Title: Counseling for Career Choice Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Counseling for Career Choice Act
This bill directs the Department of Education to award competitive grants to state educational agencies and, through them, subgrants to eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies) to implement comprehensive school career counseling programs.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2733 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2733

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
grants to States to establish a comprehensive school career counseling 
                               framework.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 21, 2021

Mr. Langevin (for himself and Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                               and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
grants to States to establish a comprehensive school career counseling 
                               framework.

    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 ``Counseling for Career Choice Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT.

    Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

                 ``Part G--Counseling for Career Choice

``SEC. 4701. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) Community college.--The term `community college' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a junior or community college (as defined 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 degrees 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 education school 
                (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career 
                and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302)).
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) an eligible agency, as defined in section 
                3(18) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
                Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302(18));
                    ``(B) a local educational agency, including an 
                educational service agency; or
                    ``(C) a consortium that consists of one local 
                educational agency in combination with one or more 
                local educational agencies, educational service 
                agencies, nonprofit organizations with demonstrated 
                expertise in counseling or career and technical 
                education, postsecondary institutions, or tribal 
                organizations.
            ``(3) Local workforce development board.--The term `local 
        workforce development board' means a local workforce 
        development board established under section 107 of the 
        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3122).
            ``(4) One-stop center.--The term `one-stop center' means a 
        site described in section 121(e)(2) of the Workforce Innovation 
        and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3151).
            ``(5) School counselor.--The term `school counselor' means 
        an individual who holds a valid school counseling license or 
        certification from a State educational agency.
            ``(6) Stakeholders.--The term `stakeholders' includes local 
        educational agencies, school counselors, secondary schools, 
        institutions of higher education (including community 
        colleges), eligible agencies (as defined under section 203 of 
        the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (20 U.S.C. 9202)), 
        the State workforce development board, the State agency 
        responsible for labor market information, other applicable 
        State agencies as determined by the Secretary, local workforce 
        development boards, area career and technical education schools 
        (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
        Technical Education Act of 2006), local businesses and 
        industries, organizations offering apprenticeship programs, 
        tribal organizations, labor organizations, programs leading to 
        post-secondary credentials, including industry-recognized 
        credentials, other programs for career and technical education 
        (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
        Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302)), industry 
        associations, and any other organizations, individuals or 
        persons that the Secretary determines appropriate to carry out 
        the purposes of this part.
            ``(7) Statewide career counseling framework.--The term 
        `statewide career counseling framework' means a framework that 
        encompasses the middle grades through grade 12 and 
        postsecondary education and that includes information on career 
        awareness, skills assessment, skills training, student interest 
        surveys, postsecondary education entrance requirements, 
        secondary school graduation requirements, high school 
        equivalency, adult education programs and services, financial 
        aid, institutions of higher education, community colleges, 
        programs leading to industry-recognized credentials, career and 
        technical education programs, internships, dual enrollment 
        programs, apprenticeships, and professional development 
        opportunities or career development training for school 
        counselors.
            ``(8) State workforce development board.--The term `State 
        workforce development board' means a State workforce 
        development board established under section 101 of the 
        Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111).
            ``(9) Tribal organization.--The term `tribal organization' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
            ``(10) 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 recognized, preferred, 
                or required credential for recruitment, screening, 
                hiring, retention, or advancement purposes; and
                    ``(B) where appropriate, is endorsed by a 
                nationally recognized trade association or organization 
                representing a significant part of the industry or 
                sector.

``SEC. 4702. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--From amounts appropriated to carry out 
this part, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
State educational agencies to enable the State educational agencies to 
carry out the activities described in section 4704.
    ``(b) Duration; Amount; Extension.--
            ``(1) Duration.--Each grant under this section shall be for 
        a period of not more than 2 years.
            ``(2) Amount.--Each grant shall be of an amount not less 
        than $2,000,000 and not more than $5,000,000.
            ``(3) Extension.--The Secretary may extend a grant awarded 
        under this section for additional 3-year periods if the State 
        educational agency--
                    ``(A) is achieving the intended outcomes of the 
                grant; and
                    ``(B) shows continued engagement with stakeholders.

