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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 282 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 282

    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
                  establish a new counseling program.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 12, 2013

  Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
                  establish a new counseling program.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Counseling for Career Choice Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) A career guidance and counseling program develops an 
        individual's competencies in self-knowledge, educational and 
        occupational exploration, and career planning.
            (2) Career guidance and counseling programs help 
        individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience 
        necessary to identify options, explore alternatives, and 
        succeed in a 21st century society.
            (3) The American School Counselor Association recommends a 
        student-to-counselor ratio of 250 to 1. Forty-seven States do 
        not meet this recommendation.
            (4) Professional school counselors design and implement 
        comprehensive school counseling programs that include 
        educational and career planning activities for all students 
        that are designed to assist students in reaching academic, 
        career, and personal goals.
            (5) 4 out of 5 graduates of secondary-level career or 
        technical education programs who pursued postsecondary 
        education after secondary school had earned a credential or 
        were still enrolled in postsecondary education 2 years later.
            (6) Students at schools with highly integrated rigorous 
        academic and career and technical education programs have 
        significantly higher achievement in reading, mathematics, and 
        science than do students at schools with less integrated 
        programs.

SEC. 3. COUNSELING FOR CAREER CHOICE.

    Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

                 ``PART E--COUNSELING FOR CAREER CHOICE

``SEC. 2501. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) Community college.--The term `community college' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a junior or community college, as such term 
                is defined in section 312(f) of the Higher Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)); or
                    ``(B) a 4-year public institution of higher 
                education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that awards a 
                significant number of degrees and certificates, as 
                determined by the Secretary, that are not--
                            ``(i) baccalaureate degrees (or an 
                        equivalent); or
                            ``(ii) master's, professional, or other 
                        advanced degrees.
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a local educational agency, including an 
                educational service agency; or
                    ``(B) a consortium that may consist of any 
                combination of 2 or more local educational agencies, 
                educational service agencies, non-profit organizations 
                with demonstrated expertise in counseling or career and 
                technical education, or tribal organizations.
            ``(3) Industry-recognized.--The term `industry-recognized', 
        when used with respect to a credential, means a credential 
        that--
                    ``(A) is sought or accepted by employers within the 
                industry or sector involved as a recognized, preferred, 
                or required credential for recruitment, screening, 
                hiring, retention, or advancement purposes; and
                    ``(B) where appropriate, is endorsed by a 
                nationally recognized trade association or organization 
                representing a significant part of the industry or 
                sector.
            ``(4) Local workforce investment board.--The term `local 
        workforce investment board' means a local workforce investment 
        board established under section 117 of the Workforce Investment 
        Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2832).
            ``(5) School counselor.--The term `school counselor' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 5421.
            ``(6) Stakeholders.--The term `stakeholders' includes local 
        educational agencies, school counselors, secondary schools, 
        institutions of higher education (including community 
        colleges), the State workforce investment board, the State 
        agency responsible for labor market information, other 
        applicable State agencies as determined by the Secretary, local 
        workforce investment boards, regional economic development 
        agencies, area career and technical education schools (as 
        defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
        Technical Education Act of 2006), local businesses and 
        industries, organizations offering apprenticeship programs, 
        tribal organizations, labor organizations, programs leading to 
        postsecondary credentials, including industry-recognized 
        credentials, other career and technical educational programs 
        (as defined by the Secretary), and any other individuals or 
        persons that the Secretary determines appropriate to carry out 
        the purposes of this part.
            ``(7) Statewide counseling framework.--The term `statewide 
        counseling framework' means a framework that encompasses grades 
        6 through 12 and postsecondary education and that includes 
        information on career awareness, skills assessment, skills 
        training, student interest surveys, postsecondary education 
        entrance requirements, secondary school graduation 
        requirements, financial aid, institutions of higher education, 
        community colleges, programs leading to industry-recognized 
        credentials, career and technical education programs, 
        internships, dual enrollment programs, apprenticeships, and 
        professional development opportunities for school counselors.
            ``(8) State workforce investment board.--The term `State 
        workforce investment board' means a State workforce investment 
        board established under section 111 of the Workforce Investment 
        Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2821).
            ``(9) Tribal organization.--The term `tribal organization' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).

``SEC. 2502. ESTABLISHMENT AND CAPACITY-BUILDING GRANTS.

    ``(a) Establishment Grants.--
            ``(1) Program authorized.--From amounts appropriated to 
        carry out this part and not reserved by the Secretary under 
        subsection (b), the Secretary shall award establishment grants, 
        on a competitive basis, to State educational agencies to enable 
        the State educational agencies to carry out the activities 
        described in section 2504.
            ``(2) Duration; extension.--
                    ``(A) Duration.--Each establishment grant under 
                this subsection shall be for a period of not more than 
                2 years.
                    ``(B) Extension.--The Secretary may extend a grant 
                awarded under this subsection for additional 3-year 
                periods if the State educational agency--
                            ``(i) is achieving the intended outcomes of 
                        the grant;
                            ``(ii) shows continued engagement with 
                        stakeholders; and
                            ``(iii) has established a statewide 
                        counseling framework.
    ``(b) State Capacity-Building Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall reserve not less 
        than 10 percent and not more than 20 percent of the amounts 
        appropriated to carry out this part for any fiscal year to 
        award capacity-building grants, on a competitive basis, to 
        State educational agencies that do not receive an establishment 
        grant under subsection (a) for such year.
            ``(2) Activities.--A State educational agency that receives 
        a capacity-building grant under this subsection shall use grant 
        funds--
                    ``(A) to carry out 1 or more of the activities from 
                the State educational agency's application under 
                section 2503 that the Secretary determines is an 
                acceptable use of funds; or
                    ``(B) to improve the State educational agency's 
                application for the next competition for establishment 
                grants under subsection (a).
    ``(c) Special Rule for Alternate Grantees.--Notwithstanding any 
other provision of this part, if a State educational agency does not 
apply for a grant under this section for an award year, a consortium of 
stakeholders representing the State may apply for a grant under this 
section for the subsequent award year by submitting to the Secretary an 
application that meets the requirements of section 2503 and includes 
any additional information that the Secretary may require. The 
Secretary shall give such application the same consideration in the 
grant award process as is given an application submitted by a State 
educational agency, and may award one consortium in the State an 
establishment grant under subsection (a) or a capacity building grant 
under subsection (b) to enable the consortium to carry out the 
activities described in section 2504 or subsection (b), respectively, 
in the State. The provisions in this part shall apply to a consortium 
that receives an grant under this subsection in the same manner as such 
provisions apply to a State educational agency.

