Strengthening Youth Apprenticeships Act of 2023
This bill requires (1) the Department of Labor to enter into an agreement with the Department of Education to promote the integration and alignment of apprenticeship programs with secondary, postsecondary, and adult education; and (2) Labor to award grants to eligible entities (e.g., partnerships that include state or local educational agencies, community colleges, and community-based organizations) to create or expand youth apprenticeship programs.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 658 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 658
To direct the Secretary of Labor to award grants to eligible entities
to carry out or expand youth apprenticeship programs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 31, 2023
Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself, Mr. Guthrie, and Ms. Spanberger)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Labor to award grants to eligible entities
to carry out or expand youth apprenticeship programs.
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 ``Strengthening Youth Apprenticeships
Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the effective date of
the Strengthening Youth Apprenticeships Act of 2023, in order to
cooperate with the Secretary of Education and promote awareness and
adoption of apprenticeship programs, the Secretary of Labor shall--
(1) enter into an interagency agreement with the Secretary
of Education to promote and support integration and alignment
of programs under the national apprenticeship system with
secondary, postsecondary, and adult education, through the
activities described in this section; and
(2) submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of Senate, such agreement and
any modifications to such agreement.
(b) Alignment for Youth Apprenticeships.--In order to promote
alignment between youth apprenticeship programs and high school
graduation requirements, the interagency agreement under subsection (a)
shall describe how the Secretaries will work to provide--
(1) information and resources to--
(A) parents and students to promote a better
understanding of programs under the national
apprenticeship system and their value in secondary and
postsecondary education and career pathways by not
later than middle school; and
(B) school leaders (working with academic
counselors, teachers, and faculty) about the value of
such programs and information on how to effectively
align youth apprenticeship programs with secondary and
career and technical education programs; and
(2) technical assistance on how to--
(A) align related instruction and apprenticeable
occupation skills and competencies to high school
graduation requirements;
(B) offer related instruction through dual and
concurrent enrollment programs and other accelerated
learning programs, as described in section
4104(b)(3)(A)(i)(IV) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7114(b)(3)(A)(i)(IV));
(C) facilitate transitions for youth apprentices
who have completed their youth apprenticeships into
further education, including an associate,
baccalaureate, or advanced degree, and related
apprenticeship opportunities; and
(D) align activities carried out under this Act
with eligible funding from, and planning processes, for
the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act
of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et
seq.), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Higher
Education Act of 1965.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
(a) In General.--From the amounts appropriated under section 7, the
Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Secretary of Education,
shall award grants to eligible entities to create or expand youth
apprenticeship programs.
(b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this Act, the Secretary
shall prioritize eligible entities that will use the grant to carry out
or expand youth apprenticeship programs for individuals that include
nontraditional apprenticeship populations.
(c) Geographic Distribution.--In awarding grants under this
subsection, the Secretary of Labor shall, to the extent practicable,
ensure an equitable geographic distribution of grants, including an
equitable distribution among States, within States, and to urban and
rural areas.
SEC. 4. APPLICATIONS.
An eligible entity desiring to receive a grant under this Act shall
submit an application to the Secretary of Labor, at such time and in
such manner as the Secretary may require, and which shall include the
following:
(1) How the youth apprenticeship program the eligible
entity will expand or carry out using the grant will meet the
best practices and joint guidance developed under section 2.
(2) How such program will be aligned with and fulfill the
indicators described in section 6(a).
(3) How such program will prepare individuals for work in
high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or
occupations.
(4) How such program will recruit and retain to ensure that
non-traditional apprenticeship populations participate in such
program.
(5) How such program will, to the extent practicable, align
with high school diploma requirements and career cluster.
(6) The ability of the applicant, directly or through
partners to enroll, instruct, advance, and graduate youth
apprentices served by the grant activities, and enable the
participants to enroll in further education, gain employment
after program completion.
(7) An assurance that the eligible entity will--
(A) provide information to the Administrator, as
requested, for any such evaluations as the
Administrator may carry out;
(B) make program performance outcome data available
(in accordance with applicable data privacy laws,
including section 444 of the General Education
Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g)) to independent
evaluators to enable the evaluators to prepare the
evaluations and reports under section 6; and
(C) coordinate grant activities with a State
Apprenticeship Agency, if such agency exists in the
State where the eligible entity is applying for a grant
or carrying out activities.
SEC. 5. GRANT USES OF FUNDS.
(a) In General.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this Act shall use the grant funds that are not reserved under
subsection (b) to carry out or expand a youth apprenticeship program,
which may include using the grant funds for 1 or more of the following:
(1) Recruitment, retention, and completion of such program.
(2) Program alignment with the challenging State academic
standards adopted by the State in which the program will be
expanded or carried out under section 1111(b)(1) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6311(b)(1)) with the technical skills and career competencies
that are applicable to and transferable to high-skill, high-
wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations.
(3) Paying for the costs associated with curriculum
development and alignment of that curriculum with industry-
recognized credentials, high school graduation requirements,
and related instruction, including curriculum development for
dual or concurrent enrollment.
(4) Facilitating or expanding partnerships with a community
college or consortium of community colleges to help with
transferability of credits and the increased use of dual and
concurrent enrollment programs.
(5) Engaging employers for participation in youth
apprenticeship programs, which may include:
(A) Creating and expanding industry or sector
partnerships for the purpose of supporting new program
development or program expansion.
(B) Providing employers technical assistance to
support the participation of youth apprentices under
the age of 18.
(C) Providing technical assistance to support the
participation of small- and medium-sized businesses in
youth apprenticeship programs.
