ACCESS to Careers Act of 2021
Bill: S.1847 | Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim (D-VA)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Assisting Community Colleges in Educating Skilled Students to Careers Act of 2021 or the ACCESS to Careers Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive grants to community and technical colleges and to states for education and career training programs and related activities.
Specifically, the bill requires ED to award grants to community and technical colleges and consortia of such colleges to (1) carry out student support services, such as child care, transportation, direct financial assistance, and case management services; and (2) carry out certain program activities, such as developing programs that accelerate learning, expand career pathways to postsecondary credentials, or expand dual or concurrent enrollment programs.
Additionally, ED must award grants to states to establish statewide systemic reforms that support education and career training programs. States receiving these grants must (1) use funds to implement statewide policies, such as policies to support the expansion of education and career training programs for in-demand industry sectors or occupations, and (2) provide subgrants to community college partnerships to carry out program activities and student support services.
Further, ED must (1) contract with an independent third party to perform an evaluation of the grants awarded under the bill, (2) provide technical assistance, and (3) submit an annual report to Congress.

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a community 
               college and career training grant program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Assisting Community Colleges in 
Educating Skilled Students to Careers Act of 2021'' or the ``ACCESS to 
Careers Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND CAREER TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.

    Part C of title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1161c et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

     ``PART C--COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND CAREER TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM

``SEC. 803. COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND CAREER TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section include the 
following:
            ``(1) To increase the number of students who attain 
        postsecondary credentials in high-skill, high-wage, or in-
        demand industry sectors or occupations.
            ``(2) To increase the degree to which postsecondary 
        education meets the skill needs of employers in high-skill, 
        high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations.
            ``(3) To assist the Nation's community colleges and 
        technical colleges, through grants to eligible institutions, 
        consortia of eligible institutions, and States, to develop, 
        improve, and scale evidence-based strategies and delivery 
        structures and that best meet the skill needs of students and 
        employers.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) WIOA definitions.--The terms `career pathway', 
        `individual with a barrier to employment', `industry or sector 
        partnership', `integrated education and training', `local 
        board', `State board', `in-demand industry sector or 
        occupation', and `recognized postsecondary credential' have the 
        meanings given such terms in section 3 of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
            ``(2) Apprenticeship program.--The term `apprenticeship 
        program' means a program under the Act of August 16, 1937 
        (commonly known as the `National Apprenticeship Act') (50 Stat. 
        664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
            ``(3) Community college partnership.--The term `community 
        college partnership' means a partnership of private and public 
        sector entities which--
                    ``(A) shall include a community college, a local or 
                regional employer representing an in-demand industry 
                sector or occupation, and a State board or local board; 
                and
                    ``(B) may include an industry or sector 
                partnership, a local educational agency, an entity with 
                experience in providing employment, education, or 
                support services relevant to student populations 
                receiving services under this section (such as a 
                community-based organization), a provider of adult 
                education (as defined in section 203 of the Adult 
                Education and Family Literacy Act), or an institution 
                of higher education.
            ``(4) Consortium of eligible institutions.--The term 
        `consortium of eligible institutions' means a consortium that 
        includes 3 or more eligible institutions.
            ``(5) Education and career training program.--The term 
        `education and career training program' means--
                    ``(A) a career pathway program that leads to a 
                recognized postsecondary credential; or
                    ``(B) a program that utilizes integrated education 
                and training strategies and leads to a recognized 
                postsecondary credential.
            ``(6) Eligible institution.--The term `eligible 
        institution' means a public institution of higher education at 
        which the highest degree that is predominantly awarded to 
        students is an associate degree, including a 2-year Tribal 
        College or University (as defined in section 316).
            ``(7) State.--The term `State' means each of the 50 States, 
        the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
        American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands.
            ``(8) Work-based learning.--The term `work-based learning' 
        means sustained interactions with industry or community 
        professionals in real workplace settings, to the extent 
        practicable, or simulated environments at an eligible 
        institution that foster in-depth, firsthand engagement with the 
        tasks required in a given career field, that are aligned to 
        curriculum and instruction.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations and Administrative 
Provisions.--
            ``(1) Grants to eligible institutions and consortia of 
        eligible institutions.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to carry out subsection (d), such sums as may be necessary for 
        fiscal year 2022 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
            ``(2) Grants to states.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated to carry out subsection (e), such sums as may be 
        necessary for fiscal year 2022 and each of the 5 succeeding 
        fiscal years.
            ``(3) National activities.--For each fiscal year, the 
        Secretary shall reserve 5 percent of the amount appropriated to 
        carry out subsection (d) and 5 percent of the amount 
        appropriated to carry out subsection (e) to carry out 
        subsection (g).
