Title: Strengthen CTE in Higher Education Act
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Strengthen CTE in Higher Education Act
This bill authorizes appropriations for greater cooperation and alignment between Perkins Career and Technical Education programs and educational institutions and employers, including outlying areas and tribally-controlled institutions. Specifically, entities offering these programs are eligible when partnering with a local educational agency or a consortia of local educational agencies, an area career and technical education school, a state or local workforce development system, and a four-year institution of higher education.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4371 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4371

    To authorize funding to strengthen investments in the Nation's 
 postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) programs and build 
   connections across the entire education and workforce development 
                                system.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 2019

 Mrs. Trahan (for herself, Mr. Pappas, Ms. Kendra S. Horn of Oklahoma, 
 and Ms. Finkenauer) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To authorize funding to strengthen investments in the Nation's 
 postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) programs and build 
   connections across the entire education and workforce development 
                                system.

    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 ``Strengthen CTE in Higher Education 
Act''.

SEC. 2. STRENGTHENING PROGRAM ALIGNMENT FOR POSTSECONDARY PERKINS 
              CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out this section $181,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 and 
        each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
            (2) Outlying areas.--In addition to the amounts authorized 
        to be appropriated under paragraph (1), there are authorized to 
        be appropriated $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 and each of the 
        5 succeeding fiscal years, for the purpose of awarding funds to 
        carry out this section to the outlying areas described in 
        section 115(a) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
        Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2325(a)).
            (3) Tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical 
        institutions.--In addition to the amounts authorized to be 
        appropriated under paragraphs (1) and (2), there are authorized 
        to be appropriated $10,469,000 for fiscal year 2021 and each of 
        the 5 succeeding fiscal years, for the purpose of awarding 
        funds to carry out this section to tribally controlled 
        postsecondary career and technical institutions described in 
        section 117(a) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
        Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2327(a)).
    (b) Allotment and Allocation.--
            (1) State allotment.--
                    (A) In general.--From the amount appropriated under 
                subsection (a)(1) for each fiscal year, the Secretary 
                of Education shall allot funds to States in the same 
                manner as allotments are made to States under 111(a)(2) 
                of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
                Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2321(a)(2)), except that such 
                section 111(a)(2) shall be applied by substituting 
                ``From the amount appropriated under subsection 
                (a)(1),'' for ``From the remainder of the amount 
                appropriated under section 9 and not reserved under 
                paragraph (1) for a fiscal year,''.
                    (B) Reallotment.--If for any fiscal year the amount 
                appropriated for allotments under this paragraph is 
                insufficient to satisfy the provisions of subparagraph 
                (A), the payments to all States under such subparagraph 
                shall be ratably reduced.
            (2) Requirements for state allotment.--From the amount 
        allotted to each State under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, 
        the eligible agency shall use such funds in the same manner and 
        in the same amounts as described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of 
        section 112(a) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
        Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2321(a)).
            (3) Eligible recipient allocation.--
                    (A) In general.--From the amount allotted to each 
                State under paragraph (1) and not used under paragraph 
                (2) for a fiscal year, the eligible agency shall 
                allocate funds to each eligible recipient within the 
                State in the same manner that funds are allocated to 
                eligible institutions or consortium of eligible 
                institutions under section 132(a)(2) of the Carl D. 
                Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 
                U.S.C. 2352(a)(2)), except that such section 132(a)(2) 
                shall be applied by substituting ``the amount allotted 
                to the State under paragraph (1) and not used under 
                paragraph (2)'' for ``the portion of funds made 
                available under section 112(a)(1) to carry out this 
                section''.
                    (B) Requirements for allocation.--To receive an 
                allocation under subparagraph (A), an eligible 
                recipient shall meet the following requirements:
                            (i) Provide a description to the Secretary, 
                        at such time and in such manner, as may be 
                        required by the Secretary of how the eligible 
                        recipient will use the allocation to support 
                        and coordinate with--
                                    (I) any funds received by such 
                                eligible recipient under title I of the 
                                Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
                                Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2321 
                                et seq.); and
                                    (II) the activities described in 
                                the State plan of the eligible agency 
                                that distributes funds under such title 
                                to such eligible recipient, and local 
