Compete for the Future Act of 2018

Summary: Compete for the Future Act of 2018 This bill directs the Department of Education to establish a prize competition for certain programs designed to prepare high school students to enter and succeed in an in-demand industry sector or occupation. Such programs are those that: (1) prepare students to enter and succeed in such sector or occupation by entering an apprenticeship program, or by earning a recognized credential, upon completion; (2) have a documented industry partnership; and (3) incorporate training and curriculum based on industry standards and approved by the partnership that will prepare individuals with the skills and competencies needed to enter an in-demand industry sector or occupation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Compete for the Future Act of 
2018''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIZE COMPETITION.

    (a) Prize Competition.--
            (1) In general.--From the amounts appropriated under 
        subsection (d), the Secretary of Education, in consultation 
        with the Secretary of Labor, shall establish a prize 
        competition for eligible programs designed to prepare high 
        school students to enter and succeed in an in-demand industry 
        sector or occupation. Such competition shall meet the 
        requirements of section 24 of the Stevenson-Wylder Technology 
        Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719).
            (2) Selection.--In selecting a winner for each prize, the 
        Secretary shall evaluate how successfully an eligible program 
        provides high school students with the rigorous and challenging 
        academic and technical knowledge and skills such students need 
        to prepare for careers in in-demand industry sectors or 
        occupations, including by earning an industry-recognized 
        certificate or credential or by entering a postsecondary 
        apprenticeship.
            (3) Priority.--In evaluating eligible programs for each 
        prize, the Secretary shall give priority to applications from 
        eligible programs that are located in or adjacent to a census 
        tract that is certified and designated as a qualified 
        opportunity zone (as defined in section 1400Z-1 of the Internal 
        Revenue Code of 1986).
    (b) Eligible Program.--The term ``eligible program'' means a 
program or set of strategies, including a pre-apprenticeship program, a 
registered youth apprenticeship program, or other similar secondary 
school program, that--
            (1) prepares high school students to enter and succeed in 
        an in-demand industry sector or occupation by--
                    (A) entering an apprenticeship program upon 
                completion of the eligible program; or
                    (B) earning a recognized credential upon completion 
                of the eligible program;
            (2) has a documented industry partnership; and
            (3) incorporates training and curriculum based on industry 
        standards and approved by the documented industry partnership 
        that will prepare individuals with the skills and competencies 
        needed to enter an in-demand industry sector or occupation.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the conclusion of a 
prize competition under subsection (a), the Secretary of Education, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall report to Congress 
recommendations on best practices for creating and developing pre-
apprenticeship and other programs designed to prepare high school 
students to enter and succeed in an in-demand industry sector or 
occupation.
    (d) Other Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Apprenticeship.--The term ``apprenticeship'' refers to 
        an apprenticeship registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 
        (commonly known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 50 
        Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
            (2) Documented industry partnership.--The term ``documented 
        industry partnership'' means a workforce collaborative, acting 
        in partnership with a program that is designed to prepare high 
        school students to enter and succeed in an in-demand industry 
        sector or occupation, that organizes key stakeholders in an 
        industry into a working group that focuses on the shared goals 
        and human resources needs of the industry and that includes 
        representatives of multiple businesses or other employers in 
        the industry, including small and medium-sized employers when 
        practicable, and at the appropriate stage of development of the 
        partnership, may include representatives of--
                    (A) State or local government;
                    (B) State or local economic development agencies;
                    (C) a recognized State labor organization or 
                central labor council, or another labor representative, 
                as appropriate;
                    (D) State boards or local boards, as appropriate;
                    (E) a State workforce agency or other entity 
                providing employment services;
                    (F) an institution of higher education with, or 
                another provider of, education or training programs 
                that support the industry;
                    (G) business or trade associations;
                    (H) economic development organizations;
                    (I) nonprofit organizations, community-based 
                organizations, or intermediaries;
                    (J) industry associations; and
                    (K) other organizations, as determined to be 
                necessary by the members comprising the documented 
                industry partnership.
            (3) High school.--The term ``high school'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (4) In-demand industry sector or occupation.--The term 
        ``in-demand industry sector or occupation'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            (5) Recognized credential.--The term ``recognized 
        credential'' means a credential consisting of an industry-
        recognized certificate or certification, or a certificate of 
        completion of an apprenticeship.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $2,000,000 to carry out this Act.