            ``(4) Limitations.--An eligible institution, consortium of 
        eligible institutions, or State may not receive more than one 
        grant under this section as a primary applicant.
            ``(5) Duration.--Each grant awarded under this section 
        shall be for a period of not more than 5 years.
            ``(6) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to applicants based on the extent 
        to which the applicant--
                    ``(A) leverages resources other than the funds 
                provided under this section to support the activities 
                carried out under this section; and
                    ``(B) can continue to sustain or expand such 
                activities after the expiration of the grant.
    ``(d) Grants to Eligible Institutions and Consortia of Eligible 
Institutions.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Authorization.--From funds authorized under 
                subsection (c)(1), the Secretary shall award, on a 
                competitive basis, grants of not more than $1,500,000 
                to eligible institutions, and not more than $5,000,000 
                to consortia of eligible institutions, to assist such 
                institutions in establishing and scaling education and 
                career training programs consistent with the provisions 
                of this subsection.
                    ``(B) Priority.--In awarding grants under this 
                subsection, the Secretary shall give priority, in 
                addition to the priorities specified in subsection 
                (c)(6), to applicants that--
                            ``(i) will serve individuals with barriers 
                        to employment, veterans, spouses of members of 
                        the Armed Forces, Native American Indians, 
                        Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, or incumbent 
                        workers who are low-skilled and who need to 
                        increase their employability skills;
                            ``(ii) will serve individuals from each 
                        major racial and ethnic group or gender with 
                        lower than average educational attainment in 
                        the State or employment in the in-demand 
                        industry sector or occupation;
                            ``(iii) will serve areas with high 
                        unemployment rates or high levels of poverty, 
                        including rural areas; or
                            ``(iv) will increase access to education 
                        and career training programs that meet the 
                        needs of regional employers in in-demand 
                        industry sectors or occupations.
            ``(2) Application.--An eligible institution or consortium 
        of eligible institutions seeking a grant under this subsection 
        shall submit an application containing a grant proposal for an 
        education and career training program to the Secretary at such 
        time and containing such information as the Secretary 
        determines is required, including a detailed description of--
                    ``(A) the community college partnership, including 
                the roles and responsibilities of each partner;
                    ``(B) the education and career training programs 
                that will be supported under the grant, including a 
                description of high-skill, high-wage or in-demand 
                industry sectors or occupations that will be targeted 
                and the recognized postsecondary credentials to be 
                awarded;
                    ``(C) quantitative data and evidence that 
                demonstrates the extent to which the program supported 
                under the grant will meet the skilled worker needs of 
                employers in the geographic area served by the grant;
                    ``(D) the extent to which the education and career 
                training programs described in the grant proposal align 
                with a statewide or regional workforce development 
                strategy, including those established under the 
                Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Carl 
                D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006;
                    ``(E) the extent to which the eligible institution, 
                or consortium, can leverage additional resources and 
                the future sustainability of the education and career 
                training programs supported under the grant;
                    ``(F) how the education and career training 
                programs offered under the grant will include evidence-
                based practices;
                    ``(G) the student populations that will be served 
                under the grant, including an analysis of any barriers 
                to employment or barriers to postsecondary education 
                that such populations face and an analysis of how the 
                services to be provided under the grant will address 
                those barriers;
                    ``(H) any previous experience of the eligible 
                institution, or consortium, in providing programs, the 
                absence of which shall not automatically disqualify the 
                applicant from receiving a grant under this section;
                    ``(I) the extent to which the eligible institution, 
                or consortium, plan to enroll and support students who 
                are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant under 
                subpart 1 of part A of title IV; and
                    ``(J) other information the Secretary may require 
                of the eligible institution or consortium.
            ``(3) Use of funds.--
                    ``(A) Support and emergency services.--Not less 
                than 25 percent of the grant funds awarded to an 
                eligible institution or a consortium of eligible 
                institutions under this subsection shall be used to 
                carry out student support services which may include 
                the following:
                            ``(i) Childcare, transportation, mental 
                        health and substance use disorder treatment, 
                        assistance in obtaining health insurance 
                        coverage, and assistance in accessing the 
                        supplemental nutrition assistance program 
                        established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 
                        2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the special 
                        supplemental nutrition program for women, 
                        infants, and children established by section 17 
                        of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
                        1786), housing, and other benefits, as 
                        appropriate.
                            ``(ii) Connecting students to State or 
                        Federal means-tested benefits programs, 
                        including means-tested Federal benefits 
                        programs, as defined in section 479(d).
                            ``(iii) The provision of direct financial 
                        assistance to help students facing financial 
                        hardships that may impact enrollment in or 
                        completion of an education and career training 
                        program, or a work-based learning program.
