Career and Technical Education for Adult Learners Act of 2016

Summary: Career and Technical Education for Adult Learners Act of 2016  This bill amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to modify the requirements for career and technical education programs to align the programs with adult education programs.  The bill revises the purposes of the Act to include promoting adult education and supporting partnerships among adult education programs.  States may develop core indicators of performance for career and technical education students at the adult education level. At a minimum, the indicators must measure: (1) student attainment of challenging career and technical skill proficiency, including student achievement on technical assessments that are aligned with industry-recognized standards; and (2) the eligibly entity's performance on the indicators of performance described in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.  The bill also: (1) includes the state director of adult education in the development of the state plan for career and technical education, and (2) specifies that adult education providers that also offer certain career and technical education courses leading to technical skill proficiency and an industry-recognized credential or certificate are eligible to receive funds under the Act. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Career and Technical Education for 
Adult Learners Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    Section 2 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act 
of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, adult education,'' 
        after ``secondary education''; and
            (2) in paragraph (6), by inserting ``adult education 
        programs,'' after ``secondary schools,''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act 
of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), 
        (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17), 
        (18), (19), (20), (21), (22), (23), (24), (25), (26), (27), 
        (28), (29), (30), (31), (32), (33), and (34), as paragraphs 
        (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), 
        (14), (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), (21), (22), (23), (24), 
        (25), (26), (27), (28), (29), (30), (31), (32), (33), (34), 
        (35), and (36), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) Adult education; adult education and literacy 
        activities.--The terms `adult education' and `adult education 
        and literacy activities' have the meanings given the terms in 
        section 203 of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act.'';
            (3) in paragraph (14), as redesignated by paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``or'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as 
                subparagraph (G); and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the 
                following:
                    ``(F) a provider of adult education that offers a 
                program of integrated education and training that 
                includes career and technical education courses that 
                lead to technical skill proficiency, and an industry-
                recognized credential or a certificate; or'';
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (19), as redesignated by 
        paragraph (1), the following:
            ``(20) Integrated education and training.--The term 
        `integrated education and training' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 203 of the Adult Education and Family Literacy 
        Act.''; and
            (5) in paragraph (31), as redesignated by paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(G) individuals who are basic skills deficient, 
                as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
                Opportunity Act.''.

SEC. 4. ACCOUNTABILITY.

    Section 113(b)(2) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2323(b)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (C), (D), (E), and (F), 
        as subparagraphs (D), (E), (F), and (G), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
                    ``(C) Core indicators of performance for career and 
                technical education students at the adult education 
                level.--Each eligible agency may identify in the State 
                plan core indicators of performance for career and 
                technical education students at the adult education 
                level that are valid and reliable, and that include, at 
                minimum, measures of each of the following:
                            ``(i) Student attainment of challenging 
                        career and technical skill proficiency, 
                        including student achievement on technical 
                        assessments that are aligned with industry-
                        recognized standards, if available and 
                        appropriate.
                            ``(ii) The eligibly entity's performance on 
                        the indicators of performance described in 
                        section 116(b)(2) of the Workforce Innovation 
                        and Opportunity Act.''.

SEC. 5. STATE PLAN.

    Section 122 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2342) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1)(A)--
                    (A) in clause (xi), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(xiii) the State director of adult 
                        education; and''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) in the matter preceding clause 
                                (i), by inserting ``, adult education 
                                programs,'' after ``local educational 
                                agencies'';
                                    (II) in clause (i), by inserting 
                                ``, adult education,'' after 
                                ``secondary education'';
                                    (III) in clause (iii), by striking 
                                ``and'' after the semicolon;
                                    (IV) in clause (iv), by inserting 
                                ``and'' after the semicolon; and
                                    (V) by adding at the end the 
                                following:
                            ``(v) may include internships, cooperative 
                        education, apprenticeships, or other work 
                        experiences, such as those described in section 
                        129(c)(2)(C) of the Workforce Innovation and 
                        Opportunity Act;'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``, 
                        adult education,'' after ``secondary 
                        education'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (E), by inserting ``, 
                        adult,'' after ``secondary''; and
                            (iv) in subparagraph (K), by inserting ``, 
                        adult education level,'' after ``secondary 
                        level'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(G), by inserting ``, the Adult 
                Education and Family Literacy Act,'' after ``Elementary 
                and Secondary Education Act of 1965'';
                    (C) in paragraph (19), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (D) in paragraph (20), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting a semicolon; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(21) describes how funds will be used to support work 
        experiences for students in career and technical education; and
            ``(22) describes how career and technical education 
        programs are aligned with any industry or sector partnerships, 
        as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act.''.

SEC. 6. STATE LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES.

    Section 124 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2344) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(3)(E), by inserting ``, the Adult 
        Education and Family Literacy Act,'' after ``Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``, adult 
                education,'' after ``secondary'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, adult 
                education,'' after ``secondary school'';
                    (C) in paragraph (16)(B), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (D) in paragraph (17), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(18) support for work experiences for career and 
        technical education students such as internships, cooperative 
        education, and apprenticeships.''.

SEC. 7. LOCAL PLAN FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    Section 134(b) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2354(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (11), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (12)(B), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(13) describe how funds will be used to support work 
        experiences for students in career and technical education 
        programs, such as internships, cooperative education, 
        apprenticeships, or other work experiences, such as those 
        described in section 129(c)(2)(C) of the Workforce Innovation 
        and Opportunity Act; and
            ``(14) describe how career and technical education programs 
        are aligned with any industry or sector partnerships, as 
        defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
        Opportunity Act.''.