Supporting Jobs through Evidence and Innovation Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Labor to award competitive workforce development innovation grants to improve the design and delivery of employment and training services.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7347 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7347
To reauthorize workforce development innovation grants for the
implementation, expansion, and evaluation of evidence-based workforce
programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 31, 2022
Ms. Sherrill introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize workforce development innovation grants for the
implementation, expansion, and evaluation of evidence-based workforce
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 ``Supporting Jobs through Evidence and
Innovation Act''.
SEC. 2. EVALUATIONS AND RESEARCH.
Section 169 (29 U.S.C. 3224) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Workforce Development Innovation Fund.--
``(1) Program authorized.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary may award
workforce development innovation grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable such
entities to--
``(i) create, implement, replicate, or take
to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based,
field-initiated innovation programs and
services for improving the design and delivery
of employment and training services that
generate long-term improvements in the
performance of the workforce development
system, in outcomes for job-seekers (including
individuals with barriers to employment), and
employers, and in the cost-effectiveness of
programs and services; and
``(ii) rigorously evaluate such programs
and services in accordance with this
subsection.
``(B) Description of grants.--The grants described
in subparagraph (A) shall include--
``(i) early-phase grants to fund the
development, implementation, and feasibility
testing of an innovation program or service,
which prior research suggests has promise, for
the purpose of determining whether such program
or service can successfully improve the design
and delivery of employment and training
services that generate long-term improvements
in the performance of the workforce development
system, in outcomes for job-seekers, and in the
cost-effectiveness of such programs and
services;
``(ii) mid-phase grants to fund
implementation and a well-designed and well-
implemented evaluation of such a program or
service that has been successfully implemented
under an early-phase grant described in clause
(i) or other effort meeting similar criteria,
for the purpose of measuring the impact and
cost effectiveness of such programs or
services, using data collected pursuant to the
implementation of such program or service, if
possible; and
``(iii) expansion grants to fund
implementation and a well-designed and well-
implemented replication evaluation of such a
program or service that has been found to
produce sizable, important impacts under a mid-
phase grant described in clause (ii) or other
effort meeting similar criteria, for the
purposes of--
``(I) determining whether such
impacts may be successfully reproduced
and sustained over time; and
``(II) identifying the conditions
in which such a program or service is
most effective.
``(2) Technical assistance.--Of the funds made available to
carry out this subsection for a fiscal year, the Secretary
shall reserve not more than 5 percent of the funds to--
``(A) provide technical assistance to eligible
entities, which may include preapplication workshops,
web-based seminars, and evaluation support; and
``(B) disseminate evidence-based best practices.
``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity'
means any of the following:
``(i) A State board.
``(ii) A local board.
``(iii) An Indian tribe, tribal
organization, Alaska Native entity, Indian-
controlled organization serving Indians, or
Native Hawaiian organization that is eligible
to receive an award under section 166.
``(iv) A community-based, nonprofit, or
nongovernmental organization serving an
underserved population.
``(v) A consortium of such entities
described under clause (i) through clause (iv).
``(B) Evidence-based.--The term `evidence-based',
when used with respect to an activity, strategy, or
intervention, means an activity, strategy or
intervention that--
``(i) demonstrates a statistically
significant effect on improving participant
outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on--
``(I) strong evidence from at least
1 well-designed and well-implemented
experimental study;
``(II) moderate evidence from at
least 1 well-designed and well-
implemented quasi-experimental study;
or
``(III) promising evidence from at
least 1 well-designed and well-
implemented correlational study with
statistical controls for selection
bias; or
``(ii)(I) demonstrates a rationale based on
high-quality research findings or positive
evaluation that such activity, strategy, or
intervention is likely to improve student
outcomes or other relevant outcomes; and
``(II) includes ongoing efforts to examine
the effects of such activity, strategy, or
intervention.
``(C) Well-designed and well-implemented.--The term
`well-designed and well-implemented', as applied to an
evaluation 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.
``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection,
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2023
through 2028.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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