TECH Careers Act

Summary: Technical Education Creates High-Paying Careers Act of 2016 or the TECH Careers Act This bill amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to direct the Department of Education (ED), in coordination with the Department of Labor, to develop and implement an American Technical Training Grant Program awarding competitive three-year grants of up to $5 million per fiscal year to eligible entities for supporting the establishment, redesign, or expansion of job training programs that enable economically disadvantaged students to enter into and advance along career pathways that lead to jobs in high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand occupations. The entities eligible for such grants must be institutions of higher education offering career and technical education programs that can be completed in two years or less (or a consortium of such institutions), but only if they enter a partnership agreement with:   a local workforce development board; an employer with a workforce need in a high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand industry; an industry organization or other intermediary representing the industry sector or occupation for which the job training program provides training; and an institution of higher education that offers a baccalaureate degree and also has an articulation agreement with the eligible entity.  

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Technical Education Creates High-
Paying Careers Act of 2016'' or the ``TECH Careers Act''.

SEC. 2. AMERICAN TECHNICAL TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Title II of the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2371 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by inserting before section 201 the following:

                     ``PART A--TECH PREP PROGRAM'';

        and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new part:

          ``PART B--AMERICAN TECHNICAL TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM

``SEC. 221. ESTABLISHMENT OF AMERICAN TECHNICAL TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Program Authorization.--The Secretary of Education, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Labor, shall develop and implement a 
grant program, to be known as the American Technical Training Grant 
Program, to award competitive grants to eligible entities for 
supporting the establishment, redesign, or expansion of job training 
programs that enable economically disadvantaged students to enter into 
and advance along career pathways that lead to jobs in high-skill, 
high-wage, or high-demand occupations.
    ``(b) Definition of Eligible Entity.--For purposes of this part, 
the term `eligible entity' means an institution of higher education 
that offers career and technical education programs that can be 
completed in 2 years or less or a consortium of such institutions.
    ``(c) Application.--An eligible entity that desires a grant under 
this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    ``(d) Selection Criteria.--In awarding grants under this part, the 
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that--
            ``(1) would serve a large proportion of job training 
        program participants who are from economically disadvantaged 
        families;
            ``(2) would provide training for an industry sector or 
        occupation in high demand;
            ``(3) demonstrate potential for a high percentage of job 
        training program participants to secure employment after 
        completion of such entity's job training program; or
            ``(4) meet such other criteria as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
    ``(e) Partnerships.--
            ``(1) Required partnerships.--Before awarding a grant to an 
        eligible entity under this part, the Secretary shall verify 
        that the eligible entity has entered into a partnership 
        agreement with--
                    ``(A) a local workforce development board;
                    ``(B) an employer with a workforce need in a high-
                skill, high-wage, or high-demand industry;
                    ``(C) an industry organization or other 
                intermediary representing the industry sector or 
                occupation for which the job training program provides 
                training; and
                    ``(D) an institution of higher education that--
                            ``(i) offers a baccalaureate degree; and
                            ``(ii) has an articulation agreement with 
                        the eligible entity.
            ``(2) Separate entities not required.--In meeting the 
        partnership requirements of subparagraphs (A) through (D) of 
        paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall not be required to 
        partner with a separate entity for purposes of each such 
        subparagraph.
            ``(3) Additional partnerships.--In addition to being in the 
        partnerships described in paragraph (1), an eligible entity may 
        be in a partnership with--
                    ``(A) a nonprofit organization or other training 
                provider, including an apprenticeship program 
                registered with the Department of Labor;
                    ``(B) a community-based organization;
                    ``(C) a State, regional, or local economic 
                development agency;
                    ``(D) a secondary school; or
                    ``(E) a local educational agency.
    ``(f) Required Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this part shall use the grant funds to--
            ``(1) establish, redesign, or expand a job training program 
