Ready-to-Compete Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to public telecommunications entities to coordinate the development, production, and distribution of innovative multiplatform educational programming and services for young children and youth and their parents, educators, and caregivers.
Requires grantees to award subcontracts or enter into agreements with public television stations and producers or distributors of educational programming for the operation of Ready-to-Learn programs.
Requires Ready-to-Learn programs to: (1) include programming that is aligned with state academic content and achievement standards; (2) include training and materials for educators and caregivers to facilitate their use of the programming and services; (3) address specific community and school needs, ascertained via ongoing community outreach programs; and (4) include programming in reading, social and emotional development, and at least one other topic in an academic or developmentally appropriate area.
Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to authorize the Secretary to award competitive grants to public television stations that partner with states, state workforce investment boards, or institutions of higher education to develop, disseminate, and provide on-line and on-air education and training services for adults.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2653 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2653
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to award grants to prepare individuals
for the 21st century workplace and to increase America's global
competitiveness, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 11, 2013
Mr. Yarmuth (for himself, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Ms.
McCollum, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Owens, Mr. Polis, Mr. Rangel, and Mr.
Richmond) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to award grants to prepare individuals
for the 21st century workplace and to increase America's global
competitiveness, 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 ``Ready-to-Compete Act''.
TITLE I--READY TO LEARN: SCHOOL READINESS AND SUCCESS
SEC. 101. READY-TO-LEARN GRANTS.
Subpart 3 of part D of title II of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6775) is amended to read as follows:
``Subpart 3--Ready-to-Learn
``SEC. 2431. SHORT TITLE.
``This subpart may be cited as `Ready-to-Learn Act'.
``SEC. 2432. READY-TO-LEARN INNOVATIVE MULTIPLATFORM EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to
eligible entities to enable such entities--
``(1) to provide a coordinated Ready-to-Learn service
described in subsection (c); and
``(2) to award subgrants or enter into contracts or
cooperative agreements with an eligible subgrantee to enable
the eligible subgrantee to operate a high-quality Ready-to-
Learn program that is a part of the coordinated Ready-to-Learn
service.
``(b) Ready-to-Learn Program Requirements.--Each eligible entity
receiving a grant under this subpart shall operate a Ready-to-Learn
program that--
``(1) develops, produces, and distributes innovative
multiplatform educational programming and services for young
children and youth (especially those young children and youth
served under part A of title I), and the parents, educators,
and caregivers of such children in order to help improve early
childhood development and student achievement in the areas of--
``(A) reading;
``(B) mathematics;
``(C) science;
``(D) health and wellness;
``(E) social and emotional development; or
``(F) other academic or developmentally appropriate
areas;
``(2) facilitates the development of--
``(A) innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services, directly or through
contracts, with producers of innovative multiplatform
educational programming and services for young children
and youth;
``(B) rigorous professional development for
educators and caregivers that supports effective use of
Ready-to-Learn innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services or improves the effectiveness
of teachers in classrooms serving young children and
youth;
``(C) support materials and services that accompany
such innovative multiplatform educational programming
and services and professional development, including
outreach services, in order to promote the effective
use of such innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services; and
``(D) related support resources for parents and
caregivers that are designed for nationwide
distribution over public television stations' digital
broadcasting channels and other high-tech delivery
platforms;
``(3) contracts with an entity that owns and operates a
television public broadcast station, as defined in section
397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 397(6))--
``(A) that demonstrates that the station is a
member of a strong, local, community-based partnership,
in order to deliver effective services which meet the
educational needs of the children in the community
served by the broadcast area; and
``(B) so that innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services developed under this subpart
are disseminated and distributed to the widest possible
audience appropriately served by the most appropriate
distribution technologies; or
``(4) develops and disseminates educational or training
material, directly related to the television programs assisted
under this subpart, that is designed--
``(A) to promote school readiness and success for
all children, especially children served under part A
of title I, including English language learners; and
``(B) to promote the effective use of related
services and related support resources developed under
paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively, among parents,
caregivers, teachers, Head Start programs, reading and
literacy programs funded under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, family literacy programs,
child care providers, early childhood educators, public
and school libraries, museums, State educational
agencies, businesses, institutions of higher education,
and after-school, summer, and extended day and year
programs.
