary schools; and
``(iv) plans to replicate the school- and
work-based curriculum or program in other
schools or examples of successful replication
of the curriculum or program.
``(2) Submission of reports.--A report prepared under
paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Secretary and the
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education.
``(c) Federal Evaluation and Report.--Not later than 6 years after
the date of enactment of this subpart, the Secretary shall--
``(1) develop and execute a plan for evaluating the
emerging industry pathways school- and work-based curricula or
programs assisted under this subpart; and
``(2) submit a report to Congress--
``(A) detailing aggregate data on--
``(i) the categories of activities for
which eligible partnerships used grant funds
under this subpart;
``(ii) the impact of the grants on--
``(I) student engagement,
attendance, and completion of secondary
school; and
``(II) the postsecondary placement
of students in high-quality emerging
industry careers or postsecondary
education; and
``(iii) promising strategies for improving
student engagement, attendance, and completion
of secondary school through engaging curricula
or programs; and
``(B) that includes any recommendations for
improvements that can be made to the grant program
under this subpart.
``SEC. 5626. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--From the amounts appropriated to and available
for Program Administration within the Departmental Management account
in the Department of Education for each of fiscal years 2010 through
2013, there are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2010 through 2013, respectively, to carry out this
subpart.
``(b) Set Aside for Evaluation.--Of the amounts appropriated under
subsection (a) for a fiscal year, 2 percent shall be set aside for such
fiscal year for the Federal evaluation required under section
5625(c).''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 2 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 5618 the following:
``subpart 22--connecting education and emerging professions
demonstration grant program
``Sec. 5621. Definitions.
``Sec. 5622. Program authorized.
``Sec. 5623. Applications.
``Sec. 5624. Program administration.
``Sec. 5625. Evaluation and reports.
``Sec. 5626. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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