Title: Community College to Career Fund in Higher Education Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Community College to Career Fund in Higher Education Act
This bill requires the Department of Education and the Department of Labor to award grants to community colleges for education and workforce training programs or related activities. Such programs or activities must lead to or expand opportunities for students to obtain recognized postsecondary credentials (e.g., associate degrees or industry-recognized certifications).

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2800 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2800

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to support community college 
           and industry partnerships, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 22 (legislative day, September 21), 2021

Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Van Hollen, 
 Mrs. Shaheen, and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which 
  was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to support community college 
           and industry partnerships, and for other purposes.

    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 to Career Fund in 
Higher Education Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO CAREER FUND.

    Title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161a et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

              ``PART BB--COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO CAREER FUND

``SEC. 899. COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS GRANT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) WIOA definitions.--The terms `career pathway', 
        `integrated education and training', `individual with a barrier 
        to employment', `industry or sector partnership', `in-demand 
        industry sector or occupation', and `recognized postsecondary 
        credential' have the meanings given to such terms in section 3 
        of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
        3102).
            ``(2) Community college.--The term `community college' 
        means an institution of higher education that is--
                    ``(A) a degree-granting public institution of 
                higher education at which the highest degree that is 
                predominantly awarded to students is an associate 
                degree;
                    ``(B) a 2-year Tribal College or University, as 
                defined in section 316; or
                    ``(C) at the designation of the Secretary, a branch 
                campus, college, or similarly defined and structured 
                academic entity within a public 4-year institution of 
                higher education at which the highest degree that is 
                predominantly awarded to students is an associate 
                degree and that is in existence as of the date of 
                enactment of the Community College to Career Fund in 
                Higher Education Act.
            ``(3) Education and workforce training program.--The term 
        `education and workforce training program'--
                    ``(A) means a career pathway program, or a program 
                that utilizes integrated education and training 
                strategies, that leads to a recognized postsecondary 
                credential; and
                    ``(B) includes a registered apprenticeship program, 
                on-the-job training program, or paid internship, if the 
                program or internship meets the requirements of 
                subparagraph (A).
            ``(4) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a 
        community college, or a consortium of community colleges, 
        that--
                    ``(A) is part of an industry or sector partnership, 
                or is working directly with an industry or sector 
                partnership for purposes of a grant under this section; 
                and
                    ``(B) may, for purposes of a grant under this 
                section and in addition to the industry or sector 
                partnership described in subparagraph (A), partner with 
                one or more of the following:
                            ``(i) An eligible provider, as defined in 
                        section 203 of the Adult Education and Family 
                        Literacy Act (29 U.S.C. 3272).
                            ``(ii) An institution of higher education, 
                        as defined in section 101 or 102(c).
                            ``(iii) An elementary school or secondary 
                        school, as such terms are defined in section 
                        8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                        Act of 1965.
            ``(5) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term 
        `registered 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.), that meets the standards of subpart A of 
        part 29 and part 30 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations or 
        any successor regulations.
            ``(6) Secretaries.--The term `Secretaries' means the 
        Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Labor, acting 
        jointly in accordance with the interagency agreement described 
        in subsection (h).
    ``(b) Grants Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than the last day of the first 
        full fiscal year following the date of enactment of the 
        Community College to Career Fund in Higher Education Act and 
        from funds appropriated under subsection (g), the Secretaries 
        shall award competitive grants to eligible entities to enable 
        the eligible entities to carry out education and workforce 
        training programs or activities described in subsection (e).
            ``(2) Duration of grants.--A grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a period of not more than 5 years, subject 
        to subsection (f)(3).
    ``(c) Application.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretaries an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretaries 
determine is required. The application shall contain--
            ``(1) a grant proposal for each education and workforce 
        training program or activity to be supported under the grant 
        that includes a detailed description of--
                    ``(A) the specific education and workforce training 
                program or activity that will be supported, and the 
                quality of the program or activity;
                    ``(B) the extent to which the program or activity 
                aligns with--
                            ``(i) an overall strategic plan developed 
                        by the eligible entity in collaboration with an 
                        industry or sector partnership and, if 
                        applicable, other partner organizations;
                            ``(ii) a statewide, regional, or local 
                        workforce development strategy, including 
                        strategies established under the Workforce 
                        Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3201 
                        et seq.) and the Carl D. Perkins Career and 
                        Technical Education Act of 2006; and
                            ``(iii) in-demand industry sectors or 
                        occupations;
                    ``(C) quantitative data and evidence that 
                demonstrates the extent to which the program or 
                activity to be supported will meet the needs of 
                employers in the area for skilled workers in in-demand 
                industry sectors or occupations;
                    ``(D) the extent to which the program or activity 
                to be supported will meet the needs of students in the 
                area;
                    ``(E) how the program or activity to be supported 
                meets the criteria established under subsection (d), 
                including the manner in which the grant will be used to 
                develop, offer, improve, or provide the program or 
                activity; and
                    ``(F) any previous experience of the eligible 
                entity in successfully providing education and 
                workforce training programs or activities, the absence 
                of which shall not automatically disqualify an eligible 
                entity from receiving a grant under this section; and
            ``(2)(A) a detailed description of how the eligible entity 
        will ensure that any education and workforce training programs 
        or activities supported under the grant will meet the 