        that--
                    ``(A) leads to an industry recognized credential or 
                certification at the post-secondary level or to an 
                associate degree;
                    ``(B) trains job training program participants for 
                a regionally in-demand industry sector or occupation;
                    ``(C) addresses through embedded remediation the 
                needs of job training program participants for 
                remediation or attainment of basic skills;
                    ``(D) provides academic credit to job training 
                program participants for prior learning, if applicable, 
                including academic credit for courses completed in a 
                foreign country by a foreign professional or 
                recognition of such professional's foreign degree or 
                certification;
                    ``(E) provides student support services, such as 
                career guidance and academic counseling, intake 
                assessments to determine program fit, and other 
                services; and
                    ``(F) is accessible to nontraditional students 
                through alternative scheduling;
            ``(2) conduct high quality, independent evaluations of the 
        job training program's activities; and
            ``(3) provide work-based learning opportunities for job 
        training program participants.
    ``(g) Allowable Uses of Funds.--In addition to the required uses of 
funds under subsection (f), an eligible entity that receives a grant 
under this part may also use the grant funds to support the job 
training program by--
            ``(1) developing the program curriculum;
            ``(2) engaging employers or industries hire job training 
        program participants;
            ``(3) purchasing supplies;
            ``(4) supporting the professional development of faculty, 
        administrators, and career guidance and academic counselors;
            ``(5) supporting faculty salaries;
            ``(6) providing tuition assistance counseling and financial 
        aid counseling services;
            ``(7) providing services that target disconnected youth;
            ``(8) providing childcare for the children of program 
        participants during classes, internships, or other activities 
        relating to the job training program;
            ``(9) providing program participants with transportation to 
        classes, internships, or other activities relating to the job 
        training program; and
            ``(10) carrying out any other permissible activity 
        consistent with the purposes of this part, as approved by the 
        Secretary.
    ``(h) Grant Amount.--
            ``(1) In general.--The amount of a grant to an eligible 
        entity for a fiscal year shall not exceed $5,000,000.
            ``(2) Considerations.--In determining the amount of a grant 
        to be awarded to an eligible entity under this part, the 
        Secretary shall consider--
                    ``(A) if the grant is for the initial start-up of a 
                job training program or for the expansion of an 
                existing model, with smaller grants awarded for the 
                initial start-up and larger grants awarded for the 
                expansion of an existing model; and
                    ``(B) in the case of an application for the 
                expansion of an existing job training program, the 
                extent to which the job training program demonstrates 
                evidence of effectiveness.
            ``(3) Measuring effectiveness.--For purposes of paragraph 
        (2)(B), the measure of effectiveness shall include the 
        graduation rates, job placement rates, and wages earned by 
        graduates of the job training program.
    ``(i) Grant Duration.--
            ``(1) Maximum grant period.--The Secretary shall make a 
        grant award under this part for a period of not more than 3 
        years.
            ``(2) Maximum grant extension.--If an eligible entity that 
        receives a grant under this part makes substantial progress 
        based on the accountability and performance indicators 
        described in subsection (j), the Secretary may extend a grant 
        award for not more than 2 additional years.
    ``(j) Accountability and Performance Indicators.--
            ``(1) Required accountability and performance indicators.--
        An eligible entity shall provide annually to the Secretary data 
        on the eligible entity's job training program carried out under 
        this part, including--
                    ``(A) the number of program participants;
                    ``(B) for such program participants, the core 
                indicators of performance described in clauses (i) 
                through (iv) of section 113(b)(2)(B);
                    ``(C) the median earnings of program participants 
                who have completed the job training program, measured 
                at the time at which postsecondary student placement 
                rates are measured under clause (iv) of section 
                113(b)(2)(B); and
                    ``(D) the percentage of program participants who 
                have completed the job training program and who, at the 
                time at which postsecondary student placement rates are 
                measured under clause (iv) of section 113(b)(2)(B), are 
                employed by an employer that meets the requirement 
                under subsection (e)(1)(b).
            ``(2) Disaggregation of accountability and performance 