                            ``(iv) Navigation and case management 
                        services, including providing information and 
                        outreach to target populations to take part in 
                        education and career training programs, or 
                        work-based learning programs.
                    ``(B) Required program activities.--The grant funds 
                awarded to an eligible institution or a consortium of 
                eligible institutions under this subsection that remain 
                after the eligible institution or consortium carries 
                out subparagraph (A) shall be used to carry out 2 or 
                more of the following activities:
                            ``(i) Developing and expanding education 
                        and career training programs through a 
                        community college partnership for high-skill, 
                        high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors and 
                        occupations, which may include--
                                    ``(I) apprenticeship programs;
                                    ``(II) work-based learning 
                                opportunities; and
                                    ``(III) paid internships.
                            ``(ii) Establishing policies and processes 
                        for assessing and awarding course credit for 
                        prior learning.
                            ``(iii) Developing and expanding programs 
                        that accelerate learning and recognized 
                        postsecondary credential attainment, including 
                        competency-based education, corequisite 
                        remediation, and other strategies for 
                        acceleration.
                            ``(iv) Developing and expanding efficient 
                        career pathways to credentials, including the 
                        development of stackable credentials and 
                        integrated education and training strategies.
                            ``(v) Developing and expanding dual or 
                        concurrent enrollment programs or early college 
                        high school programs for secondary students or 
                        disconnected youth.
                            ``(vi) Planning and implementing formalized 
                        agreements between the eligible institution or 
                        consortium and other partners in the community 
                        college partnership.
                            ``(vii) Working with local boards on the 
                        use of labor market information for making 
                        program decisions.
                            ``(viii) Engaging employers in the 
                        development of programs and curricula.
                            ``(ix) Acquiring equipment necessary to 
                        support education and career training 
                        activities permitted under this section.
                            ``(x) Carrying out any other activities 
                        identified by the eligible institution or 
                        consortium as necessary to increase 
                        institutional capacity, as long as such 
                        activities are clearly outlined in the 
                        application and approved by the Secretary.
            ``(4) Maximum amount for equipment.--An eligible 
        institution or consortium of eligible institutions that 
        receives a grant under this subsection may use not more than 30 
        percent of the grant funds to carry out paragraph (3)(B)(ix).
    ``(e) Grants to States.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Authorization.--From funds authorized under 
                subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall award grants to 
                States, on a competitive basis, to assist in 
                establishing statewide systemic reforms that result in 
                student success and system relevance and in supporting 
                and scaling education and career training programs, 
                consistent with the provisions of this subsection.
                    ``(B) Grant amounts.--The Secretary shall make 
                grants to eligible States of not less than $2,500,000 
                and not more than $10,000,000 for a 4-year grant 
                period.
                    ``(C) Priority.--In awarding grants under this 
                subsection, the Secretary shall give priority, in 
                addition to the priorities specified in subsection 
                (c)(6), to applicants that--
                            ``(i) will serve individuals with barriers 
                        to employment, veterans, spouses of members of 
                        the Armed Forces, or incumbent workers who need 
                        to increase their employability skills;
                            ``(ii) will serve areas with high 
                        unemployment rates or high levels of poverty, 
                        including rural areas, including by awarding 
                        subgrants under paragraph (3)(B); and
                            ``(iii) will increase access to education 
                        and career training programs that meet the 
                        needs of regional employers in in-demand 
                        industry sectors or occupations.
            ``(2) State application.--To receive a grant under this 
        subsection, a State shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may reasonably require. Such 
        application shall be developed in consultation with the State 
        board. At a minimum, each State application shall include--
                    ``(A) a description of how the State is 
                implementing or has a plan to implement--
                            ``(i) a statewide longitudinal data system 
                        built upon student outcome data, including 
                        labor market outcomes by institution, program, 
                        and subpopulation of interest, with information 
                        made available to the public in easy-to-
                        understand formats;
                            ``(ii) statewide policies to develop and 
                        expand articulation agreements and policies 
                        that guarantee transfers between institutions, 
                        including through common course numbering and 
                        use of a general core curriculum;
                            ``(iii) statewide policies to support the 
                        development of articulation agreements between 
                        non-credit and credit-bearing courses at State 
                        postsecondary education institutions;
                            ``(iv) statewide policies to support the 
                        expansion of high-quality dual or concurrent 
                        enrollment programs and early college high 
                        school programs;
                            ``(v) statewide policies to support the 
                        expansion of education and career training 
                        programs in in-demand industry sectors or 
                        occupations;
                            ``(vi) statewide policies to support the 
                        expansion of career pathway programs, including 
                        the development of stackable credentials;
                            ``(vii) statewide policies to support the 
                        expansion of work-based learning opportunities, 
                        including apprenticeship programs;
                            ``(viii) statewide policies to increase 
                        educational attainment among major racial and 
                        ethnic groups with below average educational 
                        attainment in the State;
                            ``(ix) statewide policies that encourage 
                        the development and implementation of 
                        accelerated learning strategies, including 
                        competency-based education, credit for prior 
                        learning, and other strategies for supporting 
                        students' pathways to credential attainment; 
                        and
                            ``(x) statewide policies to increase 
                        alignment between workforce, postsecondary, 
                        poverty alleviation, and economic development 
                        systems in the State; and
                    ``(B) a description of the State's plan to--
                            ``(i) use funds received under this 
                        subsection and the State's leveraged funds to 
                        carry out statewide activities described in the 
                        State's application under subparagraph (A);
                            ``(ii) support community college 
                        partnerships in implementing or scaling the 
                        activities described in and consistent with the 
                        requirements of subsection (d);
                            ``(iii) provide technical assistance and 
                        support to subgrantees;
                            ``(iv) align with statewide or regional 
                        workforce development strategies in place in 
                        the geographic area served under the grant, 
                        including those established under the Workforce 
                        Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Carl D. 
