I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4876 

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a work-based 

learning opportunities pilot grant program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 28, 2019 

Mr. KILMER (for himself and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish 

a work-based learning opportunities pilot grant program. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Earning Experience 

5 Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PILOT GRANT PROGRAM. 

7 Part C of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 

8 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1087–51 et seq.) is amended by adding 

9 at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 449. WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES PILOT 

2 GRANT PROGRAM. 

3 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

4 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab5 lish a program to provide grants to eligible institu6 tions participating under this part to establish or ex7 pand a program to develop work-based learning posi8 tions. 

9 ‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.— 

10 ‘‘(A) DURATION.—A grant awarded under 

11 this section shall be for a period of not more 

12 than 4 years, but may be renewed by the Sec13 retary for a period of 2 years. 

14 ‘‘(B) AMOUNT.—A grant under this sec15 tion may not be in an amount greater than 

16 $1,000,000. 

17 ‘‘(b) APPLICATION.—To be selected to receive a grant 

18 under this section an eligible institution participating 

19 under this part shall submit an application to the Sec20 retary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 

21 information as the Secretary may require, including a plan 

22 that describes how the eligible institution will establish or 

23 expand a program to develop work-based learning posi24 tions that will— 

25 ‘‘(1) benefit students who demonstrate excep26 tional need (as defined in section 413C(c)(2)); 


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1 ‘‘(2) identify in-demand industry sectors or oc2 cupations (as determined by the Bureau of Labor 

3 and Statistics, State departments of labor, and local 

4 workforce development boards) and develop partner5 ships with employers (including nonprofit organiza6 tions, for-profit firms, or public agencies) in such 

7 sectors or occupations; 

8 ‘‘(3) involve participating employers in evalu9 ating and improving such program; 

10 ‘‘(4) track and report academic and employ11 ment outcomes for participating students; and 

12 ‘‘(5) be able to continue after the end of the 

13 grant term. 

14 ‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Grant funds awarded under 

15 this program shall be used to pay wages for students par16 ticipating under this program and develop work-based 

17 learning positions that— 

18 ‘‘(1) are for a period of at least 12 weeks; 

19 ‘‘(2) serve students who demonstrate excep20 tional need (as defined in section 413C(c)(2)); 

21 ‘‘(3) limit administrative work to no more than 

22 25 percent of such position; 

23 ‘‘(4) provide a minimum of 15 hours of work 

24 per week during periods of enrollment and 30 hours 

25 per week during periods of nonenrollment, except 


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1 such requirement may be waived by the institution 

2 in consultation with a student; 

3 ‘‘(5) include career coaching from participating 

4 employers (including, mock interviews, resume writ5 ing assistance, and counseling on applying for and 

6 attaining employment); and 

7 ‘‘(6) provide participating students with oppor8 tunities to meet with employers in fields or indus9 tries related to those of participating employers. 

10 ‘‘(d) REPORT.—On a date that is before the date on 

11 which the period of the grant received by an eligible insti12 tution under this section terminates, such institution shall 

13 submit a report to the Secretary including— 

14 ‘‘(1) the graduation rate or completion rate (as 

15 described under section 485(a)(3)) with respect to 

16 students participating in work-based learning posi17 tions under the pilot program; and 

18 ‘‘(2) the results of the work-based learning op19 portunities program for which such institution re20 ceived such grant, including— 

21 ‘‘(A) participating students’ satisfaction 

22 with the program; 

23 ‘‘(B) the types of jobs in which partici24 pating students were employed and the types of 

25 duties performed in such jobs; 


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1 ‘‘(C) the academic programs of the partici2 pating students; 

3 ‘‘(D) the share of participating students 

4 who worked at another job, in addition to the 

5 one under the pilot program; 

6 ‘‘(E) the percentage of participating stu7 dents who, during the second quarter after 

8 completing their academic program, are in edu9 cation or training activities or unsubsidized em10 ployment; 

11 ‘‘(F) the percentage of participating stu12 dents employed in the in-demand industry sec13 tors or occupations identified under subsection 

14 (b)(2) within 2 quarters of completing their 

15 academic programs; and 

16 ‘‘(G) other items as determined by the Sec17 retary. 

18 ‘‘(e) RESERVATION OF FUNDING FOR SUCH PRO19 GRAM.—From the amount appropriated under section 

20 441(b) for a fiscal year and remaining after the Secretary 

21 allocates funds under section 442, the Secretary shall re22 serve $30,000,000 to carry out grants under this sec23 tion.’’. 

Æ 


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