``(c) Coordinated Ready-to-Learn Service.--In awarding subgrants
and entering into contracts and cooperative agreements under this
subpart, an eligible entity shall provide a coordinated Ready-to-Learn
service that--
``(1) shall include--
``(A) innovative multiplatform educational
programming, determined by the eligible entity to be of
sound content and artistic excellence, aligned to--
``(i) State academic content and academic
achievement standards described under section
1111 and State early learning standards, as
appropriate;
``(ii) rigorous professional development
for educators and caregivers that supports
effective use of Ready-to-Learn innovative
multiplatform educational programming and
services or improves the effectiveness of
teachers in classrooms serving young children
and youth; and
``(iii) related services;
``(B) effective, ongoing community outreach
programs and ongoing partnerships with local
organizations to help ensure that the programming--
``(i) addresses specific community and
school needs;
``(ii) addresses needs of caregivers and
educators;
``(iii) reaches children served under part
A of title I; and
``(iv) engages multiple constituencies of
children, parents, caregivers, and educators;
``(C) academic and developmental television
programming described in subsection (b) (1) in--
``(i) the topics described in subparagraphs
(A) and (E) of subsection (b)(1); and
``(ii) not less than 1 other topic
described in subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and
(F) of subsection (b)(1); and
``(D) a rigorous evaluation of the impact of the
innovative multiplatform educational programming and
services described in subsection (b)(l) on--
``(i) school readiness skills of young
children in various socioeconomic areas,
including rural and urban areas;
``(ii) school success of youth in various
socioeconomic areas, including rural and urban
areas;
``(iii) teacher effectiveness; and
``(iv) community engagement and awareness;
and
``(2) may include a comprehensive preschool curriculum
based upon the Ready-to-Learn programs.
``(d) Technical Assistance, Materials, Training, and Curricula.--
The eligible entity shall provide eligible subgrantees that receive a
subgrant or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement under this
subpart with technical assistance, supporting materials, training, and
curricula to ensure effective implementation of subsection (c).
``(e) Reservation of Funding.--The eligible entity shall use such
sums as may be necessary from the funds received under this subpart to
award subgrants to or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements
with eligible subgrantees that are public broadcast stations, as
defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, to carry
out subsection (c)(1)(B) and section 2435(c).
``(f) Availability of Programming and Related Services.--In
awarding a grant under this subpart, the Secretary shall ensure that
each eligible entity makes innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services widely available, with support materials
available, as appropriate, to young children and youth, parents,
caregivers, teachers, reading and literacy programs funded under the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, family literacy programs, child
care providers, early childhood educators, public and school libraries,
museums, State educational agencies, businesses, institutions of higher
education, and afterschool, summer, and extended day and year programs
in order to increase the effective use of innovative multiplatform
educational programming and services.
``SEC. 2433. COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.
``In carrying out this subpart, an eligible entity shall--
``(1) consult with the Secretary and the Secretary of
Health and Human Services--
``(A) to maximize the use of high-quality
innovative multiplatform educational programming and
services by young children and youth, and to make such
programming widely available to federally funded
programs serving such children; and
``(B) to coordinate activities assisted under this
subpart with Federal programs that have a major
professional development component for educators of
young children and youth, including programs under the
Head Start Act, 21st Century Community Learning
Centers, title I, and the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990; and
``(2) ensure that all materials acquired or produced by any
eligible subgrantee are determined to be of sufficient age-
appropriate aesthetic appeal and educational effectiveness to
warrant national distribution and support in order to maximize
the impact of televised materials and the use of digital
content.
``SEC. 2434. APPLICATION.
``To be eligible to receive a grant under this subpart, an eligible
entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may
reasonably require.
``SEC. 2435. REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS.
``(a) Annual Report to the Secretary.--In carrying out this
subpart, an eligible entity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary
an annual report that contains such information as the Secretary may
require. At a minimum, the report shall describe the activities
undertaken with funds received under the grant awarded to the eligible
entity under this subpart, including each of the following:
``(1) Programming and related services; target
population.--The innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services developed, directly or indirectly, by
the eligible entity, and the target population served by the
programming and services.
``(2) Support or training and professional development
materials.--The support or training and professional
development materials developed to accompany the innovative
multiplatform educational programming and services, and the
method by which the materials were distributed to consumers and
users of the innovative multiplatform educational programming
and services.
``(3) Means of distribution.--The means by which innovative
multiplatform educational programming and services developed
under this subpart were distributed, including the technologies
that were used to make the innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services available, and the geographic
distribution achieved through such technologies.
``(4) Initiatives.--The initiatives undertaken by the
eligible entity to develop public-private partnerships to
secure non-Federal support for the development, distribution,
and broadcast of innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services.
