I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1079 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
grants to States to establish a comprehensive school counseling program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 25, 2015 
Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Ms. BROWN of 
Florida, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, 
Mr. COHEN, Mr. KEATING, Mr. CICILLINE, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. PAYNE, 
and Mr. KENNEDY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 to provide grants to States to establish a com-
prehensive school counseling program. 
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 ‘‘Counseling for Career 
Choice Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AMENDMENT. 
Title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘PART E—COUNSELING FOR CAREER CHOICE 
‘‘SEC. 5701. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this part: 
‘‘(1) COMMUNITY COLLEGE.—The term ‘com-
munity college’ means— 
‘‘(A) a junior or community college (as de-
fined 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)) that awards a significant number of de-
grees and certificates, as determined by the 
Secretary, that are not— 
‘‘(i) baccalaureate degrees (or an 
equivalent); or 
‘‘(ii) master’s, professional, or other 
advanced degrees; or 
‘‘(C) an area career and technical edu-
cation school (as defined in section 3 of the 
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Edu-
cation Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302)). 
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‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means— 
‘‘(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, edu-
cational service agencies, non-profit organiza-
tions with demonstrated expertise in counseling 
or career and technical education, postsec-
ondary institutions, or tribal organizations. 
‘‘(3) 
LOCAL
WORKFORCE
INVESTMENT 
BOARD.—The term ‘local workforce investment 
board’ means a local workforce investment board es-
tablished under section 117 of the Workforce Invest-
ment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2832). 
‘‘(4) SCHOOL COUNSELOR.—The term ‘school 
counselor’ has the meaning given the term in section 
5421. 
‘‘(5) STAKEHOLDERS.—The term ‘stakeholders’ 
includes local educational agencies, school coun-
selors, secondary schools, institutions of higher edu-
cation (including community colleges), eligible agen-
cies as defined under section 203 of the Adult Edu-
cation and Family Literacy Act (20 U.S.C. 9202), 
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the State workforce investment board, the State 
agency responsible for labor market information, 
other applicable State agencies as determined by the 
Secretary, local workforce investment boards, area 
career and technical education schools (as defined in 
section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Tech-
nical Education Act of 2006), local businesses and 
industries, organizations offering apprenticeship pro-
grams, tribal organizations, labor organizations, pro-
grams leading to post-secondary credentials, includ-
ing industry-recognized credentials, other programs 
for career and technical education (as defined in sec-
tion 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302)), and any 
other organizations, individuals or persons that the 
Secretary determines appropriate to carry out the 
purposes of this part. 
‘‘(6) STATEWIDE COUNSELING FRAMEWORK.— 
The term ‘statewide counseling framework’ means a 
framework that encompasses grades 6 through 12 
and postsecondary education and that includes infor-
mation on career awareness, skills assessment, skills 
training, student interest surveys, postsecondary 
education entrance requirements, secondary school 
graduation requirements, high school equivalency, 
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adult education programs and services, financial aid, 
institutions of higher education, community colleges, 
programs leading to industry-recognized credentials, 
career and technical education programs, intern-
ships, dual enrollment programs, apprenticeships, 
and professional development opportunities or career 
development training for school counselors. 
‘‘(7) 
STATE
WORKFORCE
INVESTMENT 
BOARD.—The term ‘State workforce investment 
board’ means a State workforce investment board 
established under section 111 of the Workforce In-
vestment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2821). 
‘‘(8) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘tribal 
organization’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
‘‘(9) INDUSTRY
RECOGNIZED
CREDENTIAL.— 
The term ‘industry-recognized,’ used with respect to 
a credential, means a credential that— 
‘‘(A) is sought or accepted by employers 
within the industry or sector involved as a rec-
ognized, preferred, or required credential for re-
cruitment, screening, hiring, retention or ad-
vancement purposes; and 
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‘‘(B) where appropriate, is endorsed by a 
nationally recognized trade association or orga-
nization representing a significant part of the 
industry or sector. 
‘‘SEC. 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 ex-
tend a grant awarded under this subsection for 
additional 3-year periods if the State edu-
cational agency— 
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‘‘(i) is achieving the intended out-
comes 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 per-
cent 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. 
‘‘SEC. 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— 
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‘‘(1)(A) a description of a proposed statewide 
counseling framework that is developed in consulta-
tion with not less than 5 stakeholders, of which at 
least 1 stakeholder shall be a local business or indus-
try or statewide industry organization and 1 stake-
holder shall be a local educational agency or sec-
ondary school; 
‘‘(B) a detailed plan to implement a statewide 
counseling framework that is developed in consulta-
tion with not less than 5 stakeholders, of which at 
least 1 stakeholder shall be a local business or indus-
try or statewide industry organization and 1 shall be 
a local educational agency or secondary school; or 
‘‘(C) evidence of an existing statewide coun-
seling framework and implementation plan sup-
ported by not less than 5 stakeholders, of which at 
least 1 stakeholder shall be a local business or indus-
try 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 ac-
tivities described in section 5704 are carried out. 
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‘‘SEC. 5704. ACTIVITIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A State educational agency re-
ceiving 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 de-
scribed in the State educational agency’s application; 
‘‘(2) identify and assess school counseling ac-
tivities and postsecondary options available within 
the State, and outside the State as applicable; 
‘‘(3) hire additional school counselors to effec-
tively serve more students in postsecondary edu-
cation and adult education planning and career 
guidance activities, where applicable; 
‘‘(4) identify regional workforce trends in col-
laboration with entities at the State and regional 
level with expertise in identifying such trends, such 
as State workforce investment boards, local work-
force investment boards, regional economic develop-
ment organizations, or State employment agencies; 
‘‘(5) train school counselors effectively to pro-
vide students with current and relevant workforce 
information, financial aid assistance, personal coun-
seling, and academic advising relevant to students’ 
individual career and postsecondary education goals; 
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‘‘(6) develop and implement a process and in-
frastructure for school counselors and school coun-
selor programs to access the statewide counseling 
framework and information regarding the regional 
workforce trends identified in paragraph (4); 
‘‘(7) develop and implement professional devel-
opment or career development training certification 
programs for counselors and other educators in-
volved in preparing students for postsecondary op-
portunities; 
‘‘(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 postsec-
ondary opportunities, which may include individual 
career planning, personalized learning plans, reg-
istered apprenticeships, internships, dual enrollment 
programs, programs leading to industry-recognized 
credentials (including programs at a secondary 
school), 2-year degree programs, 4-year degree pro-
grams, and other applicable postsecondary opportu-
nities; 
‘‘(10) provide recommendations and improve a 
local educational agency’s and other education serv-
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ice 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 tech-
nologies 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 de-
sires a subgrant under this subsection shall submit 
an application to the State educational agency at 
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such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the State educational agency may rea-
sonably require, including a description of the com-
prehensive school counseling program for partici-
pating 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). 
‘‘SEC. 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 sup-
ported under this part. 
‘‘SEC. 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. 
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‘‘SEC. 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.’’. 
Æ 
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