[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2402 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2402

 To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a 
                     career pathways grant program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 19, 2023

    Ms. Hassan (for herself, Mr. Young, Mr. Kaine, and Ms. Collins) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a 
                     career pathways 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 ``Gateway to Careers Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. CAREER PATHWAYS GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle D of title I of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3221 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``SEC. 173. CAREER PATHWAYS GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Career pathway partnership applicant.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `career pathway 
                partnership applicant' means a partnership that 
                includes--
                            ``(i) a workforce development partner; and
                            ``(ii) an education partner.
                    ``(B) Workforce development partner.--A workforce 
                development partner described in subparagraph (A) means 
                one or more of the following:
                            ``(i) A local board.
                            ``(ii) An industry association or other 
                        representative of multiple employers in the 
                        target industry, including an eligible industry 
                        or sector partnership.
                            ``(iii) A community-based organization with 
                        experience in providing employment, education, 
                        or support services relevant to the career 
                        pathway and student populations receiving 
                        services under the grant under this section.
                    ``(C) Education partner.--An education partner 
                described in subparagraph (A) means one or more of the 
                following:
                            ``(i) An institution of higher education, 
                        as defined in section 101 of the Higher 
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001), or a 
                        postsecondary vocational institution, as 
                        defined in section 102(c) of such Act (20 
                        U.S.C. 1002(c)).
                            ``(ii) An area career and technical 
                        education school that provides education at the 
                        postsecondary level.
                            ``(iii) A local educational agency, as 
                        defined under section 8101 of the Elementary 
                        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                        7801).
                            ``(iv) An eligible provider, as defined 
                        under section 203.
            ``(2) Eligible industry or sector partnership.--The term 
        `eligible industry or sector partnership' means--
                    ``(A) an industry or sector partnership, which 
                shall, at a minimum, include multiple representatives 
                described in each of clauses (i) through (iii) of 
                paragraph (26)(A) of section 3; or
                    ``(B) a partnership, of multiple entities described 
                in section 3(26) and a State board or local board, that 
                is in the process of establishing an industry or sector 
                partnership.
            ``(3) Measurable skill gains.--The term `measurable skill 
        gains' has the meaning given the term in section 
        361.155(a)(1)(v) of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (or 
        successor regulations).
            ``(4) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
    ``(b) Program Established.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Education, shall establish a career pathway grant program, 
through which the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, 
to State workforce agencies to enable the State workforce agencies to 
award subgrants to career pathway partnership applicants to carry out 
the activities described in subsection (e).
    ``(c) Application for Grants.--A State workforce agency that 
desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the 
Secretary may require.
    ``(d) Geographic Equity.--In awarding grants under this section, 
the Secretary shall ensure an equitable geographic distribution of such 
grants, including to rural areas and other regions that have 
traditionally been underserved by regional economic development and 
industry or sector partnership activities.
    ``(e) Subgrants to Career Pathway Partnership Applicants and 
Technical Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State workforce agency that receives a 
        grant under this section shall use the grant funds--
                    ``(A) to award subgrants to career pathway 
                partnership applicants; and
                    ``(B) to provide technical assistance in applying 
                for subgrants under this section to eligible career 
                pathway partnership applicants.
            ``(2) Applications.--A career pathway partnership applicant 
        desiring to receive a subgrant under this section shall submit 
        an application to the State workforce agency, at such time and 
        in such manner as the State workforce agency may require. Such 
        application shall include the following information:
                    ``(A) A description of the career pathway program 
                that will be supported under the subgrant, including a 
                description of the in-demand industry sectors or 
                occupations that will be targeted and the recognized 
                postsecondary credentials to be awarded.
                    ``(B) A description of how the career pathway 
                program supported under the subgrant is aligned and 
                coordinated with other employment, education, and 
                support services offered in the geographic area served 
                under the subgrant, including those provided under this 
                Act, the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 
                et seq.), the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
                Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), the 
                supplemental nutrition assistance program established 
                under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 
                et seq.), and the program of block grants to States for 
                temporary assistance for needy families under part A of 
                title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 
                seq.).
