Workforce Readiness Act of 1993

Summary: Workforce Readiness Act of 1993 - 
Title I:  National Board on Workforce Skills
 - Establishes a National Board on Workforce Skills for the 21st Century. 
Title II:  School-to-Work Transition Programs
 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to local educational agencies to develop, implement, or expand programs which integrate workplace skills into the regular school curriculum to facilitate the transition from school to work.  Sets forth reporting requirements. 
Authorizes appropriations for such grants and for the National Board.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Workforce Readiness Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``career guidance counselor'' means an 
        individual who is certified in career guidance and who assists 
        students with evaluating career options, opportunities, 
        planning, and decisionmaking and in seeking and obtaining 
        employment.
            (2) The term ``generic skills'' means cross-industry, 
        cross-occupation skills which are necessary for all individuals 
        to have to be effective participants in the workforce.
            (3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        Education.
            (4) The term ``school-to-work transition'' means the 
        process by which students acquire academic and occupational 
        skills and work experience to assist in the transition from 
        school to employment.

              TITLE I--NATIONAL BOARD ON WORKFORCE SKILLS

SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a National Board on Workforce Skills for the 
21st Century (in this title referred to as the ``National Board'').

SEC. 102. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this title to oversee the development of 
voluntary national standards that will identify the generic workplace 
readiness skills which employers agree all students should have upon 
completion of high school in order to be effective participants in the 
workforce.

SEC. 103. DUTIES.

    The National Board shall--
            (1) work with employers and educators to establish, through 
        a broad public process, voluntary national standards that will 
        identify the generic workplace readiness skills which employers 
        agree that students should have upon completion of high school;
            (2) in developing such standards, take into consideration 
        current work in this area undertaken under other auspices, 
        including activities carried out under title II;
            (3) consult with industry-specific occupational boards 
        formulate work-ready skills standards;
            (4) conduct research and evaluation activities necessary to 
        determine the relationship between possession of skills and 
        increased work performance;
            (5) update such skills as the skill requirements of the 
        economy change;
            (6) conduct research and demonstration activities which 
        include the development and testing of models for integrating 
        skills into the school-based learning in the K-12 grades, 
        giving priority to models which integrate academic and 
        workplace instruction beginning in elementary school grades;
            (7) release draft standards for broad review and comment, 
        and ensure the input of a broad range of employers including 
        small businesses;
            (8) once the final standards have been approved by the 
        National Board, work with consortia of employers, labor, and 
        education representatives to incorporate the standards into 
        State and local systemic education reform efforts; and
            (9) recommend procedures for the dissemination of 
        information and the provision of technical assistance to 
        consortia of business, labor, and education.

SEC. 104. COMPOSITION.

    The National Board shall be composed of 23 members appointed in 
accordance with section 105, representing business and industry, labor, 
education, and local government. The National Board shall reflect a 
broad range of businesses, including representatives from the 
manufacturing, financial, and service sectors.

SEC. 105. MEMBERSHIP.

    Members of the National Board shall be appointed as follows:
            (1) 7 members, of which at least 3 shall be Baldrige Award 
        winners, shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, upon recommendations of the majority and 
        minority leaders of the House, respectively.
            (2) 7 members, of which at least 3 shall be Baldrige Award 
        winners, shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the 
        Senate, upon recommendations of the majority and minority 
        leaders of the Senate, respectively.
            (3) 7 members, of which at least 3 shall be Baldrige Award 
        winners, shall be appointed by the President of the United 
        States.

SEC. 106. EX OFFICIO MEMBERS.

    The Secretary of education and the Secretary of Labor shall serve 
as ex officio members of the National Board.

SEC. 107. TERMS OF APPOINTEES.

    (a) Initial Appointments.--The members of the National Board 
appointed under paragraph 1 of section 105 shall be appointed for a 
term of 3 years, the members appointed under paragraph 2 of section 105 
shall be appointed for a term of 4 years, and the members appointed 
under paragraph 3 of section 105 shall be appointed for a term of 5 
years.
    (b) Subsequent Terms.--After the terms under subsection (a) are 
served, each member appointed subsequently shall be appointed for a 3-
year term.

