Expanding Pathways to Employment Act
This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to provide long-term grant funding for workforce development programs that have demonstrated a positive impact on worker earnings and for postsecondary education programs that have demonstrated a positive impact on student graduation.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4338 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4338
To establish a fund to provide grants for the operation and expansion
of evidence-based workforce development and post-secondary education
programs and to support evaluations of these programs, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 1, 2021
Ms. Sherrill (for herself and Mr. McKinley) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a fund to provide grants for the operation and expansion
of evidence-based workforce development and post-secondary education
programs and to support evaluations of these programs, 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 ``Expanding Pathways to Employment
Act''.
SEC. 2. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION GRANT
PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Board,
shall make grants in accordance with this section to provide long-term
funding commitments for eligible workforce development programs and
eligible post-secondary education programs as follows:
(1) Workforce development programs supported by strong
evidence.--Of the total amount appropriated under section 6,
the Secretary shall use 50 percent of such amount to make
grants for eligible workforce development programs that have
demonstrated a substantial, statistically significant positive
impact on worker earnings through one or more well-designed and
well-implemented randomized control experimental studies. A
grant awarded under this paragraph shall be used for the cost
of operating and expanding such program, and may also be used,
at the discretion of the grantee, for the cost of conducting a
new randomized control experimental study with respect to such
program.
(2) Workforce development programs supported by moderate
and promising evidence.--Of the total amount appropriated under
section 6, the Secretary shall use 25 percent of such amount to
make grants for eligible workforce development programs that
have demonstrated a substantial, statistically significant
positive impact on worker earnings through one or more well-
designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental studies or
correlational studies. A grant awarded under this paragraph
shall be used--
(A) for the cost of conducting randomized control
experimental studies with respect to such program; and
(B) for the cost of operating and expanding such
program (but only if a grant under subclause (A) has
been concurrently awarded for such program).
(3) Discretionary amount.--Of the total amount appropriated
under section 6, the Secretary shall use 20 percent of such
amount at the discretion of the Secretary--
(A) to make additional grants as described in
paragraph (1);
(B) to make additional grants as described in
paragraph (2); and
(C) to make grants for eligible post-secondary
education programs that have demonstrated a
substantial, statistically significant positive impact
on student graduation and degree completion through one
or more well-designed and well-implemented randomized
control experimental studies, quasi-experimental
studies, or correlational studies, to be used--
(i) in the case of programs that have
demonstrated such positive impact through one
or more randomized control experimental
studies, for the cost of operating and
expanding such program, and, at the discretion
of the grantee, for the cost of conducting a
new randomized control experimental study with
respect to such program; and
(ii) in the case of programs that have
demonstrated such positive impact through one
or more quasi-experimental studies or
correlational studies--
(I) for the cost of conducting
randomized control experimental studies
with respect to such program; and
(II) for the cost of operating and
expanding such program (but only if a
grant under subclause (I) has been
concurrently awarded for such program).
(4) Technical assistance.--Of the total amount appropriated
under section 6, the Secretary shall use 5 percent--
(A) to provide technical assistance for eligible
workforce development programs and eligible post-
secondary education programs, including technical
assistance related to the use of administrative data to
improve program performance;
(B) to conduct feasibility studies and other
planning activities;
(C) to disseminate best practices; and
(D) for staff and other costs related to such
activities.
(b) Eligible Applicants.--Applicants for a grant under subsection
(a) may include--
(1) State, local, territorial, or tribal governments, but
only if the application includes one or more clearly designated
nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, or
post-secondary vocational institutions that will implement the
program using such grant funds; and
(2) nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher
education, or post-secondary vocational institutions, but only
if the application--
(A) is supported by a State, local, territorial, or
tribal government; and
(B) includes a plan to partner with that
government, a sustainability plan to ensure the program
continues to be delivered after the end of the grant
award, and a clearly designated place or places where
the program will be administered.