                        Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 
                        2006;
                            ``(v) measure the performance of 
                        subgrantees, including a description of how the 
                        State will work with subgrantees to track and 
                        report on the primary indicators of performance 
                        described under section 116(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
                        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; and
                            ``(vi) enroll and support students who are 
                        eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant under 
                        subpart 1 of part A of title IV.
            ``(3) State uses of funds.--
                    ``(A) Statewide activities.--A State that receives 
                a grant under this subsection may reserve not more than 
                20 percent of the grant funds for statewide activities 
                described paragraph (2)(A) that support the purposes of 
                the grant, which may include technical assistance, 
                professional development, activities to scale best 
                practices, and other activities required to carry out 
                the functions described under paragraph (2)(A).
                    ``(B) Subgrants for community college 
                partnerships.--A State that receives a grant under this 
                subsection shall use not less than 80 percent of the 
                grant funds to award subgrants to eligible community 
                college partnerships to support the implementation and 
                scaling of activities described under subsection (d)(3) 
                that are consistent with the requirements of subsection 
                (d).
    ``(f) Reporting Requirements.--
            ``(1) Reports.--Each eligible institution, consortium of 
        eligible institutions, or State receiving a grant under this 
        section shall report to the Secretary annually.
            ``(2) Contents.--The report shall include--
                    ``(A) the activities carried out with grant funds, 
                including activities carried out directly by the 
                eligible institution, consortium, or State and 
                activities carried out by any partner organizations;
                    ``(B) data on the population served with grant 
                funds, including on indicators of performance, as 
                described in section 116(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Workforce 
                Innovation and Opportunity Act; and
                    ``(C) resources leveraged by the eligible 
                institution, consortium, or State to support activities 
                under this section.
    ``(g) National Activities.--
            ``(1) National evaluations.--Not later than 5 months after 
        the data of enactment of the Assisting Community Colleges in 
        Educating Skilled Students to Careers Act of 2021, the 
        Secretary shall seek to enter into a contract with an 
        independent third party entity to perform an evaluation of the 
        grants awarded under this section. Such evaluation shall apply 
        rigorous procedures to obtain valid and reliable data 
        concerning the effect of strategies and delivery structures 
        implemented through education and career training programs on 
        student outcomes, including labor market outcomes. Lessons 
        learned through this evaluation shall be combined with lessons 
        learned through the implementation of the Trade Adjustment 
        Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant Program, 
        as authorized under chapter 4 of title II of the Trade Act of 
        1974 (19 U.S.C. 2371 et seq.), and reported to Congress as 
        described in paragraph (3).
            ``(2) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide 
        technical assistance to States and to eligible institutions, 
        applying lessons learned from earlier grants awarded through 
        the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career 
        Training Grant Program, as authorized under chapter 4 of title 
        II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2371 et seq.), as well 
        as from evidence gained through the Community College Career 
        Training grant program.
            ``(3) Annual report.--The Secretary shall submit an annual 
        report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
        Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor 
        of the House of Representatives--
                    ``(A) describing each grant awarded under this 
                section during the preceding fiscal year;
                    ``(B) assessing the impact of each award of a grant 
                under this section in a fiscal year preceding the 
                fiscal year referred to in subparagraph (A) on the 
                population served by the grant; and
                    ``(C) providing data relating to program 
                performance and student outcomes, diaggregated by major 
                racial and ethnic groups and by gender.
            ``(4) Administrative costs.--Not more than 5 percent of the 
        amounts made available under subsection (c)(3) may be used by 
        the Secretary for Federal administration of the program under 
        this section.''.
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