                                application of such eligible recipient 
                                under such title.
                            (ii) Establish partnerships with each of 
                        the following:
                                    (I) A local educational agency or a 
                                consortia of local educational 
                                agencies.
                                    (II) An area career and technical 
                                education school, in a case in which 
                                such a school is located in the State 
                                or local area of the eligible 
                                recipient.
                                    (III) A State or local workforce 
                                development system.
                                    (IV) A 4-year institution of higher 
                                education.
    (c) Uses of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible recipient that receives an 
        allocation under subsection (b)(2) shall use such allocation to 
        carry out a career and technical education program of study 
        that shall--
                    (A) include alignment to career pathways, the use 
                of articulation agreements, and career guidance and 
                academic counseling;
                    (B) combine a minimum of 2 years of secondary 
                education (as determined under State law) with a 
                minimum of 2 years of postsecondary education in a 
                nonduplicative, sequential course of study;
                    (C) include work-based learning or apprenticeship 
                programs;
                    (D) be aligned with--
                            (i) the workforce development system; and
                            (ii) institutions of higher education 
                        offering baccalaureate or advanced degree 
                        programs;
                    (E) offer education and training in high-skill, 
                high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors and 
                occupations to meet the regional needs and support the 
                priorities described in the most recent comprehensive 
                local needs assessment conducted by the eligible 
                recipient under section 134(c) of the Carl D. Perkins 
                Career and Technical Education Act (20 U.S.C. 2354(c)); 
                and
                    (F) carry out the requirements of subparagraph (A), 
                (B), (C), (D), or (E) of paragraph (2).
            (2) Requirements.--Each career and technical education 
        program of study described in paragraph (1) shall carry out at 
        least one of the following:
                    (A) Supporting the development, delivery, or 
                implementation of a statewide effort to scale such 
                program of study and career pathways.
                    (B) Establishing industry or sector partnerships 
                inside or outside the State.
                    (C) Providing equal access to, and supports for, 
                successful completion of the career and technical 
                education program of study to individuals who are 
                members of special populations, including the 
                development of services appropriate to the needs of 
                special populations.
                    (D) Improving career guidance, academic counseling, 
                and career exploration activities for prospective or 
                participating students through the development and 
                implementation of graduation and career plans aligned 
                to career pathways.
                    (E) Developing curriculum and supports for 
                effective transitions between the following:
                            (i) The transition from a secondary career 
                        and technical education program to a 
                        postsecondary career and technical education 
                        program.
                            (ii) The transition from postsecondary 
                        career and technical education programs to an 
                        institution of higher education offering a 
                        baccalaureate or an advanced degree program.
                            (iii) The transition from a workforce 
                        development system to a postsecondary career 
                        and technical education program.
                            (iv) The transition from a postsecondary 
                        career and technical education program to 
                        employment.
                            (v) The transition from a career and 
                        technical education program to an 
                        apprenticeship program or from an 
                        apprenticeship program to an institution of 
                        higher education or employment.
            (3) Restriction on uses of funds.--Each eligible recipient 
        that receives an allocation under subsection (b)(2) shall not 
        use more than 5 percent of such allocation for costs associated 
        with the administration of activities.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Apprenticeship program.--The term ``apprenticeship 
        program'' means an apprenticeship 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.).
            (2) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 3(21)(B) of the Carl 
        D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 2302(21)(B)).
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (4) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given such term in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (5) Perkins cte terms.--The terms ``articulation 
        agreement'', ``area career and technical education school'', 
        ``career and technical education'', ``eligible agency'', 
        ``program of study'', ``special population'', 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).
            (6) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 111(d) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
        Technical Education Act of 2006.
            (7) WIOA terms.--The terms ``career pathway'', ``workforce 
        development system'', ``in-demand industry sector or 
        occupation'', and ``industry or sector partnership'' have the 
        meanings given the terms in section 3 of the Workforce 
        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3201).
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