(6) Providing supportive services and career planning
activities, including career exploration of postsecondary
opportunities such as apprenticeship programs, for the
participants of the youth apprenticeship program, which may
include--
(A) promoting the early exposure of students to the
opportunities and requirements of apprenticeship
programs;
(B) creating opportunities for students to explore
a career and develop occupational skills while in high
school; and
(C) supporting the costs associated with fees,
transportation, child care, or mobility challenges.
(7) Providing teachers, career guidance and academic
counselors, school leaders, administrators, specialized
instructional support personnel, and paraprofessionals with
professional development opportunities to build an
understanding of apprenticeship opportunities available to
students, including experiential opportunities like
externships.
(b) Reservation of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
under this Act shall reserve not less than 5 percent of the grant funds
to provide direct financial assistance for recruitment, retention, and
completion efforts with respect to the youth apprenticeship program,
such as housing, transportation, childcare, food insecurity, and health
issues.
SEC. 6. EVALUATION.
(a) In General.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this
Act shall submit, on an annual basis, to the Secretary a performance
report with respect to the participants of the youth apprenticeship
program receiving assistance under this Act that measures--
(1) the percentage of program participants who are in
education or training activities, or in unsubsidized
employment, during the second quarter after exit from the
program;
(2) the percentage of program participants who are in
education or training activities, or in unsubsidized
employment, during the fourth quarter after exit from the
program;
(3) the median earnings of program participants who are in
unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit
from the program;
(4) the percentage of program participants who obtain,
during participation in or within 1 year after exit from the
program--
(A) a recognized postsecondary credential; or
(B) a secondary school diploma or its recognized
equivalent, as measured by--
(i) the four-year adjusted cohort
graduation rate (defined in section 8101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965); and
(ii) at the State's discretion, the
extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate
defined in such section 8101;
(5) the percentage of program participants who, during a
program year, are in an education or training program that
leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment
and who are achieving measurable skill gains toward such a
credential or employment; and
(6) the percentage of program participants who are in
employment, an apprenticeship, or other education and training
activities in an industry sector or occupation for which the
youth apprenticeship program provides preparation.
(b) Disaggregation.--Each performance report submitted under
subsection (a) shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, age, and
membership in a population specified in section 3(24) of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102(24)).
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act for fiscal year 2024 and each of the 4
succeeding fiscal years.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Apprenticeship program.--The term ``apprenticeship
program'' means an apprenticeship program registered under the
Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the ``National
Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50
et seq.).
(2) Community college.--The term ``community college''
means a public institution of higher education at which the
highest degree awarded is an associate's degree.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
partnership that--
(A) shall include--
(i) 1 or more of the entities listed in
clauses (i) through (iv) or clause (vii) of
section 3(19)(A) of Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C.
2302(19)(A)); and
(ii) 1 or more community colleges; and
(B) to the extent practicable, shall include--
(i) a State or local board;
(ii) an industry or sector partnership;
(iii) a community-based organization; and
(iv) the State Apprenticeship Agency, if
such agency exists in the State in which the
grant is awarded.
(4) ESEA terms.--The terms ``dual or concurrent enrollment
program'', ``high school'', and ``secondary school'' have the
meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(5) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(6) Non-traditional apprenticeship populations.--The term
``non-traditional apprenticeship populations'' means
individuals who are of a gender or from a race or ethnicity
that comprises less than 25 percent of the individuals
participating in apprenticeship programs.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
(8) WIOA terms.--The terms ``local board'', ``community-
based organization'', ``in-demand industry sector or
occupation'', and ``industry or sector partnership'' have the
meanings given the terms in section 3 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
(9) Youth apprenticeship program.--The term ``youth
apprenticeship program'' means a program designed for youth
apprentices who at the start of the program are enrolled in
high school and which includes each of the following core
elements:
(A) The employment and training to be received by
each youth apprentice participating in the program,
including--
(i) an outline of the work processes or
plan in which the youth apprentice will receive
supervised work experience and training on the
job or in an experiential setting;
(ii) the allocation of the approximate
amount of time to be spent in each major work
process;
(iii) mentoring that will be provided to
the youth apprentice; and
(iv) a description or timeline explaining
the periodic reviews and evaluations of the
youth apprentice's performance on the job and
in related instruction.
(B) A process for maintaining appropriate progress
records, including the evaluations described in section
6.
(C) Related classroom-based instruction, which may
be fulfilled through dual or concurrent enrollment, and
is, to the extent practicable, aligned with high school
diploma requirements and career clusters.
(D) A progressively increasing, clearly defined
schedule of wages to be paid to the youth apprentice.
(E) Provides all individuals with an equal
opportunity to participate in youth apprenticeships
under the program, including through the method for the
selection of youth apprentices.
(F) The methods used to measure skill acquisition
for an apprentice, including ongoing assessment against
established skill and competency standards, established
against skill and competency standards.
(G) Prepares the youth apprentice for placement in
further education, employment, or an apprenticeship
program.
(H) The program--
(i) has adequate and safe equipment,
environments, and facilities for training and
supervision;
(ii) provides safety training on-the-job
and in related instruction as applicable by
apprenticeable occupation; and
(iii) provides adequate training for
mentors and qualified instructors on providing
a safe work and training environment.
(I) The program awards a certificate of completion
in recognition of successful completion of the program,
evidenced by an appropriate certificate issued by the
registration agency, and culminates in a recognized
postsecondary credential.
(J) The program provides that an individual who is
to become a youth apprentice enters into a written
apprenticeship agreement with the sponsor of the
program.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
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