Pathways Advancing Career Training Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make formula matching grants to states with approved plans for programs of vocational education, training, employment counseling, and related services, including tuition assistance, for: (1) single parents and displaced homemakers; and (2) individuals receiving preparatory services and secondary and postsecondary students training for high-skill, high-wage nontraditional employment fields where individuals from one gender compose less than 25% of workers.
Requires eligible state agencies to administer such programs, make competitive subgrants to eligible entities, and identify certain core indicators of performance.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3972 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3972
To provide effective training and education programs for displaced
homemakers, single parents, and individuals entering nontraditional
employment.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 6, 2005
Ms. Hart (for herself and Ms. Millender-McDonald) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide effective training and education programs for displaced
homemakers, single parents, and individuals entering nontraditional
employment.
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 ``Pathways Advancing Career Training
Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE AND FINDINGS.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to provide assistance to
States for preparatory services, education and training programs,
supportive service assistance, and referral services to displaced
homemakers, single parents, and individuals pursuing high-skill, high-
wage nontraditional occupations. Such assistance will create workforce
pathways for individuals in transition and help meet the employment
needs of high-skilled, high-wage industries, including those facing
significant skilled labor shortages.
(b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) A high quality, productive, and diverse workforce is
necessary to compete in the global economy.
(2) There are approximately 21,000,000 displaced homemakers
and single parents in the United States for whom the pathway to
employment and economic independence requires education and
training services.
(3) The education and training needs of displaced
homemakers, and single parents, and individuals pursuing
nontraditional occupations are not sufficiently met through
existing systems.
(4) Displaced homemakers and single parents represent an
untapped resource to enter unfilled positions in the
information technology sector, and these individuals represent
an untapped resource to address the growing skilled labor
shortage in the construction sector.
(5) Employment in information technology and high skill,
high wage nontraditional careers offers wages and advancement
opportunities to help families achieve economic independence.
(6) Vocational education programs continue to be highly
sex-segregated resulting in a dearth of female students filling
the pipeline for jobs in the growing high-skill high-wage labor
market, especially in the areas of technology and the skilled
trades.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
Except as otherwise specified in this Act, as used in this Act:
(1) Community-based organization.--The term ``community-
based organization'' means a public or private nonprofit
organization of demonstrated effectiveness that--
(A) is representative of a community or significant
segments of a community; and
(B) provides educational, preparatory or related
services to individuals in the community.
(2) Displaced homemaker.--The term ``displaced homemaker''
means an individual who has been providing unpaid services to
family members in the home and who--
(A) has been dependent on the income of another
family member but is no longer supported by that
income; and
(B) is unemployed or underemployed and is
experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading
employment.
(3) Eligible state agency.--The term ``eligible State
agency'' means a State board designated or created as the State
agency responsible for the administration of vocational
education in the State.
(4) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient''
means a community-based organization, an area vocational
school, a local educational agency, a postsecondary vocational
institution, or other entities that have demonstrated ability
to meet the education and training needs of displaced
homemakers, single parents and students in secondary and
postsecondary programs preparing for high-skill, high-wage
nontraditional training and employment.
(5) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational
agency'' has the meaning given such term in section 14101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
8801).
(6) Nontraditional employment.--The term ``nontraditional
employment,'' refers to occupations or fields of work for which
individuals from one gender comprise less than 25 percent of
the individuals employed in each such occupation or field of
work.
(7) Preparatory services.--The term ``preparatory
services'' means services, programs, or activities designed to
assist individuals who are not enrolled in education or
training programs in the selection of, or preparation for
participation in, an appropriate education or training program,
such as--
(A) services, programs, or activities related to
outreach in the recruitment of potential students;
(B) career and personal counseling and life skills
development;
(C) vocational assessment and testing;
(D) pre-vocational services, including remediation,
pre-apprenticeship assistance and other services to
prepare individuals to succeed in vocational studies in
high-skill, high-wage nontraditional fields; and
(E) other appropriate services, programs, or
activities.
(8) Postsecondary vocational institution.--The term
``postsecondary vocation institution'' has the same meaning
given such term in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(C)).
(9) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has
the meaning given the term in section 14101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).
(10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(11) Self-sufficiency standard.--The term ``self-
sufficiency standard'' is a measure of how much income families
need to cover their basic costs without subsidies. It uses a
consistent methodology that calculates the costs of living and
working (including taxes) based upon sub-state geographic
location, family size, and composition.
(12) Single parent.--The term ``single parent'' means an
individual who is unmarried and--
(A) has a minor child or children for which the
parent has either custody or joint custody; or
(B) is pregnant.
