Title: Community College Workforce Training Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Community College Workforce Training Act
This bill directs the Department of Labor, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to award competitive grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to community colleges to establish and scale career training programs, establish industry and sector partnerships, and provide student support services.
Labor must give priority to community colleges that will use funds to serve individuals who are impacted by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) national emergency.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7932 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7932

    To award funds for community college and industry partnerships.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 4, 2020

Mrs. Lee of Nevada introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To award funds for community college and industry partnerships.

    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 ``Community College Workforce Training 
Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP GRANTS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        eligible institution or a consortia of such eligible 
        institutions.
            (2) Eligible institution.--The term ``eligible 
        institution'' means a public institution of higher education 
        (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) 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 of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c)).
            (3) Perkins cte definitions.--The terms ``career and 
        technical education'', ``dual or concurrent enrollment'', and 
        ``work-based learning'' have the meanings given the terms in 
        section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
        Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
    (b)  Authority To Make Grants, Contracts, and Cooperative 
Agreements.--
            (1) In general.--From the funds appropriated under 
        subsection (h) and not reserved under subsection (f), the 
        Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education 
        (acting through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult 
        Education), shall award, on a competitive basis, grants, 
        contracts, or cooperative agreements in accordance with section 
        169(b)(5) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 
        U.S.C. 3224(b)(5)) to eligible entities to assist such eligible 
        entities in--
                    (A) establishing and scaling career training 
                programs, including career and technical education 
                programs;
                    (B) establishing industry and sector partnerships 
                to inform such programs; and
                    (C) providing necessary student supports.
            (2) Award amounts.--The total amount of funds awarded under 
        this section to an eligible entity shall not exceed--
                    (A) in the case of an eligible entity that is a 
                single eligible institution, $2,500,000; and
                    (B) in the case of an eligible entity that is a 
                consortia of eligible institutions, $15,000,000.
            (3) Award period.--A grant, contract, or cooperative 
        agreement awarded under this section shall be for a period of 
        not more than 4 years, except that the Secretary may extend 
        such a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement for an 
        additional 2-year period, based on the outcomes reported under 
        subsection (g)(1) of the programs supported under such grant, 
        contract, or cooperative agreement.
            (4) Equitable distribution.--In awarding funds under this 
        section, the Secretary shall ensure, to the extent practicable, 
        the equitable distribution of funds, based on--
                    (A) geography (such as urban and rural 
                distribution); and
                    (B) States and local areas significantly impacted 
                by the COVID-19 national emergency.
    (c) Priority.--In awarding funds under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to eligible entities that will use such funds to 
serve individuals impacted by the COVID-19 national emergency, as 
demonstrated by providing an assurance in the application submitted 
under subsection (d) that the eligible entity will use such funds to--
            (1) serve such individuals with barriers to employment, 
        veterans, spouses of members of the Armed Forces, Native 
        American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, individuals 
        with disabilities, or incumbent workers who are low-skilled and 
        who need to increase their employability skills;
            (2) serve such individuals from each major racial and 
        ethnic group and gender with lower than average educational 
        attainment in the State or employment in the in-demand industry 
        sector or occupation that such award will support; or
            (3) serve areas with high unemployment rates or high levels 
        of poverty, including rural areas.
    (d) Application.--An eligible entity seeking an award of funds 
under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application 
containing a grant proposal at such time and in such manner, and 
containing such information, as required by the Secretary, including a 
detailed description of the following:
            (1) Each entity (and the roles and responsibilities of each 
        entity) with which the eligible entity will partner to carry 
        out activities under this section, including each of the 
        following:
                    (A) An industry or sector partnership representing 
                a high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sector 
                or occupation.
                    (B) A State higher education agency or a State 
                workforce agency.
                    (C) To the extent practicable--
                            (i) State or local workforce development 
                        systems;
                            (ii) economic development and other 
                        relevant State or local agencies;
                            (iii) one or more community-based 
                        organizations;
                            (iv) one or more institutions of higher 
                        education that primarily award 4-year degrees 
                        with which the eligible institution has 
                        developed or will develop articulation 
                        agreements for programs created or expanded 
                        using funds under this section;
                            (v) one or more providers of adult 
                        education; and
                            (vi) one or more labor organizations or 
                        joint labor-management partnerships.
            (2) The programs that will be supported with such award, 
        including a description of--
                    (A) each program that will be developed or 
                expanded, and how the program will be responsive to the 
                high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or 
                occupations in the geographic region served by the 
                eligible entity under this section, including--
                            (i) how the eligible entity will 
                        collaborate with employers to ensure each such 
                        program will provide the skills and 
                        competencies necessary to meet future 
                        employment demand; and
                            (ii) the quantitative data and evidence 
                        that demonstrates the extent to which each such 
                        program will meet the needs of employers and 
                        workers in the geographic area served by the 
                        eligible entity under this section;
                    (B) the recognized postsecondary credentials to be 
                awarded under each program described in subparagraph 
                (A);
                    (C) how each such program will facilitate 
                cooperation between representatives of workers and 
                employers in the local areas to ensure a fair and 
                engaging workplace that balances the priorities and 
                well-being of workers with the needs of businesses;
                    (D) the extent to which each such program aligns 
                with a statewide or regional workforce development 
                strategy, including such strategies established under 
                section 102(b)(1) of the Workforce Innovation and 
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3112(b)(1)); and
                    (E) how the eligible entity will ensure the quality 
