II 112th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3710 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 27, 2012 Mr. Blumenthal introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to establish a career and technical innovation fund.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Career And Technical Innovation Fund Act of 2012.
2.
Career and technical innovation fund
(a)
In general
The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: <enum>IV</enum><header>Career and Technical Innovation Fund</header> <section id="id545eb84996134396b823ec76ec88c323"><enum>401.</enum><header>Purposes</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The purposes of this title are to strengthen the ability of career and technical education programs to prepare students to meet the needs of the future workforce by—</text> <paragraph id="id918a42f59a594aef9a701af450377f1c"><enum>(1)</enum><text>funding the identification, development, evaluation, and expansion of new and innovative, research- and evidence-based career and technical education practices, programs, and strategies in order to—</text> <subparagraph id="id8c2896c92a3345fda1afe4c0152af4b9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>significantly increase student achievement on the core indicators of performance as outlined in section 113;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="iddc1c2cf29696417aa2399ad064e54d63"><enum>(B)</enum><text>reduce gaps in program participation and completion rates among populations of career and technical education students; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2398a87352434260805386f334277a64"><enum>(C)</enum><text>improve the effectiveness of career and technical education teachers, leaders, and counselors;</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id7d6107a3f46541978d5ca9f96ad6f8bf"><enum>(2)</enum><text>funding the development of innovative career and technical programs of study, as described in section 122(c)(1)(A), in new and emerging industries at the regional (or local) level;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id52c33cb1e1d545fc99e327936bd76751"><enum>(3)</enum><text>developing rigorous evidence of the effectiveness of innovative strategies on career and technical education student outcomes and career and technical education program outcomes; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id3da282119ec94ccd8ea83f1d92f70a43"><enum>(4)</enum><text>supporting the rapid development, expansion, adoption, and implementation of tools and resources that improve the efficiency, effectiveness, or pace of adoption of such career and technical education practices, programs, and strategies.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="iddf931866e3e94ca880daf9323eaccddd"><enum>402.</enum><header>National activities</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary may reserve not more than 5 percent of funds appropriated to carry out this title for any fiscal year to carry out activities of national significance. Such activities shall include—</text> <paragraph id="iddfaf6ae2309e4b57babefc52ffe9bae8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>capacity building;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id41c724c7d6774c739aa9b4acd6b4faee"><enum>(2)</enum><text>technical assistance;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id7ba5505c475c492db8e96b363cad7aa2"><enum>(3)</enum><text>evaluation; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="idd4b94e6d98274d1ca8070a99b70564a2"><enum>(4)</enum><text>dissemination of best practices developed with grant funds provided under this title.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="id5e67a4ad02a243b9bfbe2c70aeed0395"><enum>403.</enum><header>Program authorized; length of grants; priorities</header> <subsection id="id995353EF52B64874B38D68E93D3DCEDD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Program authorization</header> <paragraph id="id9ba1404c163a40eab2301f5130f8cdd0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall use funds made available to carry out this title for a fiscal year to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id4c1eb930dca1448aa475b64c720886a0"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Eligible entity</header> <subparagraph commented="no" id="id0A82C1BCEAAF4AFBAA46B39DA6D3E16C"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>In this title, the term <term>eligible entity</term> means a group or consortium that includes not less than 2 of the following (at least 1 of which shall be an entity described in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv)):</text> <clause commented="no" id="id0b9641c50a4441229cfb67e2344bcfdc"><enum>(i)</enum><text>A local educational agency or a consortium of such agencies.</text> </clause><clause commented="no" id="ida45444be626349bdb99e9004464c2154"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>An area career and technical education school or a consortium of such schools.</text> </clause><clause commented="no" id="id79a9437fb762437d96ee7ccb420d515a"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>An institution of higher education whose most common degree awarded is an associate's degree, or a consortium of such institutions.</text> </clause><clause commented="no" id="id9b23f26a51414c1990c8eea7dca3bd8e"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>A postsecondary vocational institution, as defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, or a consortium of such institutions.</text> </clause><clause commented="no" id="id252d7622a85c44608ad50d4b26c600eb"><enum>(v)</enum><text>An entity that carries out apprenticeship programs registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the National Apprenticeship Act (29 U.S.C. 50 et seq; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663)).