I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 336

To promote youth apprenticeship opportunities nationwide, and for other

purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 5, 1993

Mrs. ROUKEMA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Education and Labor

A BILL

To promote youth apprenticeship opportunities nationwide,

and for other purposes.

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 ‘‘National Youth

5 Apprenticeship Opportunity Act of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

7 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—

8 (1) a significant proportion of youth in the

9 United States lack the necessary skills to meet em10 ployer requirements for entry level positions;
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1 (2) significant numbers of our youth are doing

2 poorly in school and will eventually drop out because

3 school seems irrelevant to them;

4 (3) the American workplace is changing in re5 sponse to new technology and heightened inter6 national competition, and the jobs of the future will

7 demand different and higher level skills for which

8 too many of our youth are not currently trained;

9 (4) in contrast to many competitor nations, the

10 United States has virtually no programs to provide

11 support for youth in making the transition from

12 school to gainful employment;

13 (5) the vast majority of American workers who

14 do not attend or complete college lack the skills nec15 essary to secure satisfying and gainful employment;

16 (6) work-based learning models are effective ap17 proaches to preparing youth, beginning at the sec18 ondary school level, for high-wage, high-skilled em19 ployment;

20 (7) three-fourths of American youth do not

21 earn college degrees, and many of those who do not

22 could benefit from a more structured method of at23 taining job skills, knowledge and abilities;
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1 (8) the United States lacks a comprehensive ap2 proach towards helping youth make the transition

3 from school to the workplace;

4 (9) as a consequence of these policies, real

5 wages have declined and there is rising inequality in

6 wages between those who are well-trained and those

7 who are not;

8 (10) since global economic competition is mak9 ing it impossible for the United States to maintain

10 a high standard of living for the majority of its peo11 ple without changes in human capital policy, the

12 choice facing the United States is either to become

13 a Nation of high skills or one of declining living

14 standards;

15 (11) if the United States is to become a Nation

16 of high skills and high performance work organiza17 tion, there must be a fundamental change in the ap18 proach of the United States to work, education, and

19 training; and

20 (12) to accomplish that change, American busi21 ness, labor, Federal, State, and local governments,

22 and the education community must join together

23 and invest the time, talent, and resources necessary

24 to provide American youth the opportunity to par25 ticipate in high quality youth apprenticeships that
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1 will lead to satisfying and gainful employment op2 portunities.

3 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are to—

4 (1) establish a nationally recognized system for

5 the youth apprenticeship approach to learning, while

6 allowing States to customize the model to economic,

7 demographic, and other local conditions;

8 (2) establish a process that engages the busi9 ness community in partnerships with education to

10 develop the capacity of workplaces to serve as learn11 ing sites in order to ensure that youth apprentices

12 acquire academic and work-based competencies and

13 become skilled, flexible entry-level workers;

14 (3) encourage businesses and labor organiza15 tions to participate in youth apprenticeship pro16 grams;

17 (4) encourage the public sector to participate in

18 youth apprenticeship programs;

19 (5) motivate the nation’s young people to re20 main in school, improve their basic skills, and be21 come productive citizens by providing the oppor22 tunity to gain marketable skills while establishing a

23 relationship with a prospective employer;

24 (6) prepare the youth of the United States for

25 employment in high-wage, high-skilled occupations;
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1 (7) provide for high achievement standards in

2 order to instill pride, self-esteem, and purpose in

3 youth apprentices;

4 (8) establish a systematic transition for youth

5 apprentice students from school to work by linking

6 the academic curriculum with a curriculum of work7 site experience and learning; and

8 (9) enhance the youth apprentice’s prospects

9 for immediate employment after leaving school in

10 positions that provide significant opportunity for

11 continued education and career development.

