,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bhb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #ab1 #bjac ,mr4 ,begich introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife to establish a new counseling program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,counseling for ,career ,choice ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,a career guidance and counseling program develops an individual's competencies in self-knowledge1 educational and occupational exploration1 and career planning4 7#b7 ,career guidance and counseling programs help individuals acquire the knowledge1 skills1 and experience necessary to identify options1 explore alternatives1 and succeed in a #bast century society4 7#c7 ,the ,american ,school ,counselor ,association recommends a student-to-counselor ratio of #bej to #a4 ,forty-seven ,states do not meet this recommendation4 7#d7 ,professional school counselors design and implement comprehensive school counseling programs that include educational and career planning activities for all students that are designed to assist students in reaching academic1 career1 and personal goals4 7#e7 #d out of #e graduates of secondary-level career or technical education programs who pursued postsecondary education after secondary school had earned a credential or were still enrolled in postsecondary education #b years later4 7#f7 ,students at schools with highly integrated rigorous academic and career and technical education programs have significantly higher achievement in reading1 mathematics1 and science than do students at schools with less integrated programs4 #c4 ,counseling for career choice ,title ,,ii of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ffja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,e ,counseling for career choice #beja4 ,definitions ,in this part3 7#a7 ,community college ,the term community college means-- 7,a7 a junior or community college1 as such term is defined in section #cab7;f7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajeh7;f772 or 7,b7 a #d-year public institution of higher education 7as defined in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja77 that awards a significant number of degrees and certificates1 as determined by the ,secretary1 that are not-- 7i7 baccalaureate degrees 7or an equivalent72 or 7ii7 master's1 professional1 or other advanced degrees4 7#b7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a local educational agency1 including an educational service agency2 or 7,b7 a consortium that may consist of any combination of #b or more local educational agencies1 educational service agencies1 non-profit organizations with demonstrated expertise in counseling or career and technical education1 or tribal organizations4 7#c7 ,industry-recognized ,the term industry-recognized1 when used with respect to a credential1 means a credential that-- 7,a7 is sought or accepted by employers within the industry or sector involved as a recognized1 preferred1 or required credential for recruitment1 screening1 hiring1 retention1 or advancement purposes2 and 7,b7 where appropriate1 is endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or organization representing a significant part of the industry or sector4 7#d7 ,local workforce investment board ,the term local workforce investment board means a local workforce investment board established under section #aag of the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bhcb74 7#e7 ,school counselor ,the term school counselor has the meaning given the term in section #edba4 7#f7 ,stakeholders ,the term stakeholders includes local educational agencies1 school counselors1 secondary schools1 institutions of higher education 7including community colleges71 the ,state workforce investment board1 the ,state agency responsible for labor market information1 other applicable ,state agencies as determined by the ,secretary1 local workforce investment boards1 regional economic development agencies1 area career and technical education schools 7as defined in section #c of the ,carl ,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical ,education ,act of #bjjf71 local businesses and industries1 organizations offering apprenticeship programs1 tribal organizations1 labor organizations1 programs leading to postsecondary credentials1 including industry-recognized credentials1 other career and technical educational programs 7as defined by the ,secretary71 and any other individuals or persons that the ,secretary determines appropriate to carry out the purposes of this part4 7#g7 ,statewide counseling framework ,the term statewide counseling framework means a framework that encompasses grades #f through #ab and postsecondary education and that includes information on career awareness1 skills assessment1 skills training1 student interest surveys1 postsecondary education entrance requirements1 secondary school graduation requirements1 financial aid1 institutions of higher education1 community colleges1 programs leading to industry-recognized credentials1 career and technical education programs1 internships1 dual enrollment programs1 apprenticeships1 and professional development opportunities for school counselors4 7#h7 ,state workforce investment board ,the term ,state workforce investment board means a ,state workforce investment board established under section #aaa of the ,workforce ,investment ,act of #aiih 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bhba74 7#i7 ,tribal organization ,the term tribal organization has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dej;b74 #bejb4 ,establishment and capacity-building grants 7a7 ,establishment grants 7#a7 ,program authorized ,from amounts appropriated to carry out this part and not reserved by the ,secretary under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary shall award establishment grants1 on a competitive basis1 to ,state educational agencies to enable the ,state educational agencies to carry out the activities described in section #bejd4 7#b7 ,duration2 extension 7,a7 ,duration ,each establishment grant under this subsection shall be for a period of not more than #b years4 7,b7 ,extension ,the ,secretary may extend a grant awarded under this subsection for additional #c-year periods if the ,state educational agency-- 7i7 is achieving the intended outcomes of the grant2 7ii7 shows continued engagement with stakeholders2 and 7iii7 has established a statewide counseling framework4 7b7 ,state capacity-,building grants 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall reserve not less than #aj percent and not more than #bj percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out this part for any fiscal year to award capacity-building grants1 on a competitive basis1 to ,state educational agencies that do not receive an establishment grant under subsection 7a7 for such year4 7#b7 ,activities ,a ,state educational agency that receives a capacity-building grant under