Pathways to Prosperity Act of 2014

To support access to career and technical education programs of study that provide students with education and training combining rigorous academics with technical curricula focused on specific high-skill, high-wage, high-demand and high-growth occupations and industries. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pathways to Prosperity Act of 2014 2. References Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.). 3. Definitions Section 3 ( 20 U.S.C. 2302 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (9), (10) through (17), (18), (19), and (20) through (34) as paragraphs (7) through (10), (12) through (19), (21), (22), and (24) through (38), respectively; (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following: (6) Career and technical education program of study The term career and technical education program of study (A) contain rigorous, State-identified college and career readiness standards that address both academic and technical content and align to local, regional, or State labor market needs, as identified by employers and labor market information; (B) support attainment of career readiness skills; (C) progress in content specificity (beginning with all aspects of an industry or career cluster leading to more occupationally specific instruction); (D) incorporate multiple entry and exit points with portable demonstrations of technical competency, which may include postsecondary education credits as recognized by credit transfer or articulation agreements or industry-recognized credentials; and (E) culminate in the attainment of an industry-recognized credential, an apprenticeship or postsecondary certificate, or an associate or baccalaureate degree. ; (3) by inserting after paragraph (10), as redesignated by paragraph (1) of this section, the following: (11) Credit transfer agreement The term ‘credit transfer agreement’ refers to an opportunity for secondary students to be awarded transcripted postsecondary credit, supported with formal agreements among secondary and postsecondary education systems, such as dual enrollment, dual credit, 2-year to 4-year college articulation agreements, or articulated credit, which may include credit awarded for performance on technical assessments. ; (4) by inserting after paragraph (19), as redesignated by paragraph (1) of this section, the following: (20) Industry-recognized credential The term ‘industry-recognized 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) if appropriate, is endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or organization representing a significant part of the industry or sector. ; and (5) by inserting after paragraph (22), as redesignated by paragraph (1) of this section, the following: (23) Labor market information The term labor market information (A) pertains to labor markets for the purposes of determining the supply of, and demand for, labor and related skills and competencies; and (B) supports students, job seekers, employers, developers of curricula, and other relevant stakeholders in understanding labor market and economic trends to help make informed labor market decisions. . 4. Accountability Section 113(b)(2) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act ( 20 U.S.C. 2323(b)(2) (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking clause (vi); and (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking clause (v) and inserting the following: (v) the median earnings of students who are employed during the second quarter after completing a career and technical education program of study in the State. The Secretary shall, consistent with State law, ensure that the necessary wage records are available to enable eligible agencies to collect data relating to this State performance measure. . 5. National Activities Section 114(d)(4)(A) ( 20 U.S.C. 2324 (1) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (v); (2) in clause (iii), by striking and (3) by inserting after clause (iii) the following: (iv) to engage in evaluation and technical assistance activities that will assist in— (I) collecting information on the industry-recognized credentials awarded to participants in career and technical education programs of study, including— (aa) the name of such industry-recognized credentials; (bb) the awarding body; (cc) the duration of the program of study for the credential; and (dd) the number of such participants receiving the credential; and (II) developing the necessary infrastructure to support the State and local reporting of information described in subclause (I), including through activities such as establishing— (aa) data sharing agreements with State licensing agencies and with industry associations and employers who award certifications or other industry-recognized credentials; (bb) a consistent reporting method across States; and (cc) a collection system to process reports in a timely fashion; and . 6. State Leadership Activities Section 124(b) ( 20 U.S.C. 2341(a) (1) in paragraph (8), by striking and (2) in paragraph (9) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (10) establishing statewide credit transfer agreements aligned to approved career and technical education programs of study. . 7. Local Plan for Career and Technical Education Programs Section 134(b) ( 20 U.S.C. 2354(b) (1) in paragraph (11), by striking and (2) in paragraph (12) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (13) describe how the eligible recipient will partner with business and industry to— (A) identify opportunities for experiential and work-based learning opportunities either in-person or virtually; (B) ensure career and technical education programs of study are responsive to community and employment demands and are— (i) aligned with employment priorities in the State, regional, or local economy identified by employers and other relevant stakeholders identified in section 134(b)(5); (ii) informed by labor market information; and (iii) designed to meet current, intermediate, and long term labor market projections; (C) ensure funding under this Act is spent in a coordinated manner with other local resources. . 8. Amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 Section 1502(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6492(a) challenging State academic content standards and challenging State student academic achievement standards rigorous, State-identified college and career readiness standards that address both academic content and career and technical education content identified under section 113(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.

Summary: Pathways to Prosperity Act of 2014 - Amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to replace specified minimum measures of student attainment in the core indicators of performance for career and technical education students at the secondary level with a measure of the median earnings of students employed during the second quarter after completing a career and technical education program of study in the state. Requires the national research center, established under the Act, to engage in evaluation and technical assistance activities that will assist in: (1) collecting information on the industry-recognized credentials awarded to participants in career and technical education programs, and (2) developing the necessary infrastructure to support the state and local reporting of specified related information. Makes it a responsibility of the state agency involved to establish statewide credit transfer agreements aligned to approved career and technical education programs of study. Requires each local plan for career and technical education programs to describe how the eligible recipient of assistance will partner with business and industry to: (1) identify opportunities for experiential and work-based learning opportunities either in-person or virtually, (2) ensure the career and technical education programs of study are responsive to community and employment demands and meet other specified criteria, and (3) ensure funding under the Act is spent in a coordinated manner with other local resources. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to revise the purpose of grants for demonstration projects of innovative practices to require the projects to show the most promise of enabling the children served to meet rigorous, state-identified college and career readiness standards that address both certain academic content and certain career and technical education content.