``SEC. 2503. APPLICATION.

    ``A State educational agency desiring a grant under this part shall 
submit an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require. The application shall 
include--
            ``(1)(A) a description of a proposed statewide counseling 
        framework that is developed in consultation with not less than 
        5 stakeholders, of which at least 1 stakeholder shall be a 
        local business or industry or statewide industry organization 
        and 1 stakeholder shall be a local educational agency or 
        secondary school;
            ``(B) a detailed plan to implement a statewide counseling 
        framework that is developed in consultation with not less than 
        5 stakeholders, of which at least 1 stakeholder shall be a 
        local business or industry or statewide industry organization 
        and 1 shall be a local educational agency or secondary school; 
        or
            ``(C) evidence of an existing statewide counseling 
        framework and implementation plan supported by not less than 5 
        stakeholders, of which at least 1 stakeholder shall be a local 
        business or industry or statewide industry organization and 1 
        shall be a local educational agency or secondary school;
            ``(2) a description, if applicable, of any program leading 
        to an industry-recognized credential that--
                    ``(A) will be included as one of the postsecondary 
                opportunities described in section 2504(a)(9);
                    ``(B) serves as one of the stakeholders for 
                purposes of paragraph (1); or
                    ``(C) will be described in the information included 
                in the statewide counseling framework for the 
                activities carried out under the grant; and
            ``(3) a description of how the State educational agency 
        will award subgrants and ensure that the activities described 
        in section 2504 are carried out.

``SEC. 2504. ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--A State educational agency receiving an 
establishment grant under section 2502(a) shall use grant funds to--
            ``(1) develop and implement comprehensive school counseling 
        programs that align with the statewide counseling framework 
        proposed or described in the State educational agency's 
        application;
            ``(2) identify and assess school counseling activities and 
        postsecondary options available within the State, and outside 
        the State as applicable;
            ``(3) hire additional school counselors to effectively 
        serve more students in postsecondary education planning and 
        career guidance activities, where applicable;
            ``(4) identify regional workforce trends in collaboration 
        with entities at the State and regional level with expertise in 
        identifying such trends, such as State workforce investment 
        boards, local workforce investment boards, regional economic 
        development organizations, or State employment agencies;
            ``(5) train counselors to effectively provide students with 
        labor market information;
            ``(6) develop and implement a process for school counselors 
        and school counselor programs to access the statewide 
        counseling framework and information regarding the regional 
        workforce trends identified in paragraph (4);
            ``(7) develop and implement professional development 
        programs for counselors and other educators involved in 
        preparing students for postsecondary opportunities;
            ``(8) develop a searchable method by which counseling 
        professional development opportunities from around the State 
        are collected, maintained, and disseminated to school 
        counselors;
            ``(9) establish, improve, or coordinate postsecondary 
        opportunities, which may include individual career planning, 
        personalized learning plans, registered apprenticeships, 
        internships, dual enrollment programs, programs leading to 
        industry-recognized credentials (including programs at a 
        secondary school), 2-year degree programs, 4-year degree 
        programs, and other applicable postsecondary opportunities;
            ``(10) provide recommendations to improve a local 
        educational agency's curriculum to better align with workforce 
        trends and available postsecondary opportunities; and
            ``(11) conduct other activities pertaining to the 
        administration of the statewide framework.
    ``(b) Subgrants.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State educational agency that receives 
        an establishment grant may carry out the activities described 
        in subsection (a) directly or through awarding subgrants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable the eligible 
        entities to carry out any of the activities.
            ``(2) Application.--An eligible entity that desires a 
        subgrant under this subsection shall submit an application to 
        the State educational agency at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the State educational agency may 
        reasonably require, including a description of the 
        comprehensive counseling program for participating schools and 
        students that the eligible entity proposes to develop and 
        implement using subgrant funds.
    ``(c) Hiring of Personnel.--An eligible entity that receives an 
establishment grant under section 2502(a) may use grant funds to hire 
additional school personnel to carry out the activities described in 
subsection (a).

``SEC. 2505. SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.

    ``Funds made available under this part shall be used to supplement, 
and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds available to 
carry out the activities supported under this part.

``SEC. 2506. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    ``Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the 
Counseling for Career Choice Act, and every 3 years thereafter, the 
Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the progress made by the eligible entities 
receiving grants under this part in implementing grant activities.

``SEC. 2507. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014 and each of the 4 
succeeding fiscal years.''.
                                 <all>
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