BUSINESS-LABOR-EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP FOR TRAINING.

SEC. 307. BUSINESS-LABOR-EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP FOR TRAINING. (a) Redesignations.— (1) Title III of the Act (20 U.S.C. 2351 et seq.) is amended by redesignating part E as part D. (2) Sections 341, 342, and 343 of the Act (20 U.S.C. 2391, 2392, 2393) are redesignated as sections 331, 332, and 333, respectively. (b) Amendment to Part Heading.— The heading for part D of title III of the Act (as redesignated by subsection (a)(1)) is amended to read as follows: “PART D— BUSINESS-LABOR-EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP FOR TRAINING”. (c) Findings and Purpose.— Section 331 of the Act (as redesignated by subsection (a)(2)) (20 U.S.C. 2391) is amended to read as follows: “SEC. 331. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. “The Congress finds that— “(1) there is a need to infuse resources into the schools for the purpose of improving the quality of vocational education; and “(2) there is a need to fulfill the needs of business for skilled employees who meet certain minimal standards in key occupational areas.”. (d) Authorization of Grants.— Section 332 of the Act (as redesignated by subsection (a)(2)) (20 U.S.C. 2392) is amended— (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: “(a) (1) From amounts authorized under section 3(d)(1)(1) that are made available for this part, the Secretary shall make grants to States to enable States to award grants to partnerships among— “(A) an area vocational education school, a State agency, a local educational agency, a secondary school funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an institution of higher education, a State corrections educational agency or an adult learning center; and “(B) business, industry, labor organizations, or apprenticeship programs; to carry out business-labor-education partnership training programs in accordance with this part. “(2) The Secretary shall ensure an equitable geographic distribution of grants under this part.”; (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: “(b) Grants to any State under this part shall be used in accordance with State plans and shall provide incentives for the coordination of programs assisted with funds under this part with related efforts under part E and under the Job Training Partnership Act. Each such State plan shall contain assurances to the Secretary that— 104 STAT. 788 “(1) funds received under this part will be awarded on a competitive basis solely for vocational education programs, including programs— “(A) to provide apprenticeships and internships in industry; “(B) to provide new equipment; “(C) to provide teacher internships or teacher training; “(D) that bring representatives of business and organized labor into the classroom; “(E) to increase the access to, and quality of, programs for individuals who are members of special populations; “(F) to strengthen coordination between vocational education programs, and the labor and skill needs of business and industry; “(G) to address the economic development needs of the area served by the partnership; “(H) to provide training and career counseling that will enable workers to retain their jobs; “(I) to provide training and career counseling that will enable workers to upgrade their jobs; and “(J) that address the needs of new and emerging industries, particularly industries in high-technology fields. “(2) the State will give preference to partnerships that coordinate with local chambers of commerce (or the equivalent), local labor organizations, or local economic development plans; “(3) the State will give priority to programs offered by partnerships that provide job training in areas or skills where there are significant labor shortages; “(4) the State shall ensure an equitable distribution of assistance under this part between urban and rural areas; “(5) except as provided in paragraph (6), not less than 50 percent of the aggregate cost of programs and projects assisted under this part will be provided from non-Federal sources, and not less than 50 percent of such non-Federal share will be provided by businesses or labor organizations participating in the partnership; and “(6) in the event that the partnership includes a small business or labor organization, 40 percent of the aggregate cost of the programs and projects assisted under this part will be provided from non-Federal sources and not less than 50 percent of such non-Federal share will be provided by participating businesses or labor organizations.”; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(d) The Secretary shall prescribe policies for vocational education programs carried out with assistance under this part. Such policies shall include examples of allowable expenses for business-labor-education partnerships.”.