Equity in Career and Technical Education Act of 2016

Summary: Equity in Career and Technical Education Act of 2016 This bill amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to require state and local educational agencies to conduct an annual equity gap assessment for career and technical education programs of study and create plans on how to reduce the gap.The &quot;equity gap&quot; consists of the gaps in participation and performance between students based on gender, race, and certain special populations.  The bill requires states to provide professional development and technical assistance to help local educational agencies close equity gaps in career and technical education.States and local agencies that fail to make improvements in closing equity gaps must implement an improvement plan.The Department of Education (ED)may withhold funding from states that fail to show improvement in closing equity gaps.Additionally, states may withhold funding from local agencies that fail to make improvements. States must also annually report toED on the progress of the state in closing equity gaps. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Equity in Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the Carl D. Perkins Career 
and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.).

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    Section 2 (20 U.S.C. 2301) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    ``The purpose of this Act is to support the development of and 
access to high-quality career and technical education programs of study 
that successfully prepare students for college and careers, thereby 
ensuring the global competitiveness of the United States and the 
economic self-sufficiency of the citizens of the United States.''.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 3 (20 U.S.C. 2302) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (15) through (28) and (29) 
        through (34) as paragraphs (16) through (29) and (31) through 
        (36), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (14) the following:
            ``(15) Equity gap.--The term `equity gap' means the gaps in 
        participation and performance on the core indicators of 
        performance described in section 113(b)(2) for career and 
        technical education programs of study, as described in section 
        122(c)(1)(A), between student groups based on gender, race, and 
        each of the special populations described in paragraph (31), as 
        compared to all students served by the eligible agency or 
        eligible recipient under this Act.'';
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (29), as redesignated by 
        paragraph (1), the following:
            ``(30) Self-sufficiency.--The term `self-sufficiency' means 
        a wage that enables a household to meet the costs of the basic 
        needs in the local area of the household and to build 
        sufficient savings for the future.''; and
            (4) in paragraph (33), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by 
        striking ``and instructional aids and devices.'' and inserting 
        ``instructional aids and devices, transportation, child care, 
        dependent care, tuition, books, supplies, and other services 
        necessary to enable an individual to participate in career and 
        technical education activities.''.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 4 (20 U.S.C. 2307) is amended by striking ``2007 through 
2012'' and inserting ``2017 through 2021''.

SEC. 6. WITHIN STATE ALLOCATION.

    Subparagraph (B) of section 112(a)(2) (20 U.S.C. 2322(a)(2)) is 
amended to read as follows:
                    ``(B) not less than $100,000 shall be reserved to 
                provide technical assistance and professional 
                development to local educational agencies on effective 
                strategies for closing equity gaps; and''.

SEC. 7. ACCOUNTABILITY.

    Section 113 (20 U.S.C. 2323) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3)(A)--
                            (i) in clause (i)(II), by inserting 
                        ``closing equity gaps and'' after ``progress 
                        toward''; and
                            (ii) in clause (vi)(II), by inserting 
                        ``close equity gaps and'' after ``levels of 
                        performance''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) in clause (i)(II), by inserting 
                                ``closing equity gaps and'' after 
                                ``progress toward''; and
                                    (II) in clause (v)(II), by 
                                inserting ``close equity gaps and'' 
                                after ``levels of performance''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C)--
                                    (I) in clause (i)--
                                            (aa) by striking 
                                        ``regarding the progress'' and 
                                        inserting the following: 
                                        ``regarding--
                                    ``(I) the progress'';
                                            (bb) by striking 
                                        ``indicators of performance.'' 
                                        and inserting ``indicators of 
                                        performance; and''; and
                                            (cc) by adding at the end 
                                        the following:
                                    ``(II) how the eligible recipient 
                                has used funds to provide programs and 
                                support services to close the equity 
                                gaps identified under clause 
                                (ii)(II).''; and
                                    (II) in clause (ii)--
                                            (aa) in subclause (I), by 
                                        striking ``for the subgroups of 
                                        students'' and all that follows 
                                        through ``; and'' and inserting 
                                        ``by gender, by race, and for 
                                        each of the special populations 
                                        described in section 3(31); 
                                        and''; and
                                            (bb) in subclause (II), by 
                                        striking ``disparities or gaps 
                                        in performance'' and inserting 
                                        ``equity gaps''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``and'' after the 
                        semicolon;
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
                        subparagraph (C); and
                            (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
                        the following:
                    ``(B) the progress of the State in closing equity 
                gaps and how the eligible agency has used funds to 
                provide programs and services for eligible recipients 
                to close such equity gaps; and''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``for 
                        the categories'' and all that follows through 
                        ``; and'' and inserting ``by gender, race, and 
                        for each of the special populations described 
                        in section 3(31); and''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``disparities or gaps in performance between 
                        any such category of students and the 
                        performance of all students served by the 
                        eligible agency under this Act'' and inserting 
                        ``equity gaps between any category of students 
                        described in subparagraph (A)''.