(13) Supportive services.--The term ``supportive services''
means services such as transportation, child care, dependent
care, and needs based payment, that are necessary to enable an
individual to participate in education and training activities.
SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
The Secretary of Education is authorized to provide grants to
States to enable such States to develop or enhance programs described
in section 8.
SEC. 5. ALLOCATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall allot funds to the States
under this Act based on the ratio of the population between the ages of
16 and 64 of each State to the total population between the ages of 16
and 64 in all of the States.
(b) Supplement not Supplant.--Funds provided under this Act shall
be used to supplement not supplant other Federal, State, and local
public funds expended to provide services to displaced homemakers,
single parents, and students pursuing high-skill, high-wage
nontraditional occupations.
SEC. 6. STATE PLAN.
(a) In General.--Each eligible State agency shall prepare and
submit to the Secretary a plan for a 5-year period, together with such
annual revisions as the eligible State agency determines to be
necessary.
(b) Revisions and Review.--Each eligible State agency shall--
(1) submit such annual revisions of the plan to the
Secretary as the eligible State agency determines to be
necessary; and
(2) after the second year of the 5-year State plan, conduct
a review of activities assisted under this Act and submit any
revisions of the State plan that the eligible State agency
determines necessary to the Secretary.
(c) Plan Development.--The eligible State agency shall develop the
State plan in consultation with experts, students in displaced
homemaker, single parent, and nontraditional training programs, and any
other individual the State considers necessary.
(d) Plan Contents.--The State plan shall include information that--
(1) describes the preparatory services and vocational
education activities to be assisted that are designed to assist
single parents, displaced homemakers, and students pursuing
high-skill, high-wage nontraditional training and employment;
(2) describes the process for soliciting competitive
applications and the criteria that will be used by the eligible
State agency in awarding eligible recipients funds under this
Act;
(3) describes how comprehensive professional development
will be provided;
(4) describes how the eligible State agency will--
(A) annually evaluate the effectiveness of such
programs; and
(B) coordinate such programs to ensure non-
duplication with other existing Federal programs;
(5) provides assurances that the eligible State agency will
comply with the requirements of this Act and the provisions of
the State plan, including the provision of a financial audit of
funds received under this Act which may be included as part of
an audit of other Federal or State programs;
(6) provides assurances that none of the funds expended
under this Act will be used to acquire equipment (including
computer software) in any instance in which such acquisition
results in a direct financial benefit to any organization
representing the interests of the purchasing entity, the
employees of the purchasing entity, or any affiliate of such an
organization;
(7) describes how the eligible State agency will measure
and report the progress of the students who are served pursuant
to this Act, including--
(A) single parent and displaced homemaker's
participation in and completion of a vocational
education program;
(B) students' participation in and completion of
vocational education programs that lead to high-skill,
high-wage nontraditional training and employment;
(C) single parent and displaced homemaker's
attainment of a secondary school diploma or its
recognized equivalent;
(D) single parent and displaced homemaker's
placement in postsecondary education or advanced
training, placement in military service, or placement
in employment;
(E) student placement in high-skill, high-wage
nontraditional employment; and
(F) single parent and displaced homemaker's
participation in and completion of vocational education
programs that will prepare them to earn wages equal to
or greater than that determined by the self sufficiency
standard;
(8) describes how the eligible State agency will provide
eligible recipients with technical assistance, and conduct
other technical assistance activities described in section 9;
and
(9) describes the methods proposed for the joint planning
and coordination of programs carried out under this Act with
other Federal programs.
(e) Plan Option.--The eligible State agency may fulfill the
requirements of subsection (d) by submitting a plan under section 123
of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998
(20 U.S.C. 2343).
(f) Plan Approval.--The Secretary shall consider a plan or revision
of a State plan approved, unless the Secretary determines, within 120
days of submission, that the State plan, or revision, respectively,
does not meet the requirements of this section.
SEC. 7. ACCOUNTABILITY.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to establish
activities, in coordination with the State performance accountability
system, to assess the effectiveness of the State in achieving progress
of vocational education in serving single parents, displaced homemakers
and individuals pursuing nontraditional training and employment, and to
maximize the return on investment of Federal funds.
(b) Core Indicators of Performance.--Each eligible State agency
shall identify in the State plan the process used to collect data on
the core indicators of performance from eligible recipients that
include, at a minimum, measures of each of the following:
(1) Participation and completion in a preparatory services
program.
