1.This Act may be cited as the
Connecting Education and Emerging
Professions Act of 2009
.
2.
(a)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)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.
3.Connecting
education and emerging professions demonstration grant program
(a)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:
22Connecting education and emerging professions
demonstration grant program
5621.In this subpart:
(1)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)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 pathwaysThe 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)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 programThe 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 universityThe 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).
5622.
(a)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)
(1)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)Each
eligible partnership receiving a grant under this subpart may carry out
subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C) concurrently.
(c)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.
5623.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.
5624.
(a)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)
(1)Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary shall award each
grant under this subpart in an amount of not more than $5,000,000.
(2)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 programsThe 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)
(1)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)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)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)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)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.
5625.
(a)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)
(1)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)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 reportNot 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.
5626.Authorization
of appropriations
(a)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)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)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.
.