[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1166 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1166

  To establish a pilot grant program to support career and technical 
   education exploration programs in middle schools and high schools.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 30, 2015

  Mr. Merkley introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a pilot grant program to support career and technical 
   education exploration programs in middle schools and high schools.

    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 ``Building Understanding, Investment, 
Learning, and Direction Career and Technical Education Act of 2015'' or 
the ``BUILD Career and Technical Education Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The average high school graduation rate for students 
        concentrating in career and technical education programs is 93 
        percent.
            (2) 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.
            (3) Four out of 5 graduates of secondary-level career and 
        technical education programs who pursued postsecondary 
        education after secondary school had earned a credential or 
        were still enrolled in postsecondary education 2 years later.
            (4) Eighty percent of students taking a college preparatory 
        academic curriculum with rigorous career and technical 
        education programs met college and career readiness goals, 
        compared to only 63 percent of students taking the same 
        academic core who did not experience rigorous career and 
        technical education programs.

SEC. 3. PILOT GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION 
              EXPLORATION PROGRAM IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.

    (a) Purposes.--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) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Career and technical education exploration program.--
        The 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) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
    (c) Authorization of Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to local 
        educational agencies to support career and technical education 
        exploration programs.
            (2) Grant duration.--Grants awarded under this Act shall be 
        2 years in duration.
            (3) District capacity taken into account.--In 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) Applications.--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) Priority.--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) Uses of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--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 equipment.--Any 
        materials or equipment purchased with grant funds awarded under 
        this Act shall be the property of the local educational agency.
            (3) Administrative costs.--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) Evaluations.--
            (1) In general.--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) Outcomes.--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 department.--A local educational 
        agency that receives a grant under this Act shall submit 
        evaluations conducted under this subsection to the Secretary.
    (h) Supplement Not Supplant.--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 Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2016 and 2017.
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