,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bghh  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #aj1 #bjad   
,mr4 ,ka9e 7= himself1 ,mrs4 ,box]1 ,mr4
 ,casey1 & ,mr4 ,w>n]7 introduc$ !      
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1  
,labor1 & ,p5sions  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
provide support = ! developm5t ( middle 
s*ool c>e] exploration programs l9k$ to 
c>e] & te*nical education programs (    
/udy4  #a4 ,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be
 cit$ z ! ,middle ,s*ool ,te*nical      
,education ,program ,act or ! ,middle   
,s*ool ,,/ep ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s  7a7     
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7    
,c>e] & te*nical education prep>es      
/ud5ts to be college & c>e] ready by    
provid+ core academic1 te*nical1 &      
employability skills4  7#b7 ,eighty     
p]c5t ( /ud5ts tak+ a college prep>atory
 academic curriculum ) rigor\s c>e] &   
te*nical education c\rses met college & 
c>e] read9ess goals1 comp>$ to #fc p]c5t
 ( /ud5ts tak+ ! same academic core :o  

did n exp]i5ce rigor\s c>e] & te*nical  
education c\rses4  7#c7 ,/ud5ts         
conc5trat+ 9 c>e] & te*nical education  
improv$ _! #ab? grade ,national         
,assessm5t ( ,educational ,progress     
scores by #h po9ts 9 read+ & #aa po9ts 9
 ma!matics1 :ile /ud5ts :o took no c>e] 
& te*nical education c\rses did n       
increase _! ma!matics scores & only     
increas$ read+ scores by #d po9ts4  7#d7
 ,! av]age high s*ool graduation rate 9 
#bjjh = /ud5ts conc5trat+ 9 c>e] &      
te*nical education programs 0 #ij p]c5t1
 comp>$ to ! av]age nationwide high     
s*ool graduation rate ( #ge p]c5t4  7#e7
 ,p>tn]%ips betwe5 bus9esses & educators
 help adults build academic1 te*nical1 &
 employability skills ?r\gh education & 
on-!-job tra9+4  #c4 ,purpose &         
def9itions  7a7 ,purpose ,! purpose (   
?is ,act is to support ! developm5t (   
middle s*ool c>e] exploration programs  
l9k$ to c>e] & te*nical education       
programs ( /udy4  7b7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is
 ,act3 7#a7 ,c>e] & te*nical education  

exploration program ,! t]m c>e] &       
te*nical education exploration program  
means a program t is develop$ ?r\gh an  
organiz$1 sy/emic framework & is design$
 to aid /ud5ts 9 mak+ in=m$ plans &     
decisions ab\t future education & c>e]  
opportunities & enrollm5t 9 c>e] &      
te*nical education programs ( /udy4     
7#b7 ,eligible p>tn]%ip ,! t]m eligible 
p>tn]%ip means an entity t-- 7,a7 %all  
include-- 7i7 n less ?an #a local       
educational ag5cy t receives fund+ "u   
section #aca ( ! ,c>l ,d4 ,p]k9s ,c>e] &
 ,te*nical ,education ,act ( #bjjf 7#bj 
,u4,s4,c4 #bcea71 or an area c>e] &     
te*nical education s*ool or educational 
s]vice ag5cy describ$ 9 su* section2    
7ii7 n less ?an #a eligible in/itution t
 receives fund+ "u section #acb ( ! ,c>l
 ,d4 ,p]k9s ,c>e] & ,te*nical ,education
 ,act ( #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #bceb72 &  
7iii7 n less ?an #a repres5tative ( ei!r
 a local or regional bus9ess1 indu/ry1  
nonpr(it organization1 or appr5tice%ip  
program2 &  7,b7 may include o!r        

repres5tatives ( ! community1 includ+   
repres5tatives ( p>5ts' organizations1  
labor organizations1 nonpr(it           
organizations1 employ]s1 &              
repres5tatives ( local work=ce          
developm5t bo>ds 7e/abli%$ "u subtitle  
,a ( title ,i ( ! ,work=ce ,innovation &
 ,opportunity ,act74  7#c7 ,secret>y ,! 
t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y (       
,education4  #d4 ,c>e] exploration      
program developm5t grants  7a7          
,au?orization ,! ,secret>y %all create a
 pilot program to support ! e/abli%m5t (
 c>e] & te*nical education exploration  
programs4 ,9 c>ry+ out ! pilot program1 
! ,secret>y %all aw>d grants to eligible
 p>tn]%ips to enable ! eligible         
p>tn]%ips to develop middle s*ool c>e] &
 te*nical education exploration programs
 t are align$ ) c>e] & te*nical         
education programs ( /udy describ$ 9    
section #abb7;c77#a77;,a7 ( ! ,c>l ,d4  
,p]k9s ,c>e] & ,te*nical ,education ,act
 ( #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4                 
#bcdb7;c77#a77;,a774  7b7 ,grant        

