I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2186 
To establish a pilot grant program to support career and technical education 
exploration programs in middle schools and high schools. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 30, 2015 
Mr. SCHRADER (for himself, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. HECK of Wash-
ington, and Mr. DEFAZIO) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish a pilot grant program to support career and 
technical education exploration programs in middle 
schools and high schools. 
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 ‘‘Building Under-
standing, Investment, Learning, and Direction Career and 
Technical Education Act of 2015’’ or the ‘‘BUILD Career 
and Technical Education Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The average high school graduation rate for 
students concentrating in career and technical edu-
cation programs is 93 percent. 
(2) Students at schools with highly integrated 
rigorous academic and career and technical edu-
cation programs have significantly higher achieve-
ment in reading, mathematics, and science than do 
students at schools with less integrated programs. 
(3) Four out of 5 graduates of secondary-level 
career and technical education programs who pur-
sued postsecondary education after secondary school 
had earned a credential or were still enrolled in post-
secondary education 2 years later. 
(4) Eighty percent of students taking a college 
preparatory academic curriculum with rigorous ca-
reer and technical education met college and career 
readiness goals, compared to only 63 percent of stu-
dents taking the same academic core who did not ex-
perience rigorous career and technical education. 
(5) Students who have participated in skills- 
training programs see increased wages and earnings, 
have a higher probability and consistency of employ-
ment, and work in higher-quality jobs. 
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SEC. 3. PILOT GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT CAREER AND 
TECHNICAL EDUCATION EXPLORATION PRO-
GRAM 
IN 
MIDDLE 
SCHOOLS 
AND 
HIGH 
SCHOOLS. 
(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are the fol-
lowing: 
(1) To provide students with opportunities to 
participate in career and technical education explo-
ration programs and to provide information on avail-
able career and technical education programs and 
their impact on college and career readiness. 
(2) To expand professional growth of, and ca-
reer opportunities for, students through career and 
technical education exploration programs. 
(3) To enhance collaboration between education 
providers and employers. 
(4) To develop or enhance career and technical 
education exploration programs with ties to a career 
and technical education program of study. 
(5) To evaluate students’ participation in co-
ordinated middle school and high school career and 
technical education exploration programs. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION EX-
PLORATION PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘career and tech-
nical education exploration program’’ means a 
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course or series of courses that provides experiential 
learning opportunities in 1 or more programs of 
study (including after school and during the sum-
mer), as appropriate, and the opportunity to connect 
experiential learning to education and career path-
ways that is offered to middle school students or 
high school students, or both. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants to local educational agencies to support ca-
reer and technical education exploration programs. 
(2) GRANT DURATION.—Grants awarded under 
this Act shall be 2 years in duration. 
(3) DISTRICT
CAPACITY
TAKEN
INTO
AC-
COUNT.—In awarding grants under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall take into account the resources 
and capacity of each local educational agency that 
applies for a grant. 
(d) APPLICATIONS.—A local educational agency that 
desires to receive a grant under this Act shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 
and accompanied by such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
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(e) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this Act, 
the Secretary shall give priority to grant proposals that— 
(1) demonstrate— 
(A) that a partnership among the local 
educational agency and business, industry, 
labor, or institutions of higher education, where 
appropriate to the grant project, exists and will 
participate in carrying out grant activities 
under this Act; 
(B) innovative and sustainable design; 
(C) a curriculum aligned with State di-
ploma requirements; 
(D) a focus on preparing students, includ-
ing special populations and nontraditional stu-
dents, with opportunities to explore careers and 
skills required for jobs in their State and that 
provide high wages and are in demand; 
(E) a method of evaluating success; and 
(F) that the programs to be assisted with 
grant funds are not receiving assistance under 
the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Edu-
cation Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.); 
and 
(2) include an assurance that— 
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(A) the local educational agency will fund 
the operational costs of the activities described 
in this Act after the grant period expires; and 
(B) if the local educational agency charges 
a fee to participate in the after school and sum-
mer components of the career and technical 
education exploration program to be carried out 
by the agency, the agency will implement such 
fee on a sliding scale according to income and 
established in a manner that makes participa-
tion financially feasible for all students. 
(f) USES OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A local educational agency 
that receives a grant under this Act shall use the 
grant funds to carry out any of the following: 
(A) Leasing, purchasing, upgrading, or 
adapting equipment related to the content of 
career and technical education exploration pro-
gram activities. 
(B) Program director, instructor, or other 
staff expenses to coordinate or implement pro-
gram activities. 
(C) Consultation services with a direct 
alignment to the program goals. 
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(D) Support of professional development 
programs aligned to the program goals. 
(E) Minor remodeling, if any, necessary to 
accommodate new equipment obtained pursuant 
to subparagraph (A). 
(F) Evaluating the access to career and 
technical education exploration programs and 
the impact such programs have on the transi-
tion to career and technical programs of study 
(as described in section 122(c)(1)(A) of the 
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Edu-
cation Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2342(c)(1)(A))), 
or other postsecondary programs of study, high 
school completion, and the number of students 
who earn an industry-recognized credential, as-
sociate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or other ca-
reer and technical education related postsec-
ondary credit in addition to a high school di-
ploma. 
(2) USE AND OWNERSHIP OF MATERIALS OR 
EQUIPMENT.—Any materials or equipment pur-
chased with grant funds awarded under this Act 
shall be the property of the local educational agency. 
(3) ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS.—A local edu-
cational agency that receives a grant under this Act 
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may use not more than 5 percent of the grant funds 
for administrative costs associated with carrying out 
activities under this Act. 
(g) EVALUATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A local educational agency 
that receives a grant under this Act shall develop an 
evaluation plan of grant activities that shall include 
an evaluation of specific outcomes, described in 
paragraph (2), and progress toward meeting such 
outcomes within the timeline of the grant that shall 
be measurable through collection of appropriate data 
or documented through other records. Such evalua-
tion shall reflect the resources and capacity of the 
local educational agency. 
(2) OUTCOMES.—The specific outcomes shall 
clearly address the following areas: 
(A) The extent of student participation in 
career and technical education exploration pro-
grams. 
(B) Improved rigor in technical or aca-
demic content aligned to diploma requirements 
and industry recognized technical standards. 
(C) Improved alignment between career 
and technical education and other courses, in-
cluding core academic subjects. 
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(D) The impact such programs have on the 
transition to career and technical programs of 
study (as described in section 122(c)(1)(A) of 
the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Edu-
cation Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2342(c)(1)(A))) 
and other postsecondary programs of study. 
(3) SUBMISSION
TO
THE
DEPARTMENT.—A 
local educational agency that receives a grant under 
this Act shall submit evaluations conducted under 
this subsection to the Secretary. 
(h) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds received 
under this Act shall be used to supplement, and not sup-
plant, funds that would otherwise be used for activities 
authorized under this Act. 
(i) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$20,000,000. 
Æ 
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