,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #djgh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #ai1 #bjag,mr4 ,hunter 7for himself and ,mr4 ,hastings7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce ,a ,,bill ,to establish various programs to ease the burden on undereducated and financially deficient workers seeking to further their education4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,expanding ,america's ,workforce ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,review of gainful employment measurement ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,education shall prepare and submit to ,congress1 a report on the accuracy of the manner in which gainful employment is measured under the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja et seq47 for different geographic regions and courses of study4 #c4 ,short-term ,workforce ,federal ,pell ,grants ,section #dja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a7 is amended by inserting at the end the following3 7k7 ,short-,term ,workforce ,pell ,grants 7#a7 ,in general ,for award years beginning on or after ,july #a1 #bjbj1 the ,secretary shall carry out a program under which the ,secretary shall award ,federal ,pell ,grants to eligible students for short-term workforce programs4 7#b7 ,terms and conditions ,a ,federal ,pell ,grant awarded under this subsection 7in this section referred to as a workforce ,federal ,pell ,grant7 shall have the same terms and conditions1 and be awarded in the same manner1 as a ,federal ,pell ,grant awarded under subsection 7a71 except as follows3 7,a7 ,a student who is eligible to receive a workforce ,federal ,pell ,grant under this subsection is a student who-- 7i7 has not1 on or after the date that is #aj years before the date on which the student applies for such grant1 attained a baccalaureate degree or post baccalaureate degree2 7ii7 attends an eligible institution1 but was not previously enrolled in an eligible institution on or after the date that is #e years before the date on which the student applies for such grant2 7iii7 is enrolled1 or accepted for enrollment1 in a short-term workforce program at such institution2 7iv7 is determined1 solely by the institution1 that the student is unemployed or underemployed2 and 7v7 meets all other eligibility requirements for a ,federal ,pell ,grant 7except as otherwise provided in this paragraph74 7,b7 ,the amount of a workforce ,pell ,grant for an eligible student shall be determined under subsection 7b77#b77;,a71 except that-- 7i7 the maximum ,federal ,pell ,grant awarded under this subsection for an award year shall be #ej percent of the maximum ,federal ,pell ,grant awarded under subsection 7b7 applicable to that award year2 7ii7 no increase shall be calculated under subsection 7b77#g77;,b7 for a student receiving workforce ,pell ,grant under this subsection2 and 7iii7 subsection 7b77#d7 shall not apply4 7#c7 ,inclusion in total eligibility period for recent students ,any period during which a student described in paragraph 7#b77;,a7 receives a workforce ,federal ,pell ,grant under this subsection shall be included in calculating the student's period of eligibility for ,federal ,pell ,grants under subsection 7c71 and any regulations under such subsection regarding students who are enrolled in an undergraduate program on less than a full-time basis shall similarly apply to students who are enrolled in a short-term workforce program at an eligible institution on less than a full-time basis4 7#d7 ,definitions ,in this subsection1 the following definitions apply3 7,a7 ,eligible career pathway program ,the term eligible career pathway program means a program that is a combination of rigorous and high-quality education1 training1 and other services that-- 7i7 aligns with the skill needs of industries in the ,state or regional economy involved2 7ii7 prepares an individual to be successful in any of a full range of secondary or postsecondary education options1 including apprenticeships registered under the ,act of ,august #af1 #aicg 7commonly known as the ,national ,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej ,stat4 #ffd2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ej et seq472 7iii7 includes counseling to support an individual in achieving the individual's education and career goals2 7iv7 includes1 as appropriate1 education offered concurrently with and in the same context as workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster2 7v7 organizes education1 training1 and other services to meet the particular needs of an individual in a manner that accelerates the educational and career advancement of the individual to the extent practicable2 and 7vi7 helps an individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster4 7,b7 ,short-term workforce program ,the term short-term workforce program means a career and technical education program at an institution of higher education that-- 7i7 provides not less than #aej clock hours of instructional time over a period of not less than #h weeks or more than #ab weeks2 7ii7 provides training aligned with the requirements of employers in the ,state or local area1 which may include in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the ,state or local area1 as defined under section #c7bc7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb7bc772 7iii7 provides a student1 upon completion of the program1 with a recognized postsecondary credential1 as defined under section #c7eb7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb7eb771 that is recognized by employers in the relevant industry1 including credentials recognized by industry or sector partnerships in the ,state or local area where the industry is located2 7iv7 has been determined1 by the institution of higher education1 to provide academic content1 an amount of instructional time1 and a recognized postsecondary credential that are sufficient to-- 7,i7 meet the hiring requirements of potential employers2 and 7,,ii7 allow the students to apply for any licenses or certifications that may be required to be employed in