I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3896
To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to institutions
of higher education for postsecondary information technology education
and employment assistance projects.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 19, 1998
Mr. OWENS (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. FORD, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHN-
SON of Texas, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. HINOJOSA, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr.
KUCINICH, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. NORTON, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr.
SANDERS, and Mr. PAYNE) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants
to institutions of higher education for postsecondary in-
formation technology education and employment assist-
ance projects.
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 ‘‘Information Tech-
nology Partnerships Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) There are more than 200,000 to 400,000
vacancies in various categories of information tech-
nology jobs.
(2) From 1996 to 2005, more than 1,300,000
new computer scientists, engineers, and systems an-
alysts will be required in the United States to fill va-
cant jobs, which equals 136,800 new workers per
year.
(3) Systems analysts will experience the largest
job growth, accounting for a 103 percent increase in
the number of new positions from 1996 (506,000) to
2005 (1,025,000).
(4) The shortage of information technology
workers transcends industries, affecting the manu-
facturing, service, transportation, health care, edu-
cation, and government sectors. Within each sector,
vacancies exist at all levels from aides and mechan-
ics to programmers and designers.
(5) The information technology worker shortage
is having an adverse effect on the viability of busi-
nesses in the United States and on the Nation’s
competitiveness. Industry surveys report that half of
industry executives cite the lack of workers skilled in
technology as the number one obstacle to their com-
pany’s growth. An additional 20 percent of industry
executives identify the lack of information tech-
nology workers as a major obstacle to their compa-
ny’s growth.
(6) A major factor affecting the short supply of
information technology workers is the mismatch be-
tween what universities teach and what industry
needs.
(7) It is in the national interest to promote spe-
cial initiatives which effectively educate and train
our domestic workforce to keep pace with these ex-
panding job opportunities.
(8) Institutions of higher education have the ca-
pacity and resources to provide a role of oversight
and technical assistance to a wide range of local en-
tities, including community-based organizations, par-
ticipating in a comprehensive education and training
program for potential technology workers.
(9) Higher education institutions must be re-
sponsive to the digital environment and expand both
their outreach efforts and on-campus activities to
train and certify individuals to close the information
technology worker gap.
SEC. 3. PARTNERSHIPS FOR POSTSECONDARY INFORMA-
TION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND EM-
PLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.
(a) GRANTS
AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
make grants under this Act, in accordance with competi-
tive criteria established by the Secretary, to institutions
of higher education, in order to establish, oversee the oper-
ation of, and provide technical assistance to, projects de-
scribed in subsection (b).
(b) PROJECTS.—Projects under this Act shall be
projects implemented by a community-based organization
described in section 4, or by the institution of higher edu-
cation receiving the grant, to provide postsecondary infor-
mation technology education and employment procure-
ment assistance to eligible individuals described in section
5.
(c) RESTRICTIONS.—An institution of higher edu-
cation shall be eligible to receive only one grant under this
Act, but may, subject to the requirements of this Act, use
the grant to enter into contracts with more than one com-
munity-based organization. A community-based organiza-
tion shall not be eligible to enter into a contract under
this Act with more than one institution of higher edu-
cation.
(d) PERIOD OF GRANT.—The provision of payments
under a grant under this Act shall not exceed 5 fiscal
years and shall be subject to the annual approval of the
Secretary and subject to the availability of appropriations
for each fiscal year involved.
SEC. 4. COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), a com-
munity-based organization described in this section is an
entity that, at the time the entity enters into a contract
with an institution of higher education for a project under
this Act, and throughout the duration of that contract—
(1) is—
(A) a governmental agency; or
(B) an organization described in section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of
such Code; and
(2) is one of the following:
(A) A local partnership (as defined in sec-
tion 4 of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act
of 1994) receiving a grant under section 302 of
such Act.
(B) An entity organized and operated for
religious purposes.
(C) An entity furnishing school-age child
care services after school.
(D) A community-based computer center.
(E) An entity furnishing adult education.
(F) A library.
(G) A museum.
(H) Any other entity organized and oper-
ated for cultural, literary, or educational pur-
poses.
(b) LIMITATION.—An entity shall not be considered
a community-based organization described in this section
unless, at the time the entity enters into a contract with
an institution of higher education for a project under this
Act, it has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Sec-
retary that—
(1) it has the capacity successfully to recruit el-
igible individuals described in section 5 for participa-
tion in a project described in section 3, consistent
with the enrollment requirements in section 6(b)(5);
(2) it is providing an educational service, social
service, or employment procurement service; and
(3) in the case of an entity that independently
manages its own finances, it has been in existence
2 years or more.
SEC. 5. ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.
An eligible individual described in this section is an
individual who—
(1) has submitted a satisfactory application to
receive postsecondary information technology edu-
cation and employment procurement assistance
through a project under this Act; and
(2) has a certificate of graduation from a school
providing secondary education, or the recognized
equivalent of such a certificate.
SEC. 6. DUTIES.
(a) INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—An in-
stitution of higher education receiving a grant under this
Act shall use the funds provided under the grant to carry
out the following duties:
(1) Final selection of community-based organi-
zations described in section 4 desiring to provide, at
one or more sites, in accordance with a contract with
the institution of higher education and this Act,
postsecondary information technology education and
employment procurement assistance to eligible indi-
viduals described in section 5.
(2) Entering into a contract with each commu-
nity-based organization selected under paragraph (1)
under which the institution and the organization
agree to carry out the duties respectively required of
them under this Act with respect to each site de-
scribed in paragraph (1).