12 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

13 For the purpose of this Act, the following definitions

14 apply—

15 (1) the term ‘‘youth apprenticeship program’’

16 means a program that—

17 (A) integrates academic instruction and

18 work-based learning;

19 (B) provides for work-site learning and

20 paid work experience;

21 (C) is offered to students beginning in the

22 11th grade;

23 (D) is intended to——
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1 (i) result in receipt of a high school

2 diploma and an approved certificate of

3 competency; and

4 (ii) lead, as appropriate, to entry into

5 a postsecondary program, a program reg6 istered under the National Apprenticeship

7 Act, or permanent employment; and

8 (E) otherwise meets the requirements of

9 this Act.

10 (2) The term ‘‘youth apprenticeship agreement’’

11 means the written agreement between the employer,

12 local educational agency, student, and parent which

13 defines the parties’ respective roles and responsibil14 ities under the program.

15 (3) The term ‘‘youth apprentice’’ means a stu16 dent who is at least 16 years of age, who is cur17 rently enrolled in a public secondary school as de18 fined in paragraph (21) of section 1471 of the Ele19 mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20

20 U.S.C. 2891(21), and who is participating in a

21 youth apprenticeship program which meets the re22 quirements of this Act.

23 (4) The term ‘‘employer’’ means any person or

24 organization employing a youth apprentice under
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1 youth apprenticeship program which meets the re2 quirements of this Act.

3 (5) The term ‘‘State’’ means any of the several

4 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa,

5 the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Re6 public of the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of

7 the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Common8 wealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

9 (6) The term ‘‘State Board’’ has the meaning

10 provided in section 521 of the Carl D. Perkins Voca11 tional and Applied Technology Act (Carl D. Perkins

12 Act) (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.).

13 (7) The term ‘‘local educational agency’’ has

14 the meaning provided in section 521(22) of the Carl

15 D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act

16 (Carl D. Perkins Act) (20 U.S.C. 2471).

17 (8) The term ‘‘skilled mentor’’ means the indi18 vidual at the work site who instructs the apprentice,

19 critiques performance, challenges the apprentice to

20 perform well, and works in cooperation with class21 room teachers.

22 (9) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’

23 has the meaning provided in section 1201(a) of the

24 Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1141(a)).
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1 (10) The term ‘‘work-site training’’ means

2 hands-on work that is performed for an employer

3 under the supervision of a skilled mentor which,

4 when integrated with appropriate occupational and

5 academic instruction, will lead to proficiency in an

6 occupational area and for which financial compensa7 tion is provided.

8 SEC. 4. STATE PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES AND ADMINIS9 TRATION.

10 (a) No later than fiscal year 1995 and in each year

11 thereafter, each State Board that receives funds pursuant

12 to this Act shall make grants to local educational agencies

13 in a manner that ensures—

14 (1) the widest possible participation among in15 terested 11th and 12th grade students; and

16 (2) that grants to local educational agencies will

17 be of sufficient size, scope, and quality to assure the

18 development of high quality youth apprenticeship

19 programs;

20 (b) State Boards are also encouraged to consider des21 ignating an institution(s) of higher education to serve as

22 a youth apprenticeship research and curriculum center to

23 work with the State Board, local schools, community col24 leges, employers, and any other organizations or individ25 uals that the State Board may deem appropriate, to de-
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1 velop appropriate curricula, occupational standards and

2 assessments, and to provide technical assistance as nec3 essary in the development and implementation of youth

4 apprenticeship programs; and

5 (c) Not more than 5 percent of the funds authorized

6 to be appropriated in fiscal year 1995 and for any year

7 thereafter may be used for administrative expenses in car8 rying out the purposes of this Act.