SEC. 8. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    Section 114(d) (20 U.S.C. 2324(d)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(B)--
                    (A) in clause (v), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (B) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause (vii); 
                and
                    (C) by inserting after clause (v) the following:
                            ``(vi) individuals with expertise on the 
                        development of programs that have been 
                        effective in closing equity gaps; and'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)(B)--
                    (A) in clause (i), by inserting ``and have been 
                successful in closing equity gaps'' after ``under this 
                Act''; and
                    (B) in the matter preceding subclause (I) of clause 
                (iii), by inserting ``, disaggregated as described in 
                section 113(b)(4)(C)(ii)(I) and'' before ``including 
                analyses'';
            (3) in the matter preceding subclause (I) of paragraph 
        (4)(A)(i), by inserting ``closing equity gaps and'' before 
        ``addressing''; and
            (4) in paragraph (5), by striking ``for providing'' and 
        inserting ``for closing equity gaps by providing high-
        quality''.

SEC. 9. STATE ADMINISTRATION.

    Section 121(a) (20 U.S.C. 2341(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) conducting an equity gap analysis.''.

SEC. 10. STATE PLAN.

    Section 122(c) (20 U.S.C. 2342(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (L), by inserting ``and'' after 
                the semicolon; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(M) how funds will be used to support State 
                technical assistance and professional development to 
                close the equity gaps identified in section 
                121(a)(5);'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)(E), by inserting ``close equity gaps 
        and'' after ``and skills needed to''; and
            (3) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of paragraph 
        (9), by striking ``for special populations'' and inserting 
        ``for closing equity gaps''.

SEC. 11. STATE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT.

    Section 123 (20 U.S.C. 2343) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting ``, or fails to show 
                        improvement on closing any equity gap 
                        identified under section 113(c)(2)(B) for the 
                        preceding fiscal year,'' after ``upon State 
                        adjusted level of performance''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``or close equity gaps,'' 
                        after ``adjusted level of performance,'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) in clause (ii)--
                                            (aa) by inserting ``, or in 
                                        closing equity gaps,'' after 
                                        ``levels of performance''; and
                                            (bb) by striking ``or'' 
                                        after the semicolon;
                                    (II) in clause (iii), by striking 
                                the period at the end and inserting ``; 
                                or''; and
                                    (III) by adding at the end the 
                                following:
                            ``(iv) fails to show improvement on closing 
                        equity gaps for the populations identified in 
                        section 113(c)(2)(A) for 3 consecutive 
                        years.'';
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
                        subparagraph (C); and
                            (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
                        the following:
                    ``(B) Use of funds.--An eligible agency shall use 
                funds made available under section 112(c) for the 
                purposes described in section 124(b)(10) when the 
                eligible agency--
                            ``(i) fails to show improvement in closing 
                        equity gaps within the first program year of 
                        implementation of its improvement plan 
                        described in paragraph (1); or
                            ``(ii) fails to show improvement on closing 
                        equity gaps for the populations identified in 
                        section 113(c)(2)(A) for 3 consecutive 
                        years.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``conduct an 
                equity gap analysis to'' after ``shall'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) by inserting ``, or failed to show 
                        improvement on the closing of equity gaps 
                        identified in section 113(b)(4)(C)(ii)(II),'' 
                        after ``upon local adjusted level of 
                        performance''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``(with special 
                        consideration to performance gaps identified 
                        under section 113(b)(4)(C)(ii)(II))''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) in clause (ii)--
                                            (aa) by inserting ``in 
                                        closing equity gaps or'' after 
                                        ``any improvement''; and
                                            (bb) by striking ``or'' 
                                        after the semicolon;
                                    (II) in clause (iii), by striking 
                                the period at the end and inserting ``; 
                                or''; and
                                    (III) by adding at the end the 
                                following:
                            ``(iv) fails to show improvement on closing 
                        equity gaps for the populations identified in 
                        section 113(b)(4)(C)(ii)(I) for 3 consecutive 
                        years.''; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Additional requirements.--An eligible entity 
                shall require an eligible recipient receiving an 
                allocation under this title to use not less than 10 
                percent of the funds made available to the eligible 
                recipient under section 131 or 132 to meet the purposes 
                described in section 135(b)(9) in any case where an 
                eligible recipient--
                            ``(i) fails to show improvement in closing 
                        equity gaps within the first program year of 
                        implementation of its improvement plan 
                        described in paragraph (1); or
                            ``(ii) fails to show improvement on closing 
                        equity gaps for the populations identified in 
                        section 113(c)(2)(A) for 3 consecutive 
                        years.''.

SEC. 12. STATE LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES.

    Section 124(b) (20 U.S.C. 2344(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``equity gap'' before 
        ``assessment of the career'';
            (2) in paragraph (8), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (3) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) delivering professional development, leadership, and 
        technical assistance for eligible recipients to close equity 
        gaps identified in paragraph (1) for any of the core indicators 
        of performance described in section 113(b)(4).''.

SEC. 13. LOCAL PLAN FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    Section 134(b) (20 U.S.C. 2354(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``closing equity gaps 
        and'' after ``with respect to''; and
            (2) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``the closing of equity 
        gaps and'' before ``the integration of''.

SEC. 14. LOCAL USES OF FUNDS.

    Section 135(b) (20 U.S.C. 2355(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5)(A)--
                    (A) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (B) in clause (iv), by inserting ``and'' after the 
                semicolon; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(v) effective practices to close equity 
                        gaps in career and technical education programs 
                        of study;'';
            (2) in paragraph (6), by striking ``assessment of how'' and 
        inserting ``equity gap assessment of how''; and
            (3) in paragraph (9), by inserting ``to close equity gaps 
        and'' after ``provide activities''.