</text> </clause><clause commented="no" id="idF612D67A4128425C839F0E0B949B2309"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>An institution of higher education whose most common degree awarded is a bachelor's or higher degree, or a consortium of such institutions.</text> </clause><clause commented="no" id="iddc358316ba0844079bd8a7028cdbc98d"><enum>(vii)</enum><text>A business or industry representative partner that provides training.</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida00945a1919041d79bd35bbaacb814bf"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Other partners</header><text>An eligible entity may also include a State board or local board (as such terms are defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801)), an eligible agency, a community-based organization, a nonprofit organization, or other business or industry representative.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida4b9ca65b7b44b938434a1927e5fbf88"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Record of success</header><text>In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this title, at least 1 of the members of the eligible entity shall have a recent record of success in improving career and technical education outcomes, career and technical education program outcomes, or both, in the area addressed in the application.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idf9aab06306124e29818debcfdd00495b"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Duration of grants</header><text>The Secretary—</text> <paragraph id="id8293574e2fcb4bcd886442425978373d"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall award grants under this title for a period of not more than 3 years; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id4a910fd2afe2451782c75baa2d9619a0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>may extend such grants for not more than an additional 2-year period if the grantee demonstrates to the Secretary that it is achieving its program objectives and, as applicable, has improved education outcomes for career and technical education students.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ide28ec8d1494e4e37b2186d69ca012e37"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Rural set-Aside</header><text>The Secretary shall ensure that not less than 22 percent of the funds awarded under subsection (a) for any fiscal year are for projects that meet the following requirements, except that the Secretary shall not be required to make such awards unless a sufficient number of otherwise eligible high-quality applications are received:</text> <paragraph id="id8AC5B0FC4D5C446E9A5E4BF9B7A5F931"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Eligible entities that include local educational agencies</header><text>If the eligible entity includes a local educational agency or a consortium of such agencies, both of the following requirements shall be met:</text> <subparagraph id="id7e044ce86d1a44ffb2535d40edb041dd"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The eligible entity includes—</text> <clause id="id08e30ff76d534fbea561fffa596c26f6"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a local educational agency with an urban-centric district locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43, as determined by the Secretary;</text> </clause><clause id="idc49443b206aa493e81fa659a26bafe51"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a consortium of such local educational agencies; or</text> </clause><clause id="idab5ac43b342641f8803e1ba0ae45ac4a"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>an educational service agency or a nonprofit organization with demonstrated expertise in serving students from rural areas.</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id60154b857d954fe6847a25b28071e985"><enum>(B)</enum><text>A majority of the schools to be served by the project are designated with a school locale code of 41, 42, or 43, or a combination of such codes, as determined by the Secretary, and—</text> <clause id="idc246224fe16b4ca7b4bfa3923fa26a8b"><enum>(i)</enum><text>are served by a local educational agency serving a geographic area in which 20 percent or more of the children 5 through 17 years of age are from families with incomes below the poverty level;</text> </clause><clause id="id1d2258b94bee40539e9c5913d45aa4b4"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>are served by a local educational agency in which the total number of students in average daily attendance at all of the schools served by the local educational agency is fewer than 600; or</text> </clause><clause id="id87c2d6c089394dfda33dcbd972bae2c2"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>are served by a local educational agency located in a county that has a total population density of fewer than 10 persons per square mile.</text> </clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idE9A60724B89B475183003FD0F512B53F"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Eligible entities that do not include local educational agencies</header><text>If the eligible entity does not include a local educational agency or a consortium of such agencies, the eligible entity shall demonstrate that it will serve individuals—</text> <subparagraph id="id57a2d500d1304236bdc992a890f7ae76"><enum>(A)</enum><text>at least 20 percent of whom are from families with incomes below the poverty level;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2f8b61ef10144ed2a358e3ee7b3bbcfb"><enum>(B)</enum><text>who reside in an area served by a local educational agency in which the total number of students in average daily attendance at all of the schools served by the local educational agency is fewer than 600; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id898b825147e04a54a8afe2632f0c497d"><enum>(C)</enum><text>who reside in a county that has a total population density of fewer than 10 persons per square mile.