duration ,grants aw>d$ "u ?is ,act %all 
be = a p]iod ( n m ?an #d ye>s4  7c7    
,application ,an eligible p>tn]%ip seek+
 a grant "u ?is section %all submit an  
application to ! ,secret>y at su* "t & 9
 su* mann] z ! ,secret>y may require4   
,ea* application %all include-- 7#a7 a  
description ( ! p>tn] entities compris+ 
! eligible p>tn]%ip1 ! roles &          
responsibilities ( ea* p>tn]1 & a       
demon/ration ( ea* p>tn]'s capacity to  
support ! program2  7#b7 a description (
 h[ ! eligible p>tn]%ip w use grant     
funds to c>ry out ea* ( ! activities    
describ$ "u subsection 7e72  7#c7 a     
description ( h[ ! middle s*ool c>e] &  
te*nical education exploration program  
aligns to regional economies & local    
em]g+ work=ce ne$s2  7#d7 a description 
( h[ ! new middle s*ool c>e] & te*nical 
education exploration program is l9k$   
to-- 7,a7 "o or m c>e] & te*nical       
education programs ( /udy (f]$ by !     
ag5cy or s*ool describ$ 9 section       
#c7;b77#b77;,a77i72 &  7,b7 "o or m c>e]

 & te*nical education programs ( /udy   
(f]$ by ! po/second>y in/itution        
describ$ 9 section #c7;b77#b77;,a77ii72 
7#e7 a description ( ! /ud5ts t w be    
s]v$ by ! middle s*ool c>e] & te*nical  
education exploration program2  7#f7 a  
description ( h[ ! middle s*ool c>e] &  
te*nical education exploration program  
fund$ by ! grant w be replicable2  7#g7 
a description ( h[ ! eligible p>tn]%ip w
 dissem9ate in=mation ab\t be/ practices
 result+ f ! middle s*ool c>e] &        
te*nical education exploration program  
to simil> c>e] & te*nical education     
programs ( /udy1 includ+ su* programs 9 
urban & rural areas2  7#h7 a description
 ( h[ ! middle s*ool c>e] & te*nical    
education exploration program w be      
implem5t$2  7#i7 a description ( h[ !   
middle s*ool c>e] & te*nical education  
exploration program w provide           
accessibility to /ud5ts1 especially     
economically disadvantag$1 l[-p]=m+1 &  
urban & rural /ud5ts2 &  7#aj7 a        
description ( h[ ! eligible p>tn]%ip w  

c>ry out ! evaluation requir$ "u        
subsection 7f74  7d7 ,selection (       
grantees  7#a7 ,9 ,g5]al ,! ,secret>y   
%all det]m9e1 bas$ on ! pe] review      
process describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#c7 &      
subject to ! requirem5t 9 p>agraph 7#d71
 :i* eligible p>tn]%ip applicants %all  
receive fund+ "u ?is ,act1 & ! am\nt ( !
 grant fund+ "u ?is ,act t ea* select$  
eligible p>tn]%ip w receive4  7#b7      
,grant ,am\nts ,9 det]m9+ ! am\nt ( ea* 
grant aw>d$ "u ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y    
%all-- 7,a7 ensure t all grants are (   
suffici5t size1 scope1 & quality to be  
effective2 &  7,b7 take into acc\nt !   
total am\nt ( funds available = all     
grants "u ?is ,act & ! types (          
activities propos$ to be c>ri$ out by ! 
eligible p>tn]%ip4  7#c7 ,pe] ,review   
,process  7,a7 ,e/abli%m5t ( pe] review 
committee ,! ,secret>y %all conv5e a pe]
 review committee to review applications
 = grants "u ?is ,act & to make         
recomm5dations to ! ,secret>y reg>d+ !  
selection ( grantees4  7,b7 ,memb]s ( ! 