        performance measures described in subsection (f); and
            ``(B) an assurance that the entity will annually submit to 
        the Secretaries information on the performance of each 
        education and workforce training program or activity supported 
        under the grant, in the context of the performance measures 
        described in subsection (f).
    ``(d) Criteria for Award.--
            ``(1) In general.--Grants under this section shall be 
        awarded based on criteria established by the Secretaries that 
        shall include, at a minimum, the following:
                    ``(A) A determination of the merits of the grant 
                proposal submitted by the eligible entity to develop, 
                offer, improve, or provide an education and workforce 
                training program or activity to be made available to 
                students.
                    ``(B) An assessment of the likely employment 
                opportunities available in the area to individuals who 
                complete an education and workforce training program or 
                activity that the eligible entity proposes to develop, 
                offer, improve, or provide under the grant, based on 
                State or local labor market data.
            ``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
        Secretaries shall give priority to eligible entities that--
                    ``(A) are working with an industry or sector 
                partnership that prioritizes facilitating the hiring of 
                individuals who have obtained a recognized 
                postsecondary credential from the education and 
                workforce training programs or activities offered by 
                the eligible entity;
                    ``(B) are focused on serving individuals with 
                barriers to employment or other historically 
                underrepresented students, such as veterans, spouses of 
                members of the Armed Forces, or incumbent workers who 
                need to increase their employability skills;
                    ``(C) serve areas with high unemployment rates; or
                    ``(D) commit to increasing access to education and 
                workforce training programs or activities that meet the 
                needs of employers in in-demand industry sectors or 
                occupations.
    ``(e) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under 
this section shall use grant funds for 1 or more of the following:
            ``(1) The development, offering, improvement, or provision 
        of 1 or more education and workforce training programs or 
        activities leading to recognized postsecondary credentials that 
        will meet the needs of employers in in-demand industry sectors 
        or occupations.
            ``(2) The development and implementation of policies, 
        programs, or activities that expand opportunities for students 
        to earn a recognized postsecondary credential in in-demand 
        industry sectors or occupations, including by--
                    ``(A) facilitating the transfer of academic credits 
                between community colleges and public 4-year 
                institutions of higher education in the State, 
                including the transfer of academic credits for courses 
                in the same field or program of study;
                    ``(B) expanding articulation agreements and 
                policies that guarantee transfers between such 
                institutions described in subparagraph (A), including 
                through common course numbering and use of general core 
                curriculum;
                    ``(C) developing or enhancing student support 
                service programs or activities; and
                    ``(D) establishing policies and processes for 
                assessing and awarding postsecondary credit for prior 
                learning or work-based learning (as defined in section 
                3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
                Act of 2006).
            ``(3) The creation or alignment of career pathways that 
        provide a sequence of education and occupational training that 
        leads to a recognized postsecondary credential, including 
        programs or activities that--
                    ``(A) integrate education and training;
                    ``(B) facilitate means of transitioning 
                participants from noncredit occupational, basic skills, 
                or developmental coursework to for-credit coursework 
                within and across community colleges;
                    ``(C) build or enhance linkages between secondary 
                education or adult education and literacy programs 
                (including those programs established under the Carl D. 
                Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 or 
                the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                3201 et seq.)) and community colleges, including the 
                development of dual or concurrent enrollment programs; 
                or
                    ``(D) are designed to increase the provision of 
                workforce training for students, including students who 
                are members of the Armed Forces (including members of 
                the National Guard or Reserves) and veterans, in order 
                to facilitate their entry into high-skill, high-wage 
                jobs or in-demand industry sectors or occupations.
            ``(4) Carrying out the academic portion of a registered 
        apprenticeship program or other education and workforce 
        training program, which may include funding to support a 
        student's cost of attendance as defined under section 472.
    ``(f) Performance Measures.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretaries shall establish 
        performance measures for the education and workforce training 
        programs and activities supported under this section, which 
        shall consist of--
                    ``(A) the primary indicators of performance, as 
                described in section 116(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Workforce 
                Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                3141(b)(2)(A)(i)); and
                    ``(B) a level of performance for each indicator 
                described in subparagraph (A).
            ``(2) Monitoring progress.--The Secretaries shall--
                    ``(A) monitor the progress of eligible entities 
                that receive grants under this section to ensure their 
                education and workforce training programs or activities 
                supported under this section meet the performance 
                measures established under paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) annually publish a report regarding the 
                progress of such programs or activities in meeting the 
                performance measures, including the results for each 
                performance measure disaggregated by--
                            ``(i) race and ethnicity;
                            ``(ii) income
                            ``(iii) age intervals;
                            ``(iv) sex; and
                            ``(v) Federal Pell Grant recipient status.
            ``(3) Satisfactory progress.--The Secretaries shall not 
        continue to provide funds under a grant under this section 
        after the third year of the grant period unless the eligible 
        entity has achieved satisfactory progress toward meeting the 
        levels of performance on the performance measures, as 
        determined by the Secretaries.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.
            ``(2) Administrative cost.--Not more than 5 percent of the 
        amounts made available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year 
        may be used by the Secretaries for the Federal administration 
        of the program under this section, including providing 
        technical assistance and carrying out evaluations.
            ``(3) Period of availability.--Funds appropriated under 
        paragraph (1) for a fiscal year shall remain available for 
        obligation for that fiscal year and the succeeding 4 fiscal 
        years.
    ``(h) Interagency Agreement.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of the Community College to Career Fund in Higher 
Education Act, the Secretaries shall enter into a formal interagency 
agreement establishing the terms by which the Secretaries shall jointly 
administer the program under this section.''.
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