                    ``(C) A description of the populations that will be 
                served under the subgrant, including an analysis of any 
                barriers to employment, including in postsecondary 
                education, access, and completion, that such 
                populations face, and an analysis of how the services 
                to be provided under the subgrant will address those 
                barriers.
                    ``(D) A description of the activities and services 
                to be provided under this subgrant, consistent with 
                paragraph (4).
                    ``(E) A description of the performance outcomes 
                that the career pathway partnership applicant plans to 
                achieve, including a description of how the career 
                pathway partnership applicant will evaluate and measure 
                student progress and measurable skill gains along a 
                career pathway.
                    ``(F) Such other information as the State workforce 
                agency may require.
            ``(3) Priority.--In awarding subgrants under this 
        subsection, the State workforce agency shall--
                    ``(A) give priority to career pathway partnership 
                applicants that include as a partner in the partnership 
                a public institution of higher education at which the 
                highest degree that is predominantly awarded to 
                students is an associate's degree, including 2-year 
                Tribal Colleges or Universities under section 316 of 
                the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c) and 
                public 2-year State institutions of higher education;
                    ``(B) give priority to career pathway partnership 
                applicants that seek to serve individuals with a 
                barrier to employment or individuals with a barrier to 
                postsecondary education; and
                    ``(C) give priority to career pathway partnership 
                applicants that will use subgrant funds for an 
                activity, strategy, or intervention that--
                            ``(i) demonstrates a statistically 
                        significant effect on improving student 
                        outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on--
                                    ``(I) strong evidence from not less 
                                than 1 well-designed and well-
                                implemented experimental study;
                                    ``(II) moderate evidence from not 
                                less than 1 well-designed and well-
                                implemented quasi-experimental study; 
                                or
                                    ``(III) promising evidence from not 
                                less than 1 well-designed and well-
                                implemented correlational study with 
                                statistical controls for selection 
                                bias;
                            ``(ii) demonstrates a rationale based on 
                        high quality research finding or positive 
                        evaluation that such activity, strategy, or 
                        intervention is likely to improve student 
                        outcomes or other relevant outcomes; and
                            ``(iii) includes ongoing efforts to examine 
                        the effects of such activity, strategy, or 
                        intervention.
            ``(4) Use of funds.--
                    ``(A) Developing and implementing career pathway 
                programs.--A career pathway partnership applicant that 
                receives a subgrant under this subsection shall use the 
                subgrant funds to carry out activities that support the 
                development and implementation of a career pathway 
                program, which shall include one or more of the 
                following:
                            ``(i) The planning and implementation of 
                        agreements between the partners of the career 
                        pathway partnership applicant to support 
                        seamless transitions between elements of the 
                        career pathway program offered by different 
                        partners, as appropriate.
                            ``(ii) The development and expansion of new 
                        or existing programs at the career pathway 
                        partnership applicant that utilize integrated 
                        education and training strategies, and support 
                        multiple entry and exit points for working 
                        learners, which may include--
                                    ``(I) dual-enrollment approaches 
                                for secondary students or disconnected 
                                youth seeking to participate in a 
                                career pathway program; and
                                    ``(II) strategies that help working 
                                students and other nontraditional and 
                                adult student populations access skills 
                                and recognized credentials.
                            ``(iii) The provision of evidence-based 
                        professional development for faculty and other 
                        staff at the career pathway partnership 
                        applicant.
                            ``(iv) The acquisition of equipment 
                        necessary to support the delivery of career 
                        pathway programs supported through the 
                        subgrant.
                            ``(v) Any other evidence-based activities 
                        identified by the career pathway partnership 
                        applicant as necessary to support the 
                        development or implementation of career pathway 
                        programs, as long as such activities are 
                        clearly outlined in the subgrant application.