(2) Participation in and completion of vocational education
programs that lead to high-skill, high-wage nontraditional
training and employment.
(3) Attainment of a secondary school diploma or its
recognized equivalent, a proficiency credential in conjunction
with a secondary school diploma, or a postsecondary degree or
credential.
(4) Placement in, retention in, and completion of,
postsecondary education or advanced training, placement in
military service, or placement or retention in employment.
(5) Placement and retention in high-skill, high-wage
nontraditional employment.
An eligible agency, with input from eligible recipients, may identify
in the State plan additional indicators of performance for vocational
education activities authorized under this Act, such as attainment of
self-sufficiency.
(c) Annual Report by State Agency.--Each eligible State agency
shall transmit to the Secretary an annual report of data compiled in
accordance with section 7(b) disaggregated by gender, race, age,
disability, national origin, ethnicity, and English proficiency status.
Each eligible State agency shall also report on technical assistance
delivered under section 9. The eligible State agency may fulfill the
requirements of reporting for core indications in paragraphs (2)
through (5) of subsection (b) by submitting a report under section
113(c)(2) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act
of 1998 (20 U.S.C. 2324).
(d) Annual Report of the Secretary.--The Secretary shall transmit
to Congress annually a national report that describes the extent to
which the purposes of the Act are being achieved. The Secretary's
report shall include individual state annual reports and a compilation
of those state reports with national data disaggregated by gender,
race, age, disability, national origin, ethnicity, and English
proficiency status.
SEC. 8. PROGRAMS FOR SINGLE PARENTS, DISPLACED HOMEMAKERS, AND
NONTRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT.
Except as provided in section 8(a), each State may use funds
provided under section 9 only to--
(1) provide programs for single parents and displaced
homemakers, including--
(A) subsidies, reimbursement, tuition assistance,
or payment for preparatory services, necessary
educational materials (including books and supplies),
career guidance and counseling services, and supportive
services;
(B) information to inform individuals of vocational
education and training programs, related supportive
services, and counseling; and
(C) program services, counseling, and activities to
prepare individuals to attain marketable skills for
employment that will lead to economic self-sufficiency;
(2) provide programs for individuals pursuing high-skill,
high-wage nontraditional training and employment, including--
(A) programs, preparatory services, counseling,
mentoring, tuition assistance and activities that will
provide individuals with the skills to pursue education
and training in high-skill, high-wage nontraditional
careers, including information technology and other
high skill and high wage careers;
(B) programs services, counseling, professional
development, and activities to--
(i) increase awareness of nontraditional
occupations; and
(ii) to ensure a fair and respectful
learning environment for all vocational
education students, particularly those
preparing for nontraditional employment; and
(C) replicable model programs and materials that
increase participation, completion, and placement rates
of individuals in high-skill, high-wage nontraditional
employment.
SEC. 9. WITHIN STATE ALLOCATION AND ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Reservation for State Activities.--From the amounts allocated
under section 5, not more than 5 percent shall be reserved for State
administration.
(b) Matching Requirement.--Each eligible State agency receiving
funds made available under section 5(a), shall match, from non-Federal
sources and on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the funds received under
section 9.
(c) Administration.--Any State desiring to participate in a program
authorized by this Act shall assign not less than one individual within
the appropriate agency established to administer vocational education
programs within the State to assist in fulfilling the purposes of this
Act by--
(1) administering the program of vocational education
described in section 8;
(2) gathering, analyzing, and disseminating data on the
adequacy and effectiveness of vocational education programs in
the State as described in section 7;
(3) developing the State plan described in section 6;
(4) providing technical assistance and professional
development in expanding vocational opportunities for single
parents and displaced homemakers, and building institutional
capacity to increase individual's access to and success in
high-skill, high-wage nontraditional occupations, including--
(A) training of staff, including guidance
counselors, academic advisors, training coordinators,
teachers and instructors;
(B) public education and marketing materials;
(C) development of institutional and cross-agency
protocols and policies;
(D) tracking of utilization and impact of policies
and activities;
(E) participation in statewide coordination
activities with other agencies; and
(F) development of curriculum;
(5) managing the distribution of funds pursuant to section
6;
(6) monitoring the use of funds distributed to recipients
under such programs; and
(7) evaluating the effectiveness of programs and activities
supported by such funds.
(d) Competitive Awards.--The Administrators assigned under
subsection (c) shall--
(1) on a competitive basis, provide grants to eligible
recipients; and
(2) ensure that each grant is for a program that is of
sufficient size, scope, and quality to be effective.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act,
$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and such sums as may be necessary for
each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
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