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 career counseling framework. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Counseling for Career Choice Act 2. Amendment Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7101 G Counseling for Career Choice 4701. 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) an eligible agency, as defined in section 3(18) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 ( 20 U.S.C. 2302(18) (B) a local educational agency, including an educational service agency; or (C) a consortium that consists of one local educational agency in combination with one or more local educational agencies, educational service agencies, nonprofit organizations with demonstrated expertise in counseling or career and technical education, postsecondary institutions, or tribal organizations. (3) Local workforce development board The term local workforce development board 29 U.S.C. 3122 (4) One-stop center The term one-stop center 29 U.S.C. 3151 (5) School counselor The term school counselor (6) Stakeholders The term stakeholders 20 U.S.C. 9202 20 U.S.C. 2302 (7) Statewide career counseling framework The term statewide career counseling framework (8) State workforce development board The term State workforce development board 29 U.S.C. 3111 (9) Tribal organization The term tribal organization 25 U.S.C. 450b (10) 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. 4702. Grants authorized (a) Program authorized From amounts appropriated to carry out this part, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to State educational agencies to enable the State educational agencies to carry out the activities described in section 4704. (b) Duration; amount; extension (1) Duration Each grant under this section shall be for a period of not more than 2 years. (2) Amount Each grant shall be of an amount not less than $2,000,000 and not more than $5,000,000. (3) Extension The Secretary may extend a grant awarded under this section for additional 3-year periods if the State educational agency— (A) is achieving the intended outcomes of the grant; and (B) shows continued engagement with stakeholders. 4703. 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 description of the statewide career 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 4704 are carried out. 4704. Activities (a) In general A State educational agency receiving a grant under section 4702 shall use grant funds to— (1) implement comprehensive school career counseling programs that align with the statewide counseling framework 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) identify regional workforce trends in collaboration with entities at the State and regional level with expertise in identifying such trends, such as State workforce development boards, local workforce development boards, regional economic development organizations, or State employment agencies; (4) 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; (5) develop and implement a process and infrastructure for school counselors and school counselor programs to access the statewide career counseling framework and information regarding the regional workforce trends identified in paragraph (4); (6) develop and implement professional development or career development training certification programs for counselors and other educators involved in preparing students for postsecondary opportunities, which may include partnering with an industry association that provides a nationally recognized certification in career development; (7) develop a searchable method by which counseling professional development opportunities from around the State are collected, maintained, and disseminated to school counselors; (8) 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; (9) 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; (10) conduct other activities pertaining to the administration of the statewide framework; (11) establish partnerships with one-stop centers, which may include co-locating a one-stop center in a high school, transporting students to local one-stop centers, or having one-stop center career counselors and business liaisons assist school counselors in hosting job fairs, career days, or other such similar tasks; (12) leverage resources and emerging technologies that are being developed by stakeholders to support the counseling framework; and (13) evaluate secondary and postsecondary outcomes for individuals served by the career counseling programs, disaggregated by the subgroups of students described in section 1111(c)(2)(B). (b) Subgrants (1) In general A State educational agency that receives a 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 career 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 a grant under section 4702 may use the grant funds to hire additional personnel to carry out the activities described in subsection (a). 4705. 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. 4706. Reporting requirements (a) SEA reports Not later than 2 years after receiving a grant under this part, a State educational agency shall submit a report to the Secretary that includes, at a minimum— (1) a description of the use of funds received under this part; and (2) the results of the evaluation conducted under section 4704(a)(13). (b) Secretary’s reports 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, including the contents of the reports under subsection (a). 4707. Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 and $40,000,000 for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years. .

Summary: Counseling for Career Choice Act This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to states to develop and implement comprehensive school career counseling programs that provide students with effective postsecondary education planning and career guidance services. The bill requires each program to be aligned with a statewide counseling framework that (1) encompasses the middle grades through grade 12 and postsecondary education, and (2) is supported by at least five stakeholders that include at least one business or industry and at least one local educational agency or secondary school. Grant funds shall, among other things, 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 one-stop centers; leverage the resources and emerging technologies being developed by stakeholders to support the counseling framework; and evaluate secondary and postsecondary outcomes for individuals served by the career counseling programs.