TECH-PREP EDUCATION.

SEC. 308. TECH-PREP EDUCATION. Title III of the Act (20 U.S.C. 2351 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new part: “PART E— TECH-PREP EDUCATION “SEC. 341. SHORT TITLE. “This part may be cited as the ‘Tech-Prep Education Act’. 104 STAT. 789 “SEC. 342. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. “(a) Findings.— The Congress finds that— “(1) rapid technological advances and global economic com-petition demand increased levels of skilled technical education preparation and readiness on the part of youths entering the workforce; “(2) effective strategies reaching beyond the boundaries of traditional schooling are necessary to provide early and sustained intervention by parents, teachers, and educational institutions in the lives of students; “(3) a combination of non-traditional school-to-work technical education programs, using state-of-the-art equipment and appropriate technologies, will reduce the dropout rate for high school students in the United States and will produce youths who are mature, responsible, and motivated to build good lives for themselves; “(4) the establishment of systematic technical education articulation agreements between secondary schools and post-secondary educational institutions is necessary for providing youths with skills in the liberal and practical arts and in basic academics, including literacy instruction in the English language, and with the intense technical preparation necessary for finding a position in a changing workplace; “(5) by the year 2000 an estimated 15,000,000 manufacturing jobs will require more advanced technical skills, and an equal number of service jobs will become obsolete; “(6) more than 50 percent of jobs that are developing will require skills greater than those provided by existing educational programs; “(7) dropout rates in urban schools are 50 percent or higher, and more than 50 percent of all Hispanic youth drop out of high school; and “(8) employers in the United States pay an estimated $210,000,000,000 annually for formal and informal training, remediation, and lost productivity as a result of untrained and unprepared youth joining, or attempting to join, the workforce of the United States. “(b) Purpose.— It is the purpose of this part— “(1) to provide planning and demonstration grants to consortia of local educational agencies and postsecondary educational institutions, for the development and operation of 4-year programs designed to provide a tech-prep education program leading to a 2-year associate degree or a 2-year certificate; and “(2) to provide, in a systematic manner, strong, comprehensive links between secondary schools and postsecondary educational institutions. “SEC. 343. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED. “(a) Discretionary Amounts.— In any fiscal year in which the amount made available under section 3(d)(1)(E) to carry out the provisions of this part is equal to or less than $50,000,000, the Secretary, in accordance with the provisions of this part which are not inconsistent with this paragraph, shall award grants for tech-prep education programs to consortia of— “(1) local educational agencies, intermediate educational agencies or area vocational education schools serving secondary 104 STAT. 790school students, or secondary schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and “(2) (A) nonprofit institutions of higher education which offer a 2-year associate degree program, a 2-year certificate program, and which are qualified as institutions of higher education pursuant to section 481(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, including institutions receiving assistance under the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, or a 2-year apprenticeship program that follows secondary instruction, if such nonprofit institutions of higher education are not subject to a default management plan required by the Secretary; or “(B) proprietary institutions of higher education which offer a 2-year associate degree program and which are qualified as institutions of higher education pursuant to section 481(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 if such proprietary institutions of higher education are not subject to a default management plan required by the Secretary. “(b) State Grants.— (1) In any fiscal year for which the amount made available under section 3(d)(1)(E) to carry out the provisions of this part exceeds $50,000,000, the Secretary shall allot such amount to the States in accordance with the provisions of section 101(a)(2). “(2) From amounts made available to each State under paragraph (1), the State board, in accordance with the provisions of this part which are not inconsistent with this paragraph, shall award grants on a competitive basis or on the basis of a formula determined by the State board, for tech-prep education programs to consortia described in subsection (a)(1). “Sec. 344. TECH-PREP EDUCATION PROGRAMS. “(a) General Authority.— Each grant recipient shall use amounts provided under the grant to develop and operate a 4-year tech-prep education program. “(b) Contents of Program.