[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7347 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7347

    To reauthorize workforce development innovation grants for the 
 implementation, expansion, and evaluation of evidence-based workforce 
                   programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2022

 Ms. Sherrill introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To reauthorize workforce development innovation grants for the 
 implementation, expansion, and evaluation of evidence-based workforce 
                   programs, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Supporting Jobs through Evidence and 
Innovation Act''.

SEC. 2. EVALUATIONS AND RESEARCH.

    Section 169 (29 U.S.C. 3224) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Workforce Development Innovation Fund.--
            ``(1) Program authorized.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award 
                workforce development innovation grants, on a 
                competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable such 
                entities to--
                            ``(i) create, implement, replicate, or take 
                        to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, 
                        field-initiated innovation programs and 
                        services for improving the design and delivery 
                        of employment and training services that 
                        generate long-term improvements in the 
                        performance of the workforce development 
                        system, in outcomes for job-seekers (including 
                        individuals with barriers to employment), and 
                        employers, and in the cost-effectiveness of 
                        programs and services; and
                            ``(ii) rigorously evaluate such programs 
                        and services in accordance with this 
                        subsection.
                    ``(B) Description of grants.--The grants described 
                in subparagraph (A) shall include--
                            ``(i) early-phase grants to fund the 
                        development, implementation, and feasibility 
                        testing of an innovation program or service, 
                        which prior research suggests has promise, for 
                        the purpose of determining whether such program 
                        or service can successfully improve the design 
                        and delivery of employment and training 
                        services that generate long-term improvements 
                        in the performance of the workforce development 
                        system, in outcomes for job-seekers, and in the 
                        cost-effectiveness of such programs and 
                        services;
                            ``(ii) mid-phase grants to fund 
                        implementation and a well-designed and well-
                        implemented evaluation of such a program or 
                        service that has been successfully implemented 
                        under an early-phase grant described in clause 
                        (i) or other effort meeting similar criteria, 
                        for the purpose of measuring the impact and 
                        cost effectiveness of such programs or 
                        services, using data collected pursuant to the 
                        implementation of such program or service, if 
                        possible; and
                            ``(iii) expansion grants to fund 
                        implementation and a well-designed and well-
                        implemented replication evaluation of such a 
                        program or service that has been found to 
                        produce sizable, important impacts under a mid-
                        phase grant described in clause (ii) or other 
                        effort meeting similar criteria, for the 
                        purposes of--
                                    ``(I) determining whether such 
                                impacts may be successfully reproduced 
                                and sustained over time; and
                                    ``(II) identifying the conditions 
                                in which such a program or service is 
                                most effective.
            ``(2) Technical assistance.--Of the funds made available to 
        carry out this subsection for a fiscal year, the Secretary 
        shall reserve not more than 5 percent of the funds to--
                    ``(A) provide technical assistance to eligible 
                entities, which may include preapplication workshops, 
                web-based seminars, and evaluation support; and
                    ``(B) disseminate evidence-based best practices.
            ``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' 
                means any of the following:
                            ``(i) A State board.
                            ``(ii) A local board.
                            ``(iii) An Indian tribe, tribal 
                        organization, Alaska Native entity, Indian-
                        controlled organization serving Indians, or 
                        Native Hawaiian organization that is eligible 
                        to receive an award under section 166.
                            ``(iv) A community-based, nonprofit, or 
                        nongovernmental organization serving an 
                        underserved population.
                            ``(v) A consortium of such entities 
                        described under clause (i) through clause (iv).
                    ``(B) Evidence-based.--The term `evidence-based', 
                when used with respect to an activity, strategy, or 
                intervention, means an activity, strategy or 
                intervention that--
                            ``(i) demonstrates a statistically 
                        significant effect on improving participant 
                        outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on--
                                    ``(I) strong evidence from at least 
                                1 well-designed and well-implemented 
                                experimental study;
                                    ``(II) moderate evidence from at 
                                least 1 well-designed and well-
                                implemented quasi-experimental study; 
                                or
                                    ``(III) promising evidence from at 
                                least 1 well-designed and well-
                                implemented correlational study with 
                                statistical controls for selection 
                                bias; or
                            ``(ii)(I) demonstrates a rationale based on 
                        high-quality research findings or positive 
                        evaluation that such activity, strategy, or 
                        intervention is likely to improve student 
                        outcomes or other relevant outcomes; and
                            ``(II) includes ongoing efforts to examine 
                        the effects of such activity, strategy, or 
                        intervention.
                    ``(C) Well-designed and well-implemented.--The term 
                `well-designed and well-implemented', as applied to an 
                evaluation study, means a study that is replicable, 
                uses programmatic and control groups that are 
                representative of the type of population served by the 
                program, uses controls for aggregate shifts that might 
                affect baseline numbers, does not have problems with 
                attrition from the program, and takes measures to avoid 
                statistical creaming.
            ``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, 
        such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2023 
        through 2028.''.
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