(c) Matching Requirement.--The Secretary shall not award any grant
under paragraph (1) or paragraph (3)(A) of subsection (a) to an entity
unless the entity provides matching funds from Federal or non-Federal
sources in an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of such grant,
except that the Secretary may, at the request of an applicant or a
grantee, grant a waiver reducing this requirement for the purposes of
increasing the accessibility or equity of the program design, or in the
case of grants awarded to an eligible entity with limited resources.
SEC. 3. AMOUNT OF GRANTS AND CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS.
(a) In General.--The amount of a grant awarded for an eligible
workforce development program or post-secondary education program under
section 2 shall be determined by the Secretary, in consultation with
the Board, based on the following:
(1) The program's impact on participant earnings or
participant graduation and degree completion rates relative to
costs (as determined under guidance issued pursuant to
subsection (b)).
(2) Whether the program was evaluated through a randomized
control experimental study, a quasi-experimental study, or a
correlational study, and the overall quality of the evidence
behind the program, including the sample size and number of
evaluations, the statistical quality of the evaluations, the
magnitude of the impacts detected, and the strength of the
causal connection between the program and key economic outcomes
measured.
(3) The number of additional participants that the program
expects to enroll as a result of receiving such grant.
(4) Whether the program has been demonstrated to improve
equity, in particular for populations of individuals or
communities (which may include rural communities) historically
held furthest from opportunity.
(b) Impact Relative to Costs Standard.--The Board shall devise and
publish a minimum impact relative to costs standard comparing the
impact on worker earnings or student graduation and degree completion
rates as a result of an eligible workforce development program or post-
secondary education program and the annual cost per participant under
such program. Such standard shall--
(1) set forth a minimum required demonstrable increase in
earnings or graduation and degree completion rates over time
(based on previous evaluations) per dollar of program cost per
participant; and
(2) allow for additional flexibility for programs that
specifically or primarily serve individuals with barriers to
employment (as defined in section 3(24) of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102(24)) or post-
secondary education, individuals in communities that have
historically or currently been underserved by workforce
development and post-secondary education programs, and
individuals in rural areas.
SEC. 4. INDEPENDENT BOARD.
(a) Establishment of Independent Board.--There is established an
independent board (in this Act referred to as the ``Board'') consisting
of 5 members appointed by the Secretary in accordance with subsection
(c).
(b) Duties.--The Board shall review applications for grants under
this Act and make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to the
awarding of such grants. The Board shall, in their recommendation to
the Secretary regarding program selection, prioritize programs that
have demonstrated a larger impact relative to costs (as determined
under guidance issued pursuant to subsection (b)), that have been
evaluated by more well-designed and well-implemented studies, and that
have been evaluated by randomized control experimental studies rather
than quasi-experimental studies or correlational studies. The Board
shall, in their recommendation to the Secretary regarding grant size,
prioritize higher funding levels to programs that have demonstrated a
larger impact relative to costs (as so determined), that have been
evaluated by more well-designed and well-implemented studies, that have
been evaluated by randomized control experimental studies rather than
quasi-experimental studies or correlational studies, and that expect to
enroll more participants as a result of receiving such grant. For the
purposes of these recommendations, the Board shall devise a quality
standard for evaluations to determine which evaluations are more well-
designed and well-implemented compared to others.
(c) Appointment.--The Secretary shall appoint individuals to serve
on the Board who meet the qualifications described in subsection (d).
In making such appointments, the Secretary shall consult and receive
recommendations from the Commission of Social Impact Partnerships
established under section 2057 of the Social Security Act.
(d) Qualifications of Members.--An individual who meets the
qualifications described in this subsection is an individual who is an
academic, nonprofit, or executive agency official with expertise in
workforce development programs or post-secondary education programs and
experience in running rigorous evaluations. Such an individual shall--
(1) be an expert in program evaluation and evidence-based
policy, including evaluation methodologies that are
appropriately rigorous and reliant upon independent data;
(2) have relevant professional or personal experience in a
field related to one or more of the outcomes listed in this
division; or
(3) have relevant lived or professional experience with
underserved communities and under-resourced families that this
Act is intended to serve.