9 SEC. 5. LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES.

10 (a) Each local educational agency that receives a

11 grant under this Act must implement a youth apprentice12 ship program that—

13 (1) Integrates occupational, technical, and aca14 demic instruction;

15 (2) Integrates work-site training and classroom

16 instruction throughout the initial 2 years (grades 11

17 and 12) of the apprenticeship program;

18 (3) Provides career counseling and any other

19 career exploration opportunities that may be appro20 priate to ensure that students and parents are made

21 aware of apprenticeship options before such students

22 complete the 10th grade;

23 (4) Offers apprenticeships to students begin24 ning in the 11th grade with the option to pursue an
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1 additional 1 or 2 years of instruction and training

2 in a community or technical college;

3 (5) Ensures that a sufficient number of credits

4 obtained during the postsecondary portion of youth

5 apprenticeship programs are transferable so that

6 students may pursue a 4-year college degree;

7 (6) Ensures that each participating student en8 ters into a written youth apprenticeship agreement

9 that is signed by a school official, the employer, the

10 student, and parent or guardian;

11 (7) Ensures that employers will devote the

12 staff, facilities, and equipment necessary to provide

13 youth apprentices with adequate work-site super14 vision, quality instruction, and hands-on training on

15 an ongoing basis;

16 (8) Ensures that youth apprentices are provided

17 with adequate and safe equipment and a safe and

18 healthful workplace in conformity with all applicable

19 Federal and State health and safety standards;

20 (9) Provides instruction sufficient to enable

21 youth apprentices to satisfy State requirements for

22 a high school diploma together with an appropriate

23 skills certificate, upon completion of the 12th grade;

24 (10) Provides youth apprentice who successfully

25 completes the requisite 1 or 2 years of postsecondary
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1 instruction and training the opportunity to obtain an

2 associate degree or a mastery of skills certificate;

3 (11) Ensures that students receive financial

4 compensation from employers for work performed;

5 and

6 (12) Establishes an entity at the local level,

7 such as a steering committee comprised of represent8 atives of education, industry, labor, and the commu9 nity, to assist in the planning and oversight of youth

10 apprenticeship programs.

11 (b) In designing and implementing their youth ap12 prenticeship programs, local educational agencies are en13 couraged to consider—

14 (1) Forming school advisory committees whose

15 members include both vocational and academic

16 teachers to provide appropriate assistance and coun17 seling to students who are either engaged in or con18 sidering participation in a youth apprenticeship pro19 gram;

20 (2) Using the tech-prep education program

21 model, as authorized by part E, title III of the Carl

22 D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Edu23 cation Act (20 U.S.C. 2394 et seq.), for the aca24 demic instruction component and for any classroom

25 instruction for the occupational/technical training
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1 components of a youth apprenticeship program, in

2 order to enhance opportunities for youth apprentices

3 to enter into programs leading to an associate de4 gree or certificate in an occupational field or pro5 gram; and

6 (3) Using State and local vocational educational

7 and job training funds in support of youth appren8 ticeship programs.

9 SEC. 6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY OF EDU10 CATION.

11 The Secretary of Education shall—

12 (a) make grants to States in a manner consist13 ent with Part A of title I of the Carl D. Perkins Vo14 cational and Applied Technology Act (20 U.S.C.

15 2301 et seq.) for the design and implementation of

16 youth apprenticeship programs provided for under

17 this Act;

18 (b) establish, no later than January 1, 1994, an

19 Information Clearinghouse on Youth Apprentice20 ships as set forth in section 8 of this Act;

21 (c) identify, no later than January 1, 1994, no

22 less than 3 successful youth apprenticeship pro23 grams that might serve as model programs;

24 (d) conduct studies and, no later than January

25 1, 1996, submit a report to the House Committee on
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1 Education and Labor and the Senate Committee on

2 Labor and Human Resources on—

3 (1) the extent to which states are imple4 menting youth apprenticeship programs that

5 meet the requirements of this Act;

6 (2) the numbers of students participating

7 in youth apprenticeship programs, on a state8 by-state basis;

9 (3) the extent to which youth apprentice10 ship programs are impacting drop-out rates;

11 and

12 (4) any other issues the Secretary deems

13 appropriate;