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ida28a6f61c09e4c329614920066525ef5"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Standards of evidence</header><text>An eligible entity that desires a grant under this title shall demonstrate that the activities the entity proposes to carry out with funds under this title are likely to succeed in improving student outcomes. Evidence shall include a rationale based on research findings or a reasonable hypothesis that the activities proposed by the eligible entity will improve student outcomes.</text> </subsection></section><section id="id0fb941b8b4944d37b759d52e23cbe046"><enum>404.</enum><header>Applications</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Each eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this title shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. At a minimum, each application shall—</text> <paragraph id="id3a9ec6b7b2f64d859a00928faaea1f3a"><enum>(1)</enum><text>describe the project for which the applicant is seeking a grant and how the evidence supporting that project meets the standards of evidence, as described in section 403(d);</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id10732441033241b995c4ff49b2c9a6fc"><enum>(2)</enum><text>describe how the applicant will address at least 1 of the areas described in section 405(a)(1);</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id7967c3fc3c184cacaf1c6f6cc27f016d"><enum>(3)</enum><text>describe how the project will support the goal of innovation as outlined in the purposes of this title;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id33ebfcb20cde41a19ca0de42439a2222"><enum>(4)</enum><text>provide an estimate of the number of students that the applicant plans to serve under the proposed project, including the percentage of those students who are from special populations;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="idfafa5596aa444508b0e07ffb1d06e8d6"><enum>(5)</enum><text>describe the applicant's plan for continuing the proposed project after funding under this title ends;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id5a3b8e5f4e924521be31aaa791107254"><enum>(6)</enum><text>describe the applicant’s partnership and communication with business, industry, and labor, as appropriate;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id223e11d880df44aca5b83c0d1c35f3b5"><enum>(7)</enum><text>provide evidence of the eligible entity's ability to carry out the project, which may include information on other successful efforts to increase student achievement;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id6da51e56a695404799e80bffe8cb3c32"><enum>(8)</enum><text>provide a description of the applicant's plan for independently evaluating the effectiveness of activities carried out with funds under this title;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id9fdb6db3eb414c05afe43f436baaf528"><enum>(9)</enum><text>provide an assurance that the applicant will—</text> <subparagraph id="id3acec5b7ad0b483fa1d6b41983372db3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>cooperate with evaluations, as requested by the Secretary;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1eb26401959e4b22ab947ec986d6a893"><enum>(B)</enum><text>make data available to third parties for validation and further study, in accordance with applicable data privacy laws, including section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g, commonly known as the <quote>Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974</quote>);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="ideb6e9cfd1b754440b532935df296d8de"><enum>(C)</enum><text>participate in communities of practice; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id05d7fca64dfa45b487e1961357efe3ad"><enum>(D)</enum><text>disseminate information about project activities;</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idb81e1d73296f433b8eeef53b1e39bcca"><enum>(10)</enum><text>provide a description of how the innovative project will support and coordinate with any funds received by project partners under title I, and with the activities outlined in State and local plans under title I; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id6e16ec05e4d044afbc130cc26a1d6f4d"><enum>(11)</enum><text>include an assurance from the applicable eligible agency that the project is aligned with State goals.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="idaad34215cf474d3fa656beec5c73a000"><enum>405.</enum><header>Uses of funds</header> <subsection id="id75317a0b4e4c4bf8b96a7bbac2562e7a"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Uses of funds</header> <paragraph id="id583a901a23d94a5db75e942a35401d16"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this title shall use the grant funds to carry out 1 or more of the following activities:</text> <subparagraph id="id0b8e351f276e4e56b16432edc7ca43d5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Designing and implementing programs of study aligned to labor market needs in new or emerging industries or occupations.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida7fbdef18b4643a6b7ca3815162a3e78"><enum>(B)</enum><text>More seamlessly integrating academic and career and technical education components through new or improved education delivery models.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0e9c9a0d01ea4e878f0431ae44e5dfca"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Implementing new assessment systems within career and technical education programs that measure career readiness skills for students, particularly focusing on measures of employability skills and industry-recognized credentials.