— Any such program shall— “(1) be carried out under an articulation agreement between the participants in the consortium; “(2) consist of the 2 years of secondary school preceding graduation and 2 years of higher education, or an apprentice-ship program of at least 2 years following secondary instruction, with a common core of required proficiency in mathematics, science, communications, and technologies designed to lead to an associate degree or certificate in a specific career field; “(3) include the development of tech-prep education program curricula appropriate to the needs of the consortium participants; “(4) include in-service training for teachers that— “(A) is designed to train teachers to effectively implement tech-prep education curricula; “(B) provides for joint training for teachers from all participants in the consortium; and “(C) may provide such training in weekend, evening, and summer sessions, institutes or workshops; “(5) include training programs for counselors designed to enable counselors to more effectively— “(A) recruit students for tech-prep education programs; “(B) ensure that such students successfully complete such programs; and 104 STAT. 791 “(C) ensure that such students are placed in appropriate employment; “(6) provide equal access to the full range of technical preparation programs to individuals who are members of special populations, including the development of tech-prep education program services appropriate to the needs of such individuals; and “(7) provide for preparatory services which assist all participants in such programs. “(c) Additional Authorized Activities.— Each such program may— “(1) provide for the acquisition of tech-prep education program equipment; and “(2) as part of the program’s planning activities, acquire technical assistance from State or local entities that have successfully designed, established and operated tech-prep programs. “SEC. 345. APPLICATIONS. “(a) In General.— Each consortium that desires to receive a grant under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary or the State board, as appropriate, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary or the State board, as appropriate, shall prescribe. “(b) Three-Year Plan.— Each application submitted under this section shall contain a 3-year plan for the development and implementation of activities under this part. “(c) Approval.— The Secretary or the State board, as appropriate, shall approve applications based on their potential to create an effective tech-prep education program as provided for in section 344. “(d) Special Consideration.— The Secretary or the State board, as appropriate, shall give special consideration to applications which— “(1) provide for effective employment placement activities or transfer of students to 4-year baccalaureate degree programs; “(2) are developed in consultation with business, industry, and labor unions; and “(3) address effectively the issues of dropout prevention and re-entry and the needs of minority youths, youths of limited English proficiency, youths with handicaps, and disadvantaged youths. “(e) Equitable Distribution of Assistance.— In making grants under this part, the Secretary shall ensure an equitable distribution of assistance among States and the Secretary or the State board, as appropriate, shall ensure an equitable distribution of assistance between urban and rural consortium participants. “(f) Notice.— (1) In the case of grants to be made by the Secretary, each consortium that submits an application under this section shall provide notice of such submission and a copy of such application to the State educational agency and the State agency for higher education of the State in which the consortium is located. “(2) The Secretary shall notify the State educational agency, the State agency for higher education, and the State council on vocational education of any State each time a consortium located in such State is selected to receive a grant under this part. 104 STAT. 792 “SEC. 346. REPORTS. “(a) Report to the Secretary.— In the case of grants made by the Secretary, each grant recipient shall, with respect to assistance received under this part, submit to the Secretary such reports as may be required by the Secretary to ensure that such grant recipient is complying with the requirements of this part. “(b) Report to the Congress.— After grant recipients who receive grants in the first year in which grants are made under this part complete their eligibility under the program, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report evaluating the effectiveness of the program under this part. “Sec. 347. DEFINITIONS. “For purposes of this part: “(1) The term ‘articulation agreement’ means a commitment to a program designed to provide students with a nonduplicative sequence of progressive achievement leading to competencies in a tech-prep education program. “(2) The term ‘community college’— “(A) has the meaning provided in section 1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 for an institution which provides not less than a 2-year program which is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree; and “(B) includes tribally controlled community colleges. “(3) The term ‘tech-prep education program’ means a combined secondary and postsecondary program which— “(A) leads to an associate degree or 2-year certificate; “(B) provides technical preparation in at least 1 field of engineering technology, applied science, mechanical, industrial, or practical art or trade, or agriculture, health, or business; “(C) builds student competence in mathematics, science, and communications (including through applied academics) through a sequential course of study; and “(D) leads to placement in employment. “(4) The terms ‘institution of higher education’ and ‘higher education’ include institutions offering apprenticeship programs of at least 2 years beyond the completion of secondary school.”.