Counseling for Career Choice Act

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide grants to States to establish a comprehensive school counseling program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Counseling for Career Choice Act 2. Amendment Title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7201 et seq. E Counseling for Career Choice 5701. Definitions In this part: (1) Community college The term community college (A) a junior or community college (as defined in section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1058(f) (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 (i) baccalaureate degrees (or an equivalent); or (ii) master’s, professional, or other advanced degrees; or (C) an area career and technical education school (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 ( 20 U.S.C. 2302 (2) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (A) a local educational agency, including an educational service agency; or (B) a consortium that must consist of one local educational agency in combination with one or more local educational agencies, educational service agencies, non-profit organizations with demonstrated expertise in counseling or career and technical education, postsecondary institutions, or tribal organizations. (3) Local workforce investment board The term local workforce investment board 29 U.S.C. 2832 (4) School counselor The term school counselor (5) Stakeholders The term stakeholders 20 U.S.C. 9202 20 U.S.C. 2302 (6) Statewide counseling framework The term statewide counseling framework (7) State workforce investment board The term State workforce investment board 29 U.S.C. 2821 (8) Tribal organization The term tribal organization 25 U.S.C. 450b (9) Industry recognized credential The term industry-recognized, (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. 5702. 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 5704. (2) Duration; extension (A) Duration Each establishment grant under this subsection shall be for a period of not more than 2 years. (B) Amount Each grant shall be of an amount not less than $2,000,000 and not more than $5,000,000. (C) 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 to carry out 1 or more of the activities from the State educational agency’s application under section 5703 that the Secretary determines is an acceptable use of funds. 5703. 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; and (2) a description of how the State educational agency will award subgrants and ensure that the activities described in section 5704 are carried out. 5704. Activities (a) In general A State educational agency receiving an establishment grant under section 5702(a) shall use grant funds to— (1) develop and implement comprehensive school career 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 and adult 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 school counselors effectively to provide students with current and relevant workforce information, financial aid assistance, personal counseling, and academic advising relevant to students’ individual career and postsecondary education goals; (6) develop and implement a process and infrastructure 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 or career development training certification 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 and improve a local educational agency’s and other education service program providers to out of school youth and adults curricula to better align with workforce trends and available postsecondary opportunities; (11) conduct other activities pertaining to the administration of the statewide framework; (12) establish partnerships with American Job Centers, which may include co-locating an American Job Center in a high school, transporting students to local American Job Centers, or having American Job Center career counselors and business liaisons assist school counselors in hosting job fairs, career days, or other such similar tasks; and (13) leverage resources and emerging technologies that are being developed by stakeholders to support the counseling 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 school 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 5702(a) may use grant funds to hire additional school personnel to carry out the activities described in subsection (a). 5705. 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. 5706. 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. 5707. Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2016 and $40,000,000 for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years. .

Summary: Counseling for Career Choice Act Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award competitive establishment grants to states to develop and implement comprehensive school career counseling programs that provide students with effective postsecondary education planning and career guidance services. Requires each program to be aligned with a statewide counseling framework that: (1) encompasses grades 6 through 12 and postsecondary education; and (2) is developed in consultation with, or exists with the support of, at least five stakeholders that include at least one business or industry and at least one local educational agency (LEA) or secondary school. Requires establishment grant funds to be used to: train and hire school counselors; identify regional workforce trends and postsecondary options available in the state; establish, improve, or coordinate postsecondary opportunities; recommend curricular improvements to better align curricula with workforce trends and available postsecondary opportunities; establish partnerships with American Job Centers; and leverage the resources and emerging technologies being developed by stakeholders to support the counseling framework. Allows states to carry out program activities directly or through competitive subgrants to LEAs, or consortia consisting of an LEA, and one or more LEAs, educational service agencies, tribal organizations, postsecondary institutions, or nonprofit organizations with expertise in counseling or career and technical education. Directs the Secretary to reserve at least 10%, but no more than 20%, of the amount appropriated for this Act's counseling program to award competitive capacity-building grants to states that do not receive an establishment grant.