``(5) Impact.--The impact of the innovative multiplatform
educational programming and services on teaching and learning,
including the impact on improving school readiness skills,
reading skills, mathematics skills, science skills, and skills
in other developmentally appropriate content areas.
``(b) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit
to the relevant committees of Congress an annual report that includes
the following:
``(1) Activity summary.--A summary of the activities
assisted under section 2432.
``(2) Education, training, and professional development
materials.--A description of the education, training, and
professional development materials described in section
2432(b)(2)(B) that are made available under this subpart, the
manner in which outreach was conducted to inform parents and
child care providers of the availability of such materials, and
the manner in which such materials were distributed in
accordance with section 2432.
``(c) Evaluation of Outreach Activities.--In carrying out this
subpart, an eligible entity shall require each eligible subgrantee that
receives a subgrant or enters into a contract or cooperative agreement
under this subpart to provide evaluation data that include descriptions
of the impact of outreach activities carried out under this subpart,
including--
``(1) the manner in which outreach was conducted to inform
parents, educators, and child care providers of the
availability of the innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services produced under this subpart, including
specific strategies used to reach a wide audience;
``(2) the extent to which the outreach programs included
multiple outreach efforts with the same organizations or groups
and resulted in lasting relationships with those organizations
or groups and the members of those organizations or groups; and
``(3) the effectiveness of the outreach programs and
services conducted and the number of children, families,
educators, and child care providers that had access to and
utilized the innovative multiplatform educational programming
and services provided under this subpart to improve school
readiness skills and school success.
``(d) Evaluation of Impact on School Readiness and Success.--The
Secretary shall evaluate the impact of the outreach content and
services provided under this subpart on improving school readiness
skills and school success nationwide, particularly with respect to
young children and youth in the most disadvantaged communities.
``SEC. 2436. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
``An eligible subgrantee that receives a subgrant or enters into a
contract or cooperative agreement under this subpart may use not more
than 5 percent of the amount received under the subgrant, contract, or
cooperative agreement, respectively, for the normal and customary
expenses of administering the grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement, respectively.
``SEC. 2437. CONTINUATION OF AWARDS.
``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an eligible
subgrantee that received a subgrant or enters into a contract or
cooperative agreement under this subpart (as this subpart existed on
the day before the date of enactment of the Ready-to-Learn Act) shall
continue to receive funds in accordance with the terms of the subgrant,
contract, or cooperative agreement, respectively, until the date on
which the subgrant, contract, or cooperative agreement, respectively,
terminates under such terms.
``SEC. 2438. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this subpart $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and such sums as may
be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
``(b) Reservation.--In any fiscal year in which the amount
appropriated is greater than $30,000,000, the Secretary shall reserve
50 percent of such excess for innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services for youth.
``SEC. 2439. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subpart--
``(a) the term `eligible entity' means a public telecommunications
entity that is able to demonstrate--
``(1) a capacity for the development and national
distribution of educational and instructional television
programming of high quality that is accessible by a large
majority of disadvantaged preschool and elementary school
children;
``(2) a capacity to contract with the producers of
children's television programming for the purpose of developing
educational television programming of high quality;
``(3) a capacity to integrate children's television
programming with innovative multiplatform educational
programming and services;
``(4) a capacity, consistent with the entity's mission and
nonprofit nature, to negotiate such contracts in a manner that
returns to the entity an appropriate share of any ancillary
income from sales of any program-related products; and
``(5) a capacity to localize programming and materials to
meet specific State and local needs and to provide educational
outreach at the local level;
``(b) the term `eligible subgrantee' means--
``(1) a national nonprofit membership organization that
acquires and distributes programming to noncommercial
educational television broadcasters through the national public
television interconnection system that the organization manages
and operates;
``(2) a local or statewide public television station or
system; or
``(3) a nonprofit producer of high-quality children's
educational television and other media programming;
``(c) the term `innovative multiplatform educational programming
and services' means high-quality programming that is--
``(1) packaged for distribution over broadband, digital,
and over-the-airwaves television;
``(2) packaged with companion content for distribution over
the Internet, mobile devices, classroom devices, and any other
technologies appropriate for the content;
``(3) aligned across all platforms to a central curriculum
and story;
``(4) accessible to students in all regions, including
rural areas via distance learning technologies;
``(5) designed to target the research-identified needs of
young children or youth, or a subset thereof; and
``(6) designed to reach students in the targeted age range
age-appropriately and via the media that reaches them most
effectively;
``(d) the term `school success' means improved academic achievement
or engagement in subject areas referenced in section 2432(b)(1);
``(e) the term `young children' means children ages 2-8; and
``(f) the term `youth' means children ages 9-13.''.