(3) With respect to each site described in para-
graph (1)—
(A) provision of such funding for the es-
tablishment and initial operation of the site as
was specified in the grant application submitted
by the institution to the Secretary;
(B) approval of final site selection and
preparation;
(C) initial orientation and training of per-
sonnel employed to manage and operate the
site;
(D) design and certification of the instruc-
tional and academic programs, and oversight of
the implementation of the programs;
(E) oversight of equipment purchases and
contracts for equipment maintenance; and
(F) selection of an outside contractor for
periodic evaluation of the management and op-
eration of the site.
(b) COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A community-based organi-
zation implementing a project under this Act with
an institution of higher education, at one or more
sites, shall carry out the duties described in this sub-
section, with respect to each such site, subject to the
oversight and guidance of the institution.
(2) GENERAL DUTIES.—The organization—
(A) shall undertake final site selection and
preparation;
(B) shall recruit and hire a site director;
(C) shall carry out any supplementary in-
structional, academic, or educational activities
specified in the contract with the institution of
higher education that are not described in para-
graph (4);
(D) shall assemble an advisory committee
composed of individuals residing in the commu-
nity in which the site is located, as well as in-
dustry representatives, who desire to assist the
organization in ensuring that the goals of the
organization are consistent with the goals and
needs of the community population;
(E) shall provide to the institution other
evidence of volunteer support from individuals
residing in the community in which the site is
located and industry representatives;
(F) shall recruit eligible individuals for en-
rollment, subject to paragraph (5);
(G) shall maintain waiting lists of eligible
individuals desiring to enroll in the project’s
programs;
(H) shall provide career counseling to eligi-
ble individuals enrolled in the project’s pro-
grams; and
(I) shall provide job and internship infor-
mation and placement, employer contacts, and
other forms of employment procurement assist-
ance to eligible individuals enrolled in the
project’s programs.
(3) SITE
REQUIREMENTS.—The organization
shall ensure that each site—
(A) has a minimum of 20 fully functioning
computers with sufficient capacity to perform
all of the computer operations that are the sub-
ject of the curriculum specified in paragraph
(4);
(B) in addition to the space for the com-
puters described in subparagraph (A), has—
(i) a classroom space with the capac-
ity for seating a minimum of 30 students;
(ii) a space in which to conduct the
required career and employment counseling
functions specified in paragraph (2); and
(iii) a separate office for the site di-
rector;
(C) is real property subject to the control
of the organization or the institution, through a
lease or other legal instrument, for a period of
not less than 5 years;
(D) is open to enrolled individuals not less
than 12 hours per day; and
(E) is located within walking distance of
public transportation.
(4) 
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
CURRICU-
LUM.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The organization shall
ensure that each site offers enrollees a curricu-
lum that includes a broad range of course work
that will assist them in qualifying for employ-
ment in the field of information technology.
(B) 
COURSES
LEADING
TO
CERTIFI-
CATION.—Such curriculum shall include course
work leading to a certification of competence in
areas of information technology recognized by
the National Skill Standards Board established
under the National Skill Standards Act of
1994.
(C) SPECIFIC
COURSES.—The computer
training offered shall include courses in basic
computer competence, on-the-job upgrade as-
sistance, and advanced computer competence.
(5) ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS.—The orga-
nization shall ensure that its enrollment of eligible
individuals at each site is consistent with the follow-
ing:
(A) Not less than 50 percent of the eligible
individuals shall be, at the time of enrollment,
individuals—
(i) to whom a credit was allowed
under section 32 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 for the preceding taxable
year;
(ii) who are recipients of assistance
under a State program funded under part
A of title IV of the Social Security Act;
(iii) who are a member of a household
participating in the food stamp program;
or
(iv) who are considered low-income
pursuant to regulations promulgated by
the Secretary under this Act.
(B) Not less than 50 percent of the eligible
individuals shall be, at the time of enrollment,
under 25 years of age.
(C) No prerequisite relating to net worth,
income, or assets may be applied to any eligible
individual who, at the time of enrollment, is
over 50 years of age, except that this require-
ment shall not be construed to supersede sub-
paragraph (A).
SEC. 7. IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECTS SOLELY BY INSTI-
TUTIONS.
The Secretary may make a grant under this Act to
an institution of higher education that desires to imple-
ment a project under this Act without the participation
of a community-based organization described in section 4,
if the institution agrees to carry out all of the duties re-
quired of such an organization under this Act, in addition
to the duties otherwise required of an institution of higher
education. The Secretary shall, in awarding grants under
this Act, give priority to institutions of higher education
whose grant application includes an assurance that the in-
stitution will contract with one or more community-based
organizations in accordance with this Act.
SEC. 8. APPLICATIONS.
To apply for a grant under this Act for any fiscal
year, an institution of higher education shall submit an
application to the Secretary in accordance with the proce-
dures established by the Secretary. The application shall
specify the institution’s preliminary selections for the com-
munity-based organizations (if any) with which the insti-
tution proposes to contract, and shall include information
with respect to preliminary site selections.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this Act $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 and such sums
as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal
years.
SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) ADULT EDUCATION.—The term ‘‘adult edu-
cation’’ has the meaning given such term in section
312 of the Adult Education Act.
(2) COMMUNITY-BASED COMPUTER CENTER.—
The term ‘‘community-based computer center’’
means a computer center—
(A) funded by both the Federal Govern-
ment and at least one private sector entity;
(B) located in a low-income community (as
determined by the Secretary); and
(C) organized and operated for the purpose
of providing families with access to computer
resources that otherwise would not be available
to them.
(3) FOOD STAMP PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘food
stamp program’’ has the meaning given such term
in section 3(h) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977.
(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the
meaning given such term in section 1201 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965.
(5) LIBRARY.—The term ‘‘library’’ has the
meaning given such term in section 213 of the Li-
brary Services and Technology Act.
(6) MUSEUM.—The term ‘‘museum’’ has the
meaning given such term in section 272 of the Mu-
seum and Library Services Act.
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Education.
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