pe] review committee ,! pe] review      
committee %all include ! foll[+ memb]s3 
7i7 ,educators :o h exp]i5ce implem5t+  
c>e] & te*nical education programs &    
c>e] exploration programs4  7ii7 ,exp]ts
 9 ! field ( c>e] & te*nical education4 
7#d7 ,rural or small local educational  
ag5cies ,! ,secret>y %all set aside n   
less ?an #e p]c5t ( ! funds made        
available to aw>d grants "u ?is ,act to 
aw>d grants to eligible p>tn]%ips t     
include rural or small local educational
 ag5cies1 z def9$ by ! ,secret>y4  7e7  
,use ( funds ,ea* eligible p>tn]%ip     
receiv+ a grant "u ?is section %all use 
grant funds to develop & implem5t a     
middle s*ool c>e] & te*nical education  
exploration program t-- 7#a7 %all-- 7,a7
 include introductory c\rses or         
exp]i5tial activities1 su* z /ud5t      
appr5tice%ips or o!r "w-bas$ le>n+      
me?ods1 & project-bas$ le>n+ exp]i5ces2 
7,b7 include ! implem5tation ( a plan t 
demon/rates ! transition f ! middle     
s*ool c>e] & te*nical education         

exploration program to a c>e] & te*nical
 education program ( /udy t is (f]$ by !
 entity describ$ 9 section              
#c7;b77#b77;,a77i72  7,c7 include       
programs & activities relat$ to !       
developm5t ( individualiz$ graduation & 
c>e] plans = /ud5ts2 &  7,d7 (f] c>e]   
guidance & academic c\nsel+ t-- 7i7     
provides in=mation ab\t po/second>y     
education & c>e] options2 &  7ii7       
provides p>ticipat+ /ud5ts ) readily    
available c>e] & labor m>ket in=mation1 
su* z in=mation ab\t employm5t sectors1 
educational requirem5ts1 in=mation on   
work=ce supply & dem&1 & o!r in=mation  
on c>e]s t are align$ to ,/ate or local 
economic priorities2 &  7#b7 may include
 exp&$ le>n+ "t activities t-- 7,a7     
focus on c>e] exploration1 includ+      
appr5tice%ips & int]n%ips2  7,b7 are    
available to all /ud5ts 9 a middle      
s*ool2 &  7,c7 take place dur+ a "t t is
 outside ( ! /&>d h\rs ( enrollm5t =    
/ud5ts t are s]v$ by ! local educational
 ag5cy4  7f7 ,evaluations & ,report     

7#a7 ,evaluation  7,a7 ,9 ,g5]al ,ea*   
eligible p>tn]%ip t receives a grant "u 
?is ,act %all collect appropriate data1 
or o!rwise docum5t ?r\gh records 79 a   
mann] t complies ) section #ddd ( !     
,g5]al ,education ,provisions ,act 7#bj 
,u4,s4,c4 #abcb;g71 commonly kn[n z !   
,family ,educational ,rights & ,privacy 
,act ( #aigd & o!r applicable ,f$]al &  
,/ate privacy laws7 ! in=mation necess>y
 to conduct an evaluation ( grant       
activities1 includ+ an evaluation (--   
7i7 ! ext5t ( /ud5t p>ticipation 9 !    
middle s*ool c>e] & te*nical education  
exploration program c>ri$ out "u ?is    
,act2  7ii7 ! impact ( ! middle s*ool   
c>e] & te*nical education exploration   
program c>ri$ out "u ?is ,act on !      
/ud5ts' transition to1 or plann$        
p>ticipation 91 c>e] & te*nical programs
 ( /udy 7z describ$ 9 section           
#abb7;c77#a77;,a7 ( ! ,c>l ,d4 ,p]k9s   
,c>e] & ,te*nical ,education ,act (     
#bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4                    
#bcdb7;c77#a77;,a772 &  7iii7 any o!r   

measurable outcomes specifi$ by !       
,secret>y4  7,b7 ,res\rces ( ! eligible 
p>tn]%ip ,! evaluation describ$ 9 ?is   
p>agraph %all reflect ! res\rces &      
capacity ( ! local educational ag5cy1   
area c>e] & te*nical education s*ool1 or
 educational s]vice ag5cy t is "p ( !   
eligible p>tn]%ip 9 a mann] det]m9$ by !
 ,secret>y4  7#b7 ,report ,! eligible   
p>tn]%ip %all prep>e & submit to !      
,secret>y a report conta9+ ! results ( !
 evaluation describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a74