the field for which the job training is offered2 7v7 may include integrated or basic skills courses2 and 7vi7 may be offered as part of an eligible career pathway program4 7#e7 ,special ,rule ,in the case of a career pathway program being determined eligible for the first time under this subsection1 such determination shall be made by the ,secretary before such program is considered to be an eligible career pathway program4 7#f7 ,ineligibility for double benefits ,no student may receive both a workforce ,federal ,pell ,grant under this subsection and an additional ,federal ,pell ,grant under subsection 7b77#h74 4 #d4 ,connecting apprenticeships to academic degrees 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife is amended by inserting after section #dhf;,a 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajic;a7 the following3 #dhf;,b4 ,apprenticeship expansion through articulation agreements 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,apprenticeship articulation agreement ,the term apprenticeship articulation agreement means an agreement between or among institutions of higher education that specifies the college credit value of and acceptability of certificates received through specific apprenticeship programs1 for purposes of transferring such credits toward meeting specific degree or program requirements4 7#b7 ,apprenticeship program ,the term apprenticeship program means an apprenticeship registered under the ,act of ,august #af1 #aicg 7commonly known as the ,national ,apprenticeship ,act2 #ej ,stat4 #ffd1 chapter #ffc2 #bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ej et seq474 7b7 ,program to encourage apprenticeship articulation agreements 7#a7 ,program established ,the ,secretary shall carry out a program in cooperation with ,states1 institutions of higher education 7including proprietary institutions71 and sponsors of apprenticeships programs1 to develop1 enhance1 and implement comprehensive apprenticeship articulation agreements between or among such institutions4 ,such apprenticeship articulation agreements shall be made widely and publicly available on the websites of such ,states1 sponsors and institutions4 ,in developing1 enhancing1 and implementing apprenticeship articulation agreements1 ,states1 sponsors and institutions of higher education may employ strategies1 where applicable1 including-- 7,a7 improving awareness of existing apprenticeship articulation agreements2 7,b7 expanding participation of a wide variety of institutions of higher education2 7,c7 improving management systems to regarding course equivalency1 transfer of credit1 and articulation2 and 7,d7 strategies to ensure widespread acceptance for the transfer of credits awarded to apprentices pursuant to apprenticeship articulation agreements4 7#b7 ,coordination and technical assistance ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,labor1 shall provide technical assistance to ,states1 sponsors and institutions of higher education for the purposes of developing and implementing apprenticeship articulation agreements in accordance with this subsection4 4 #e4 ,enhancing transfer of credit among schools 7a7 ,transfer of credit policies ,section #dhe7;h77#a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajib7;h77#a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking and at the end of subparagraph 7,a72 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 an assurance that for each credit earned at another institution of higher education that is accepted and rejected by the institution1 such credit will be publicly disclosed1 and disaggregated by type of institution at which such credit was earned1 accrediting agency or association1 program1 and if applicable1 the primary reason for the credit not being accepted2 and 7,d7 an assurance of the acceptance of credits earned at another institution for an identical course offered at the institution that has been reviewed by the same accrediting agency or association at both such institutions1 and is at the introductory level as determined by the agency or association1 or in a case in which the transfer of such credits is initially denied by the institution1 an assurance the student will have the opportunity to take an assessment administered by the institution to demonstrate competency in such course for purposes of the transfer of such credits4 4 7b7 ,articulation agreements ,section #dhf;,a7b7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajic;a7 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,c7 and 7,d7 as subparagraphs 7,d7 and 7,e71 respectively2 and 7,b7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,b7 the following3 7,c7 identification of courses at each institution in which an articulation agreement has been developed to enable the transfer of credit for such courses to1 at a minimum1 all other institutions accredited by the same accrediting agency or association2 2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking public4 7c7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,education shall submit a report to ,congress on a review of transfer of credit policies across institutions of higher education that-- 7#a7 determines the extent to which articulation agreements 7defined in section #dhf;,a of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajic;a77 have resulted in reduced costs for students2 and 7#b7 provides recommendations on how to incentivize the expanded use of such articulation agreements4 #f4 ,competency-based education ,section #dha7;b77#d7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhh7;b77#d77 is amended to read as follows3 7#d7 ,for the purposes of this title1 the term eligible program includes an instructional program that measures knowledge1 skills1 and experience through assessments of such knowledge1 skills1 or experience in lieu of or in addition to the use of credit hours or clock hours4 ,in the case of a program being determined eligible for the first time under this paragraph1 such determination shall be made by the ,secretary before such program is considered to be an eligible program4 4