                of each such program, the career pathways within each 
                such program, the stackability and portability of 
                credentials earned as part of each such program, and 
                the jobs in the industry sectors or occupations to 
                which each such program is aligned.
            (3) The extent to which the eligible entity can leverage 
        additional resources, and a demonstration of the future 
        sustainability of each such program.
            (4) How each such program and activities carried out under 
        the grant will include evidence-based practices, including a 
        description of such practices.
            (5) The student populations that will be served by the 
        eligible entity, including--
                    (A) 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 by the eligible entity under this 
                section will address such barriers; and
                    (B) how the eligible entity will support such 
                populations to establish a work history, demonstrate 
                success in the workplace, and develop the skills and 
                competencies that lead to entry into and retention in 
                unsubsidized employment.
            (6) Assurances the eligible entity will participate in and 
        comply with third-party evaluations described in subsection 
        (f)(2).
    (e) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity shall use a grant 
        awarded under this section to establish and scale career 
        training programs, including career and technical education 
        programs, and career pathways and supports for students 
        participating in such programs.
            (2) Student support and emergency services.--Not less than 
        15 percent of the grant awarded to an eligible entity under 
        this section shall be used to carry out student support 
        services, which may include the following:
                    (A) Supportive services, including childcare, 
                transportation, mental health services, or substance 
                use disorder prevention and treatment, assistance in 
                obtaining health insurance coverage, housing, and other 
                benefits, as appropriate.
                    (B) Connecting students to State or Federal means-
                tested benefits programs, including the means-tested 
                Federal benefits programs described in subparagraphs 
                (A) through (F) of section 479(d)(2) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ss(d)(2)).
                    (C) The provision of direct financial assistance to 
                help students facing financial hardships that may 
                impact enrollment in or completion of a program 
                assisted with such funds.
                    (D) Navigation, coaching, mentorship, and case 
                management services, including providing information 
                and outreach to populations described in subsection (c) 
                to take part in a program supported with such funds.
                    (E) Providing access to necessary supplies, 
                materials, technological devices, or required 
                equipment, and other supports necessary to participate 
                in such programs.
            (3) Additional required program activities.--The funds 
        awarded to an eligible entity under this section that remain 
        after carrying out paragraph (1) shall be used to--
                    (A) create, develop, or expand articulation 
                agreements (as defined in section 486A(a) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1093a(a))), credit 
                transfer agreements, policies to award credit for prior 
                learning, corequisite remediation, dual or concurrent 
                enrollment programs, career pathways, and competency-
                based education;
                    (B) establish or expand industry or sector 
                partnerships to develop or expand quality academic 
                programs and curricula;
                    (C) establish or expand work-based learning 
                opportunities, including apprenticeship programs 
                registered 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.), or paid 
                internships;
                    (D) establish or implement plans for the eligible 
                entity to be included on the list of eligible providers 
                of training services described in section 122(d) of the 
                Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                3152(d));
                    (E) award academic credit or provide for academic 
                alignment towards credit pathways for programs assisted 
                with such funds, including industry recognized 
                credentials, competency-based education, or work-based 
                learning;
                    (F) make available open, searchable, and comparable 
                information on the recognized postsecondary credentials 
                awarded under such programs, including the related 
                skills or competencies and related employment and 
                earnings outcomes; or
                    (G) acquire equipment necessary to support 
                activities permitted under this section.
    (f) Secretarial Reservations.--Not more than 5 percent of the funds 
appropriated for a fiscal year may be used by the Secretary for--
            (1) the administration of the program under this section, 
        including providing technical assistance to eligible entities;
            (2) targeted outreach to eligible institutions serving a 
        high number or high percentage of low-income populations and 
        rural serving eligible institutions, to provide guidance and 
        assistance in the grant application process under this section; 
        and
            (3) a rigorous, third-party evaluation that uses 
        experimental or quasi-experimental design or other research 
        methodologies that allow for the strongest possible causal 
        inferences to determine whether each eligible entity carrying 
        out a program supported under this section has met the goals of 
        such program as described in the application submitted by such 
        eligible entity, including through a national assessment of all 
        such programs at the conclusion of each award period described 
        in subsection (b)(3).
    (g) Reports and Dissemination.--
            (1) Reports.--
                    (A) Eligible entity.--Each eligible entity 
                receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement 
                under this section shall submit to the Secretary, for 
                each year of the award period of such grant, contract, 
                or cooperative agreement, and for the entire award 
                period, 1 year after the conclusion of such award 
                period, a report that includes--
                            (i) a description of the programs supported 
                        with such funds, including activities carried 
                        out directly by the eligible entity and 
                        activities carried out by each partner of the 
                        eligible entity described in subsection (d)(1);
                            (ii) data on each population served with 
                        the funds and labor market outcomes of each 
                        such population;
                            (iii) resources leveraged by the eligible 
                        entity to support activities under this 
                        section; and
                            (iv) the performance of each such program 
                        with respect to the indicators of performance 
                        under section 116(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Workforce 
                        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                        3141(b)(2)(A)(i)).
                    (B) Secretary.--Upon receipt of a report under 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit such 
                report to the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
                House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
                Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
            (2) Dissemination.--Each eligible entity receiving funds 
        under this section shall--
                    (A) participate in activities to disseminate 
                related research and best practices; and
                    (B) to the extent practicable, and as determined by 
                the Secretary, make available to the public any 
                materials created under the grant.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $2,000,000,000 through fiscal 
year 2024.
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