SEC. 108. CHAIRPERSON.

    The National Board shall annually elect a Chairperson from among 
its members who shall serve for a term of 1 year.

SEC. 109. COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.

    (a) Compensation.--Members of the National Board shall serve 
without compensation.
    (b) Expenses.--While away from their homes or regular places of 
business on the business of the National Board, members of the Board 
may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, as is authorized under section 5703 of title 5, United 
States Code.
    (c) Staff.--The National Board shall appoint an Executive Director 
who shall be compensated at a rate determined by the National Board not 
to exceed level 15 of the General Schedule under title 5, United States 
Code, and who may appoint such staff as is necessary.

              TITLE II--SCHOOL-TO-WORK TRANSITION PROGRAMS

SEC. 201. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this title to develop school-to-work 
transition programs which provide students with the education and 
skills necessary to enter the workplace ready to perform and able to 
attain a satisfactory standard of living.

SEC. 202. GRANT AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants to 
local educational agencies to develop, implement, or expand programs 
which integrate workplace skills into the regular school curriculum in 
order to facilitate the transition from school to work.
    (b) Equitable Distribution of Assistance.--In approving grants 
under this title, the Secretary shall assure an equitable distribution 
of assistance among the States and among urban and rural areas of the 
States.

SEC. 203. APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--A local educational agency that desires to receive 
a grant under this title shall submit an application to the Secretary 
at such time, in such form, and containing such information that the 
Secretary may reasonably require.
    (b) Contents of Application.--Such application shall include--
            (1) the composition of the business/industry/labor 
        partnership with which the local education agency will work to 
        develop and implement an effective school-to-work transition 
        program;
            (2) a description of how funds will be used;
            (3) a description of how the program will be coordinated 
        with K-12 vocational educational programs; and
            (4) an assurance that the applicant shall maintain data and 
        information regarding the program, including the number of 
        students served.

SEC. 204. USES OF FUNDS.

    (a) Requirements.--Grants made available under this title shall be 
used by local educational agencies working to develop and implement 
comprehensive school-to-work transition which shall include processes 
and procedures for--
            (1) enabling students to gain a better understanding of 
        skill necessary for the workplace through work site visits, 
        demonstrating and using of business technologies in the 
        classroom, and bringing representatives of business and 
        organized labor into the classroom;
            (2) developing or adopting curricula and instructional 
        materials which incorporate generic workplace skills;
            (3) expanding opportunities for students to enter career 
        preparation programs that integrate academic instruction with 
        workplace instruction;
            (4) providing career guidance counselors to assist students 
        seeking job placement or further occupational specific 
        education; and
            (5) professional development strategies for teachers, 
        principals, counselors, and other school personnel to further 
        the purposes of this title.
    (b) Optional Activities.--A local educational agency may--
            (1) initiate a flexible school schedule to enable students 
        to spend adequate time in the classroom and at the workplace; 
        and
            (2) design programs which enhance opportunities for 
        students to enter into programs leading to an associate degree 
        in an occupational field or program authorized under part E, 
        title III of the Carl Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology 
        Education Act.

SEC. 205. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.

    (a) Federal Share.--The Federal share of a grant under this title 
may not exceed--
            (1) 90 percent of the total cost of a project for the first 
        year for which the project receives assistance under this 
        title, and
            (2) 75 percent of such cost for the second such year and 
        each subsequent year.
    (b) Other Sources.--The share of payments from sources other than 
funds appropriated under this title may be in cash or in-kind fairly 
evaluated.

SEC. 206. REPORTING.

    (a) Reports to Secretary.--A local educational agency that receives 
a grant under this title shall submit a report to the Secretary each 
year.
    (b) Report to the Congress.--The Secretary shall submit to the 
Congress a biannual report.

SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
$100,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 for grants to local 
educational agencies for the development and implementation of programs 
under this title to assist students to make the transition from school 
to work.
    (b) Funds for National Board.--Of the funds authorized under 
subsection (a), 5 percent shall be reserved for activities authorized 
under title I of this Act.