this subsection shall use grant funds-- 7,a7 to carry out #a or more of the activities from the ,state educational agency's application under section #bejc that the ,secretary determines is an acceptable use of funds2 or 7,b7 to improve the ,state educational agency's application for the next competition for establishment grants under subsection 7a74 7c7 ,special rule for alternate grantees ,notwithstanding any other provision of this part1 if a ,state educational agency does not apply for a grant under this section for an award year1 a consortium of stakeholders representing the ,state may apply for a grant under this section for the subsequent award year by submitting to the ,secretary an application that meets the requirements of section #bejc and includes any additional information that the ,secretary may require4 ,the ,secretary shall give such application the same consideration in the grant award process as is given an application submitted by a ,state educational agency1 and may award one consortium in the ,state an establishment grant under subsection 7a7 or a capacity building grant under subsection 7b7 to enable the consortium to carry out the activities described in section #bejd or subsection 7b71 respectively1 in the ,state4 ,the provisions in this part shall apply to a consortium that receives an grant under this subsection in the same manner as such provisions apply to a ,state educational agency4 #bejc4 ,application ,a ,state educational agency desiring a grant under this part shall submit an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 ,the application shall include-- 7#a7 7,a7 a description of a proposed statewide counseling framework that is developed in consultation with not less than #e stakeholders1 of which at least #a stakeholder shall be a local business or industry or statewide industry organization and #a stakeholder shall be a local educational agency or secondary school2 7,b7 a detailed plan to implement a statewide counseling framework that is developed in consultation with not less than #e stakeholders1 of which at least #a stakeholder shall be a local business or industry or statewide industry organization and #a shall be a local educational agency or secondary school2 or 7,c7 evidence of an existing statewide counseling framework and implementation plan supported by not less than #e stakeholders1 of which at least #a stakeholder shall be a local business or industry or statewide industry organization and #a shall be a local educational agency or secondary school2 7#b7 a description1 if applicable1 of any program leading to an industry-recognized credential that-- 7,a7 will be included as one of the postsecondary opportunities described in section #bejd7;a77#i72 7,b7 serves as one of the stakeholders for purposes of paragraph 7#a72 or 7,c7 will be described in the information included in the statewide counseling framework for the activities carried out under the grant2 and 7#c7 a description of how the ,state educational agency will award subgrants and ensure that the activities described in section #bejd are carried out4 #bejd4 ,activities 7a7 ,in general ,a ,state educational agency receiving an establishment grant under section #bejb7;a7 shall use grant funds to-- 7#a7 develop and implement comprehensive school counseling programs that align with the statewide counseling framework proposed or described in the ,state educational agency's application2 7#b7 identify and assess school counseling activities and postsecondary options available within the ,state1 and outside the ,state as applicable2 7#c7 hire additional school counselors to effectively serve more students in postsecondary education planning and career guidance activities1 where applicable2 7#d7 identify regional workforce trends in collaboration with entities at the ,state and regional level with expertise in identifying such trends1 such as ,state workforce investment boards1 local workforce investment boards1 regional economic development organizations1 or ,state employment agencies2 7#e7 train counselors to effectively provide students with labor market information2 7#f7 develop and implement a process for school counselors and school counselor programs to access the statewide counseling framework and information regarding the regional workforce trends identified in paragraph 7#d72 7#g7 develop and implement professional development programs for counselors and other educators involved in preparing students for postsecondary opportunities2 7#h7 develop a searchable method by which counseling professional development opportunities from around the ,state are collected1 maintained1 and disseminated to school counselors2 7#i7 establish1 improve1 or coordinate postsecondary opportunities1 which may include individual career planning1 personalized learning plans1 registered apprenticeships1 internships1 dual enrollment programs1 programs leading to industry-recognized credentials 7including programs at a secondary school71 #b-year degree programs1 #d-year degree programs1 and other applicable postsecondary opportunities2 7#aj7 provide recommendations to improve a local educational agency's curriculum to better align with workforce trends and available postsecondary opportunities2 and 7#aa7 conduct other activities pertaining to the administration of the statewide framework4 7b7 ,subgrants 7#a7 ,in general ,a ,state educational agency that receives an establishment grant may carry out the activities described in subsection 7a7 directly or through awarding subgrants1 on a competitive basis1 to eligible entities to enable the eligible entities to carry out any of the activities4 7#b7 ,application ,an eligible entity that desires a subgrant under this subsection shall submit an application to the ,state educational agency at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,state educational agency may reasonably require1 including a description of the comprehensive counseling program for participating schools and students that the eligible entity proposes to develop and implement using subgrant funds4 7c7 ,hiring of personnel ,an eligible entity that receives an establishment grant under section #bejb7;a7 may use grant funds to hire additional school personnel to carry out the activities described in subsection 7a74 #beje4 ,supplement not supplant ,funds made available under this part shall be used to supplement1 and not supplant1 other ,federal1 ,state1 and local funds available to carry out the activities supported under this part4 #bejf4 ,reporting requirements ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of the ,counseling for ,career ,choice ,act1 and every #c years thereafter1 the ,secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report on the progress made by the eligible entities receiving grants under this part in implementing grant activities4 #bejg4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year #bjad and each of the #d succeeding fiscal years4 4