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idabd42b9143df4e5d9eb18cd3e4b1e563"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Incorporating new and emerging workforce skills into current career and technical education curriculum to ensure all programs are aligned to industry needs.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idcdc76e3c7cc64e088f633bfa5b9dd928"><enum>(E)</enum><text>Ensuring students have access to up-to-date career pathway and labor market information through new or expanded comprehensive career education programs that link to existing labor market data.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="ideaa0c5454b5540d8b7f4c449c1b61dcf"><enum>(F)</enum><text>Developing new programs to help students transition from secondary education to postsecondary education, or from completion of one postsecondary program to another postsecondary program awarding a higher-level credential.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id871290702df0443eb0830eabc4691477"><enum>(G)</enum><text>Increasing the use of technology within career and technical education programs.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7e1001413b51421eb085a78b11f06f80"><enum>(H)</enum><text>Redesigning current programs through the comprehensive use of innovative delivery models, curriculum, professional development, and other key elements.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3781d084da69439aa9c89fe9d41a3c4a"><enum>(I)</enum><text>Designing programs specifically targeted to disadvantaged populations, such as high school dropouts or dislocated workers.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="iddac3fc4d6cbf4e48848ae60210fa31a3"><enum>(J)</enum><text>Incorporating comprehensive work-based learning programs into the programs of study described in subparagraph (A).</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id5867832bc70b461fa15c54a95f506d2f"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Additional uses of funds</header><text>In addition to the activities described in paragraph (1), each eligible entity that receives a grant under this title may use the grant funds—</text> <subparagraph id="id79F37C999AE8474FB34202BED222C3A9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to improve the effectiveness of career and technical education teachers, administrators, or counselors through innovative recruitment, retention, or professional development efforts; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id39582B87D7D0465DBC4E8894E2EB580E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>for an independent evaluation of the innovative practices carried out with the grant.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ida3b4b32627654f9eb7237c8ce4729534"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Authority to subgrant</header> <paragraph id="id45184992908b439f8b2d3ac838aac44e"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If an eligible entity that receives a grant under this title includes a member that is a nonprofit organization, such nonprofit organization may use the grant funds to award subgrants to other entities to provide support to 1 or more schools or local educational agencies.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="ide5a689d6dcb3471ab8efb37e4eaf8054"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Compliance with requirements of grantees</header><text>Each entity awarded a subgrant under paragraph (1) shall comply with the requirements of this title relating to grantees, as appropriate.</text> </paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idc0c2ba2b68b640adb74cdbee774a4a70"><enum>406.</enum><header>Performance measures</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary shall establish performance measures for the programs and activities carried out under this title. These measures, at a minimum, shall track the grantee's progress in improving outcomes for each subgroup of students included in the definition of special populations that is served by the grantee, including, as applicable, by—</text> <paragraph id="id4769bfc8dac444eba71296f07b2ba074"><enum>(1)</enum><text>each of the core indicators of performance, as outlined in section 113;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id89e1e47e97e64cecacbd2f98b0e0f997"><enum>(2)</enum><text>improving career and technical education teacher and school leader effectiveness; or</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id387a397484654ddbb19ecf41d0cf41c1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>any other indicator as the grantee may determine relative to the specific project proposed.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="id8a01163aeeb146fea78f2f87ec3b9223"><enum>407.</enum><header>Reporting</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this title shall submit to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, an annual report that includes information on the entity's progress on the performance measures established under section 406, and the data supporting such progress.</text> </section><section id="idEAA9969FEE954011B27422D3BEDBCD31"><enum>408.</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2013 through 2017.</text> </section>. (b)
Table of contents
The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 324 the following: TITLE IV—Career and Technical Innovation Fund Sec. 401. Purposes. Sec. 402. National activities. Sec. 403. Program authorized; length of grants; priorities. Sec. 404. Applications. Sec. 405. Uses of funds. Sec. 406. Performance measures. Sec. 407. Reporting. Sec. 408. Authorization of appropriations. .