                    ``(B) Student support services.--In addition to the 
                activities described in subparagraph (A), a career 
                pathway partnership applicant receiving a subgrant 
                under this subsection shall use subgrant funds to 
                provide student support services to students engaged in 
                career pathway programs, which may include--
                            ``(i) the provision of direct support 
                        services such as childcare, transportation, 
                        mental health and substance use disorder 
                        treatment, assistance in obtaining health 
                        insurance coverage, and assistance in accessing 
                        the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
                        established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 
                        2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the special 
                        supplemental nutrition program for women, 
                        infants, and children established by section 17 
                        of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
                        1786), housing, and other benefits, as 
                        appropriate;
                            ``(ii) offering career pathway navigation 
                        and case management services, including 
                        providing information and outreach to target 
                        populations to encourage individuals to take 
                        part in programs and service offerings; and
                            ``(iii) the provision of emergency grants 
                        to help students facing financial hardships 
                        that may impact enrollment or completion of an 
                        element of a career pathway program.
            ``(5) Reports.--
                    ``(A) Report to the secretary.--Each State 
                workforce agency receiving a grant under this section 
                shall submit a report to the Secretary, on an annual 
                basis, describing--
                            ``(i) the activities provided under the 
                        subgrants awarded under this section, including 
                        activities carried out directly by career 
                        pathway partnership applicants;
                            ``(ii) the students receiving services 
                        under the subgrants, disaggregated by age, race 
                        or ethnicity, gender, barriers to employment, 
                        and income;
                            ``(iii) the quality of jobs in which 
                        students receiving services through a career 
                        pathway program carried out through subgrants 
                        under this section are employed after exit from 
                        the program; and
                            ``(iv) indicators of performance for 
                        students receiving services through a career 
                        pathway program carried out through subgrants 
                        under this section, disaggregated by 
                        participant type as described in clause (ii), 
                        including, at a minimum--
                                    ``(I) the percentage of program 
                                participants who are in unsubsidized 
                                employment prior to enrollment in the 
                                career pathway program;
                                    ``(II) the percentage of program 
                                participants who are in unsubsidized 
                                employment during the second quarter 
                                after exit from the program;
                                    ``(III) the percentage of program 
                                participants who are in unsubsidized 
                                employment during the fourth quarter 
                                after exit from the program;
                                    ``(IV) the median earnings of 
                                program participants who are in 
                                unsubsidized employment prior to 
                                enrollment in the career pathway 
                                program;
                                    ``(V) the median earnings of 
                                program participants who are in 
                                unsubsidized employment during the 
                                second quarter after exit from the 
                                program;
                                    ``(VI) the percentage of program 
                                participants who obtain a recognized 
                                postsecondary credential, or a 
                                secondary school diploma or its 
                                recognized equivalent, during 
                                participation in or within 1 year after 
                                exit from the program;
                                    ``(VII) the percentage of program 
                                participants who, during a program 
                                year, are in an education or training 
                                program that leads to a recognized 
                                postsecondary credential or employment 
                                and who are achieving measurable skill 
                                gains toward such a credential or 
                                employment; and
                                    ``(VIII) the percentage of program 
                                participants receiving support 
                                services, disaggregated by type of 
                                service.
                    ``(B) Report to congress.--The Secretary shall 
                submit a report to Congress, on a biennial basis, on 
                the information submitted to the Secretary under 
                subparagraph (A).
    ``(f) Duration of Awards.--Each grant and subgrant awarded under 
this section shall be for a period of not more than 4 years. A career 
pathway partnership applicant may apply for subsequent subgrants after 
the completion of a subgrant period.
    ``(g) Evaluation and Administration.--The Secretary shall reserve--
            ``(1) not less than 1 percent and not more than 3 percent 
        of the funds made available under subsection (h) for each 
        fiscal year to--
                    ``(A) conduct a rigorous, independent evaluation of 
                the activities funded under this section; and
                    ``(B) disseminate and promote the utilization of 
                evidence-based practices related to career pathway 
                programs for postsecondary students; and
            ``(2) not more than 3 percent of the funds made available 
        under subsection (h) for each fiscal year for administrative 
        costs associated in carrying out this section.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the activities described in this section, 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024 and for each 
subsequent fiscal year thereafter.''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 172, the following:

``Sec. 173. Career pathways grant program.''.
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