TITLE II--READY-TO-EARN GRANTS
SEC. 201. READY-TO-EARN GRANTS.
Chapter 4 of subtitle A of title II of the Workforce Investment Act
of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 9251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 244. TELEVISION BROADCAST WORKFORCE TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on
a competitive basis, to an entity that owns and operates a television
public broadcast station, as defined in section 397(6) of the
Communications Act of 1934, or a partnership of such entities, for the
purpose of developing, disseminating, and providing online and on-air
education and training services for adults, including adult education,
adult literacy, high school equivalency test preparation, workforce
training, and related outreach services that are priorities for the
community.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, an entity shall--
``(1) own or operate a local television public broadcast
station, as defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act
of 1934, that is able to demonstrate a capacity for the
development and distribution of high-quality educational
digital content and services in the areas of adult education,
adult literacy, high school equivalency test preparation,
workforce training, and related outreach services;
``(2) partner with an eligible agency as defined in section
203(4) or a State Board as described in section 111 or
institutions of higher education in order to implement a high-
quality program in accordance with this section; and
``(3) conduct a needs assessment of the proposed community
to be served through online and on-air education and training
services.
``(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, an eligible entity, or partnership of eligible entities, shall
submit an application to the Secretary. Each application shall--
``(1) describe the innovative, high-quality training,
tools, products, and educational digital content and services
that will be developed and used to improve the quality and
delivery of adult education, adult literacy, high school
equivalency test preparation, workforce training, and related
outreach services;
``(2) describe the partnership and the roles of the
partners in implementing a high-quality program in accordance
with this section;
``(3) describe how the eligible entity or entities will
address the needs of adults who are non-English speakers;
``(4) describe how the comprehensive program described in
this section will meet the needs of that community and include
partnerships with community-based organizations that serve
adults in need of such services;
``(5) describe the research-based practices and advanced
technologies that the program funded under this section will
use to carry out the purposes of this section;
``(6) describe the rigorous evaluation the eligible entity
or entities will use to support continuous improvement of the
program and services, including the report described under
subsection (g); and
``(7) contain such additional assurances as the Secretary
may reasonably require.
``(d) Required Uses of Funds.--Grant funds provided under this
section shall be used for--
``(1) the development, training and use of innovative,
high-quality tools, products, and educational digital content
and services for--
``(A) adult education, adult literacy, high school
equivalency test preparation, workforce training, and
related outreach services;
``(B) professional development; and
``(C) community and family outreach;
``(2) professional development and training of staff;
``(3) evaluation as described in subsection (g);
``(4) outreach activities to engage adult learners and
community organizations;
``(5) English language education and services for non-
English speakers; and
``(6) other activities as needed to meet the purposes of
this section.
``(e) Duration.--A grant under this section shall be awarded for a
period of 5 years.
``(f) Administrative Costs.--An entity that receives a grant under
this section may not use more than 5 percent of the amount received
under the grant for administrative costs.
``(g) Reports and Evaluation.--An entity receiving a grant under
this section shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an annual report
that contains such information as the Secretary may require. At a
minimum, such report shall describe the program activities undertaken
with funds received under the grant, including--
``(1) the success in engaging families and the number of
such families;
``(2) the impact of professional development and training
for staff on the acquisition of training and job skills;
``(3) the effectiveness of the specific, innovative, high-
quality training, tools, products, and educational digital
content and services developed and used to improve the quality
and delivery of adult education, adult literacy, high school
equivalency test preparation, workforce training, and related
outreach services; and
``(4) the impact of the program on adult literacy and
English language skills, workforce skills, job placements, and
high school equivalency test passage rates.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2014
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal
years.
``(i) Definition.--In this section, 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).''.
SEC. 202. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 9241 et seq.) is
amended--
(1) in section 111(b)(1)(C)(vii), by inserting ``, and
public broadcasting entities'' after ``juvenile justice
programs'';
(2) in section 117(b)(2)(B), by inserting ``including
public broadcasting entities'' after ``entities'';
(3) in section 122(a)(2)(C), by inserting ``, including a
public broadcasting entity'' after ``training services'';
(4) in section 129(c)(2)(A), by inserting ``, including
educational digital content and services'' after
``instruction'';
(5) in section 203(5)(H), by inserting ``including a public
broadcasting entity'' after ``institution''; and
(6) in section 231(e)(6), by inserting ``and educational
digital content and services'' after ``computers''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
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