(e) Staffing.--In administering the program under this Act, the
Secretary may hire such staff as necessary, including by using
placement authorities under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of
1970, and any other direct hire authorities available to the Secretary
for any other purpose. In hiring staff to administer such program, the
Secretary shall ensure that such staff meet the qualifications
described in subsection (d).
(f) Reports.--The Board shall report on progress periodically to
the Federal Interagency Council on Social Impact Partnerships
established under section 2056 of the Social Security Act, and shall
coordinate policies and decisions with relevance to other Federal
agencies through such Council.
(g) Guidance.--
(1) In general.--The Board, in consultation with the
Commission of Social Impact Partnerships established under
section 2057 of the Social Security Act, shall develop and make
publicly available guidance regarding best practices for the
evaluation of eligible workforce development programs and
eligible post-secondary education programs to be used to assess
the quality of each evaluation as required under subsection
(b). Such guidance shall seek to ensure that--
(A) the evaluation accurately models a participant
group population that is representative of the overall
population served by the program;
(B) aggregate shifts that might affect baseline
numbers are controlled for by the evaluation; and
(C) regardless of any other factors, all possible
safeguards are undertaken to avoid statistical
creaming, in which the impact of a program is over
measured as recruited participants become more highly
skilled prior to participation over time.
(2) Procedure.--In issuing the guidance and performance
benchmarks defined above, the Board shall release and circulate
draft guidance, regulations, and performance benchmarks, which
shall be circulated to the Commission, and shall not be adopted
unless approved by a majority vote of the Commission at a
public meeting, and the Commission shall receive proposed draft
guidance or performance benchmarks not less than 30 days prior
to voting to approve it. The Board shall use the draft
guidance, regulations, and performance benchmarks, once
approved by the Commission, to review grant applications under
this Act and make recommendations to the Secretary with respect
to the awarding of such grants, as described in subsection (b).
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) Eligible workforce development program.--The term
``eligible workforce development program'' means a program
operated by a nonprofit organization that provides skills
training and education to existing and potential workers with
the objective of increasing the wage level and chance of
employment of those workers.
(2) Eligible post-secondary education program.--The term
``eligible post-secondary education program'' means a program
operated by a nonprofit organization, an institution of higher
education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965), or a postsecondary vocational institution (as
defined in section 102(c) of such Act) that provides education
and support services to post-secondary students with the
objective of increasing the rate at which these individuals
graduate or obtain a post-secondary credential from the post-
secondary program in which they are enrolled.
(3) Randomized control experimental study.--The term
``randomized control experimental study'' means a study
conducted by an independent organization utilizing a randomized
control trial methodology that compares the earnings, or
graduation and degree completion rates, of participant group
and control group members, and measures the causal impact of an
eligible workforce development program, or eligible post-
secondary education program, on participants' earnings, or
graduation and degree completion rates, at least two years
after participants enroll in the program.
(4) Quasi-experimental study.--The term ``quasi-
experimental study'' means a study conducted by an independent
organization that uses a non-randomized methodology and model
to measure the causal impact of an eligible workforce
development program, or eligible post-secondary education
program, on participants' earnings, or graduation and degree
completion rates, at least two years after participants enroll
in the program.
(5) Correlational study.--The term ``correlational study''
means a study conducted by an independent organization using a
non-randomized methodology with statistical controls for
selection bias that has found a correlational impact of an
eligible workforce development program, or eligible post-
secondary education program, on participants' earnings, or
graduation and degree completion rates, and has demonstrated a
rationale based on high-quality research findings that the
program is likely to improve those participant outcomes at
least two years after participants enroll in the program but
has not yet demonstrated a causal relationship.
(6) Well-designed and well-implemented.--The term ``well-
designed and well-implemented'', as applied to a study, means a
study that is replicable, uses programmatic and control groups
that are representative of the type of population served by the
program, uses controls for aggregate shifts that might affect
baseline numbers, does not have problems with attrition from
the program, and takes measures to avoid statistical creaming.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Treasury.
SEC. 6. FUNDING.
There is appropriated to carry out this Act, out of any funds in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $700,000,000 for fiscal year
2021, to remain available for 9 fiscal years.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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