I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1121 
To encourage online workforce training. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 26, 2015 
Ms. EDWARDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To encourage online workforce training. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Online Job Training 
Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. ONLINE WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS. 
Section 169 of the Workforce Investment and Oppor-
tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3224) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(d) ONLINE WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) NATIONAL ONLINE WORKFORCE TRAINING 
GRANTS.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—From the amount ap-
propriated under subparagraph (G), the Sec-
retary shall award National Online Workforce 
Training Grants on a competitive basis to eligi-
ble entities to enable such entities to carry out 
workforce training programs using distance- 
learning technologies, such as the Internet. An 
entity may leverage such grant with other Fed-
eral, State, local, and private resources, in 
order to expand the participation of businesses, 
employees, and other individuals in such train-
ing programs. 
‘‘(B) ELIGIBLE
ENTITY
DEFINED.—For 
purposes of this subsection, the term ‘eligible 
entity’ means an educational institution, com-
munity-based organization, nonprofit organiza-
tion, State board or local board, or unit of gen-
eral local government, which provides online 
workforce training. 
‘‘(C) PRIORITY.—Priority in awarding 
grants under this paragraph shall be given to 
eligible entities that— 
‘‘(i) have demonstrated experience in 
implementing and operating online work-
force training and education programs; 
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‘‘(ii) have demonstrated experience co-
ordinating activities, where appropriate, 
with the workforce investment system; and 
‘‘(iii) conduct training for occupations 
with national or local shortages. 
‘‘(D) DATA
COLLECTION.—Each eligible 
entity receiving a grant under this paragraph 
shall collect and report information on— 
‘‘(i) the number of participants in the 
workforce training program funded under 
this paragraph; 
‘‘(ii) the services received by the par-
ticipants; 
‘‘(iii) program completion rates; 
‘‘(iv) factors determined as signifi-
cantly interfering with program participa-
tion or completion; 
‘‘(v) the rate of job placement; and 
‘‘(vi) other information as determined 
as needed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(E) OUTREACH.—Each eligible entity re-
ceiving a grant under this paragraph shall con-
duct outreach activities to disseminate informa-
tion to workforce investment boards, local gov-
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ernments, educational institutions, and other 
workforce training organizations about— 
‘‘(i) the workforce training program 
funded under this paragraph; and 
‘‘(ii) the results of such, and the best 
practices with respect to workforce training 
identified as a result of, program. 
‘‘(F) PERFORMANCE
LEVELS.—The Sec-
retary shall establish indicators of performance 
that will be used to evaluate the performance of 
eligible entities under this paragraph in car-
rying out the activities required under this 
paragraph. Prior to awarding a grant under 
this paragraph to an eligible entity, the Sec-
retary shall negotiate and reach agreement with 
the entity regarding the levels of performance 
expected to be achieved by the entity on the in-
dicators of performance. 
‘‘(G) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary to carry out this para-
graph $50,000,000 for fiscal years 2016 
through 2026. 
‘‘(2) ONLINE
TRAINING
PROGRAM
CLEARING-
HOUSE.— 
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‘‘(A) DESCRIPTION OF GRANT.—From the 
amounts appropriated under subparagraph (D), 
the Secretary shall award one grant to an eligi-
ble institution of higher education to provide 
the services described in this paragraph. 
‘‘(B) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this paragraph, an institu-
tion of higher education shall— 
‘‘(i) have demonstrated the ability to 
disseminate research on best practices for 
implementing workforce investment activi-
ties; and 
‘‘(ii) be a national leader in producing 
cutting-edge research on technology related 
to workforce development systems under 
this title. 
‘‘(C) SERVICES.—The postsecondary edu-
cational institution that receives a grant under 
this paragraph shall use such grant— 
‘‘(i) to provide technical assistance to 
entities that receive grants under para-
graph (1); 
‘‘(ii) to collect and nationally dissemi-
nate the data gathered by entities that re-
ceive grants under paragraph (1); and 
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‘‘(iii) to disseminate best practices 
identified by the Secretary. 
‘‘(D) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary to carry out this sub-
section $1,000,000 for fiscal years 2016 
through 2026.’’. 
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendment made by section 2 shall take effect 
as if enacted as part of the Workforce Innovation and Op-
portunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.). 
Æ 
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