        indicators.--Such data shall be disaggregated by--
                    ``(A) race and ethnicity;
                    ``(B) gender;
                    ``(C) disability status;
                    ``(D) sexual orientation;
                    ``(E) English proficiency;
                    ``(F) status as economically disadvantaged;
                    ``(G) status as an individual preparing for 
                employment in a non-traditional field, including 
                individuals from a racial, ethnic, or national origin 
                group that is underrepresented in such field; and
                    ``(H) status as a military-connected student.
            ``(3) Student privacy.--The report to the Secretary 
        required under paragraph (1) shall only include data to the 
        extent that such data are sufficient to yield statistically 
        reliable information that does not reveal personally 
        identifiable information about an individual student.
            ``(4) Publication of data.--The Secretary shall aggregate 
        the data received under paragraph (1) and publish such 
        aggregation so that it is reasonably available to the public.
            ``(5) Funds reserved for data collection and 
        dissemination.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
        this part may reserve not more than 3 percent of the grant 
        amount to administer the collection, disaggregation, and 
        reporting of the data received under paragraph (1).
    ``(k) Reserved Funds.--
            ``(1) Funds reserved for rural, tribal, or outlying 
        areas.--The Secretary shall reserve not less than 1 percent and 
        not more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated under 
        subsection (n) to carry out this part for a fiscal year for 
        making awards to eligible entities located in rural, tribal, or 
        outlying areas.
            ``(2) Funds reserved for historically black colleges and 
        universities and other minority-serving institutions.--The 
        Secretary shall reserve not less than 1 percent and not more 
        than 10 percent of the funds appropriated under subsection (n) 
        to carry out this part for a fiscal year for making awards to 
        eligible entities listed in paragraphs (1) through (7) of 
        section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1067q(a)).
    ``(l) Matching Requirement.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under this part shall secure, toward the cost of 
        establishing, redesigning, or expanding a job training program 
        under this part, from non-Federal sources, an amount as 
        determined by the Secretary for such eligible entity.
            ``(2) Non-federal contribution.--The non-Federal 
        contribution may be--
                    ``(A) in cash or in the form of in-kind 
                contributions that are directly related to the purpose 
                for which the grant was made; and
                    ``(B) from a State government, local government, or 
                private person.
    ``(m) Federal Funds To Supplement, Not Supplant, Non-Federal 
Funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under this part shall use 
Federal funds received under this part only to supplement the funds 
that would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be made available 
from non-Federal sources for the support of the job training programs 
assisted under this part, and not to supplant such funds.
    ``(n) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this part--
            ``(1) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2017; and
            ``(2) such sums as may be necessary for subsequent fiscal 
        years.

``SEC. 222. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) Career pathway.--The term `career pathway' has the 
        meaning given that term in the section 3 of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            ``(2) Disconnected youth.--The term `disconnected youth' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 526(a) of the 
        Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (42 U.S.C. 12301 note).
            ``(3) In-demand industry sector or occupation.--The term 
        `in-demand industry sector or occupation' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            ``(4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001), except that such term shall not include 
        proprietary institutions of higher education.
            ``(5) Military-connected student.--The term `military-
        connected student' means a student that is the child of a 
        person serving in the Armed Forces.
            ``(6) Nontraditional student.--The term `nontraditional 
        student' has the meaning given that term in section 861(b) of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161q(b)).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 
U.S.C. 2301 note) is amended--
            (1) by inserting before the item relating to section 201 
        the following new item:

                     ``Part A--Tech Prep Program'';

        and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 206 the 
        following new items:

          ``Part B--American Technical Training Grant Program

``Sec. 221. Establishment of American Technical Training Grant Program.
``Sec. 222. Definitions.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--Part A of title II of the Carl D. 
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2371 et 
seq.), as designated by this Act, is amended by striking ``this title'' 
each place it appears and inserting ``this part''.