14 (e) after consultation with the Secretary of

15 Labor, make recommendations, no later than Janu16 ary 1, 1996, to the House Committee on Education

17 and Labor and the Senate Committee on Labor and

18 Human Resources on further statutory changes that

19 may be necessary to—

20 (1) facilitate the successful implementation

21 of youth apprenticeship programs;

22 (2) ensure the availability of youth appren23 ticeship programs to all students who may ben24 efit from such programs;
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1 (3) facilitate coordination with other Fed2 eral educational and occupational training pro3 grams, including, but not limited to programs

4 specified in section 9 of this Act;

5 (4) ensure that students engaged in youth

6 apprenticeships are receiving the academic in7 struction necessary to enable them to go on to

8 obtain a 4-year college degree; and

9 (5) promulgate regulations, as appropriate;

10 (f) Not more than 3 percent of the funds au11 thorized to be appropriated for any fiscal year may

12 be used for administrative expenses in carrying out

13 this Act.

14 SEC. 7. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY OF LABOR.

15 The Secretary of Labor shall—

16 (a) provide technical assistance to the Secretary

17 of Education upon request;

18 (b) assist in the development of recommenda19 tions to be made to the House Committee on Edu20 cation and Labor and the Senate Committee on

21 Labor and Human Resources as set forth under sec22 tion 6, paragraph (e) of this Act; and

23 (c) conduct a study, in consultation with the

24 Secretary of Education, on the feasibility of estab25 lishing national occupational standards to measure
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1 the achievement levels and/or mastery of skills dem2 onstrated by students who complete youth appren3 ticeships—such study shall consider the feasibility of

4 establishing such standards for youth apprentices

5 who successfully complete the initial 2 years of the

6 program as well as for youth apprentices who suc7 cessfully complete an additional 1 or 2 years of post8 secondary instruction and training. The results of

9 this study shall be provided to the House Committee

10 on Education and Labor and the Senate Committee

11 on Labor and Human Resources no later than Janu12 ary 1, 1995.

13 SEC. 8. INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE ON YOUTH

14 APPRENTICESHIPS.

15 There shall be established within the Department of

16 Education an Information Clearinghouse on Youth Ap17 prenticeships. The functions of the clearinghouse are to—

18 (a) house information on youth apprenticeship

19 programs, including the model youth apprenticeship

20 programs identified by the Secretary pursuant to

21 section 6, paragraph (c) of this Act; and

22 (b) disseminate information, upon request from

23 State Boards or local educational agencies, including

24 information necessary for the replication of the

25 model youth apprenticeship programs.
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1 SEC. 9. COORDINATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL EDUCATION

2 AND TRAINING PROGRAMS.

3 (a) VOCATIONAL EDUCATION.—

4 (1) Section 235(c) of the Carl D. Perkins Voca5 tional and Applied Technology Act (Carl D. Perkins

6 Act) (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) is amended—

7 (A) by redesignating respectively subpara8 graphs (G) through (N), as (H) through (O);

9 and

10 (B) by inserting the following new sub11 paragraph (G)—

12 ‘‘(G) youth apprenticeship programs;’’.

13 (2) A tech-prep education program, authorized

14 by part E, title III of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational

15 and Applied Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C.

16 2394 et seq.), may serve as the classroom portion of

17 the academic and work-based learning components

18 for the job training component of a youth appren19 ticeship program.

20 (b) JOB TRAINING.—

21 (1) Youth apprenticeship programs are edu22 cation and training programs for purposes of state

23 education coordination and grants under section 123

24 of the Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C.

25 1533).
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1 (2) To the extent consistent with law, and oth2 erwise appropriate, youth programs carried out

3 under Part A and Part B of title II of the Job

4 Training Partnership Act should be merged with

5 programs carried out under this Act.

6 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

7 (a) There are authorized to be appropriated

8 $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may

9 be necessary for fiscal years 1995 through 1998 to carry

10 out the purposes of this Act.

Æ