``SEC. 4703. 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--
            ``(1) a description of the statewide career counseling 
        framework and implementation plan supported by not less than 5 
        stakeholders, of which at least 1 stakeholder shall be a local 
        business or industry 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 activities described 
        in section 4704 are carried out.

``SEC. 4704. ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--A State educational agency receiving a grant 
under section 4702 shall use grant funds to--
            ``(1) implement comprehensive school career counseling 
        programs that align with the statewide counseling framework 
        described in the State educational agency's application;
            ``(2) identify and assess school counseling activities and 
        postsecondary options available within the State, and outside 
        the State as applicable;
            ``(3) identify regional workforce trends in collaboration 
        with entities at the State and regional level with expertise in 
        identifying such trends, such as State workforce development 
        boards, local workforce development boards, regional economic 
        development organizations, or State employment agencies;
            ``(4) train school counselors effectively to provide 
        students with current and relevant workforce information, 
        financial aid assistance, personal counseling, and academic 
        advising relevant to students' individual career and 
        postsecondary education goals;
            ``(5) develop and implement a process and infrastructure 
        for school counselors and school counselor programs to access 
        the statewide career counseling framework and information 
        regarding the regional workforce trends identified in paragraph 
        (4);
            ``(6) develop and implement professional development or 
        career development training certification programs for 
        counselors and other educators involved in preparing students 
        for postsecondary opportunities, which may include partnering 
        with an industry association that provides a nationally 
        recognized certification in career development;
            ``(7) develop a searchable method by which counseling 
        professional development opportunities from around the State 
        are collected, maintained, and disseminated to school 
        counselors;
            ``(8) establish, improve, or coordinate postsecondary 
        opportunities, which may include individual career planning, 
        personalized learning plans, registered apprenticeships, 
        internships, dual enrollment programs, programs leading to 
        industry-recognized credentials (including programs at a 
        secondary school), 2-year degree programs, 4-year degree 
        programs, and other applicable postsecondary opportunities;
            ``(9) provide recommendations and improve a local 
        educational agency's and other education service program 
        providers to out of school youth and adults curricula to better 
        align with workforce trends and available postsecondary 
        opportunities;
            ``(10) conduct other activities pertaining to the 
        administration of the statewide framework;
            ``(11) establish partnerships with one-stop centers, which 
        may include co-locating a one-stop center in a high school, 
        transporting students to local one-stop centers, or having one-
        stop center career counselors and business liaisons assist 
        school counselors in hosting job fairs, career days, or other 
        such similar tasks;
            ``(12) leverage resources and emerging technologies that 
        are being developed by stakeholders to support the counseling 
        framework; and
            ``(13) evaluate secondary and postsecondary outcomes for 
        individuals served by the career counseling programs, 
        disaggregated by the subgroups of students described in section 
        1111(c)(2)(B).
    ``(b) Subgrants.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State educational agency that receives 
        a 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 desires a 
        subgrant under this subsection shall submit an application to 
        the State educational agency at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the State educational agency may 
        reasonably require, including a description of the 
        comprehensive school career counseling program for 
        participating schools and students that the eligible entity 
        proposes to develop and implement using subgrant funds.
    ``(c) Hiring of Personnel.--An eligible entity that receives a 
grant under section 4702 may use the grant funds to hire additional 
personnel to carry out the activities described in subsection (a).

``SEC. 4705. 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 supported under this part.

``SEC. 4706. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    ``(a) SEA Reports.--Not later than 2 years after receiving a grant 
under this part, a State educational agency shall submit a report to 
the Secretary that includes, at a minimum--
            ``(1) a description of the use of funds received under this 
        part; and
            ``(2) the results of the evaluation conducted under section 
        4704(a)(13).
    ``(b) Secretary's Reports.--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, including the contents of the reports under subsection (a).

``SEC. 4707. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
$40,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and $40,000,000 for each of the 4 
succeeding fiscal years.''.
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