“To establish a grant program to fund career and technical education programs, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section declares congressional findings on the growing demand for skilled workers in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and information technology; highlights Connecticut's statewide CTE model as successful; and identifies benefits of expanding CTE high schools nationwide, including for under-resourced and rural communities. The section states the purposes of the Act, which include (1) establishing a voluntary federal grant program for states to create, expand, or improve CTE programs aligned with local workforce needs; (2) providing state flexibility for program delivery through standalone high schools, regional centers, or hybrid models; (3) requiring industry partnerships, work-based learning, triennial workforce alignment assessments, employer incentives, dual enrollment with colleges, automatic credit transfers to higher education, online/hybrid options for underserved areas; and (4) creating a CTE Pell Grant for public secondary students pursuing industry-recognized certifications and training.
This section establishes a competitive grant program under which the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the Secretary of Labor and not later than one year after enactment, awards grants to state educational agencies to establish or expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which provide secondary students with vocational training aligned to in-demand jobs. To receive a grant, a state educational agency must submit an application including a five-year CTE program implementation plan that covers (1) a needs assessment based on stakeholder input; (2) an assessment of existing CTE programs; (3) a budget and timeline; (4) workforce alignment strategies; (5) equity and access plans for underserved populations and opportunity youth; (6) alignment with in-demand job sectors; and (7) online or hybrid program development. Grant recipients must use funds for one or more approved activities, including (1) constructing or renovating CTE high schools or regional career centers; (2) creating or updating career-aligned coursework; (3) facilitating collaborations with businesses, unions, and colleges; (4) developing internships, apprenticeships, and cooperative education; (5) expanding career counseling and wraparound services; (6) purchasing tools, software, and educator training; (7) funding professional development for CTE educators; (8) enabling dual enrollment with junior or community colleges; (9) creating virtual or hybrid programs for rural or underserved areas; (10) supporting multi-craft construction instruction; and (11) outreach to opportunity youth. Grants are awarded for five years, with awards prioritizing geographic diversity and labor market needs; the federal share ranges from 50 to 75 percent (determined by project scope, existing programs, and non-federal funds availability), and non-federal shares may include in-kind contributions. Grant recipients must submit annual reports on metrics such as student enrollment, graduation rates, college enrollment rates, and job placement rates.
This section establishes CTE Pell Grants, to be awarded by the Secretary of Education not later than one year after enactment, to public secondary school students for tuition or other costs of attendance related to enrollment in specified programs, including (1) a career and technical education (CTE) program; (2) a credentialing program; (3) an apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship program; (4) a dual-enrollment program with a junior or community college that includes technical coursework; (5) an occupation training program on a state's list of programs aligned with in-demand industries or occupations; (6) a multi-craft construction instruction program; or (7) any other program deemed appropriate by the Secretary. To receive a grant, students must submit an application verifying public secondary school enrollment, current or planned enrollment in an eligible program, and financial need; the Secretary must also establish a process enabling state and local educational agencies to collect and submit such applications. Grant funds may be disbursed directly to the eligible program or to the student, and the Secretary must issue implementing regulations—modeled to the extent practicable on those for Federal Pell Grants (i.e., need-based aid to low-income postsecondary students under 20 U.S.C. 1070a)—covering terms such as eligibility requirements and award amounts.
This section defines terms for purposes of the Act, including new terms such as "career-aligned coursework" (academic and technical content aligned to state standards, career readiness for high-skill/high-wage occupations, industry needs, with multiple entry/exit points and culminating in a postsecondary credential); "CTE high school" (public secondary school providing academic instruction and CTE programs leading to a high school diploma and credentials); "multi-craft construction instruction" (training exposing students to multiple construction trades, often with apprenticeship pathways); "opportunity youth" (individuals ages 16-24 not enrolled in school or the labor market); and "regional career center" (centralized facility operated by LEAs or SEAs offering CTE aligned to high-skill/high-wage occupations). It also incorporates existing statutory definitions for "career and technical education" (from the Carl D. Perkins CTE Act of 2006), "local educational agency," "secondary school," and "State educational agency" (from the ESEA), "institution of higher education" (from HEA §101), and "junior or community college" (from HEA §312(f)).