,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bddc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #ae1 #bjah,ms4 ,stabenow 7for herself and ,mr4 ,perdue7 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 career counseling program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,careers ,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 two-hundred fifty to one4 ,forty-seven ,states do not meet this recommendation4 7#d7 ,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 ,students at schools with highly integrated1 rigorous1 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 ,career counseling program 7a7 ,program authorized ,part ,b of title ,,ii of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ffba et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #e ,career counseling program #bbea4 ,definitions ,in this subpart3 7#a7 ,career counselor ,the term career counselor means a school counselor licensed or certified by a ,state4 7#b7 ,comprehensive career counseling program ,the term comprehensive career counseling program means a program that-- 7,a7 provides access for students 7and parents1 as appropriate7 to information regarding career awareness and planning with respect to an individual's occupational and academic future2 7,b7 provides information with respect to career options1 financial aid1 and postsecondary options1 including baccalaureate degree programs1 registered apprenticeship programs1 and professional trades2 and 7,c7 is implemented in a school by a career counselor4 7#c7 ,educational development plan ,the term educational development plan means an individualized plan for a student that-- 7,a7 contains a series of steps to help the student promote career awareness and exploration2 and 7,b7 assists students in identifying-- 7i7 career and technical programs of study described in section #abb7;c77#a77;,a7 of the ,carl ,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical ,education ,act of #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #bcdb7;c77#a77;,a772 7ii7 career pathways 7as defined in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb772 and 7iii7 programs of training services leading to a recognized postsecondary credential included on a ,state's list under section #abb7;d7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caeb7;d774 7#d7 ,registered apprenticeship program ,the term registered apprenticeship program means an apprenticeship program 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 #bbeb4 ,career counseling program 7a7 ,program authorized ,from amounts made available to carry out this subpart1 the ,secretary shall award grants1 on a competitive basis1 to ,state educational agencies1 to pay the ,federal share of a program enabling the ,state educational agencies to address the shortage of career counselors and to expand effective career counseling programs by awarding subgrants under section #bbec4 7b7 ,application ,a ,state that desires a grant under this subpart shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including a description of-- 7#a7 how the ,state will award subgrants with an emphasis toward supporting local educational agencies with disproportionally high student-to-counselor ratios2 7#b7 a professional development program approved by the ,state for all career counselors in the ,state1 which may include opportunities for externships1 fellowships1 and other activities to ensure that career counselors are able to provide current and relevant workforce information2 7#c7 how the ,state will provide technical assistance to local educational agencies to enable the local educational agencies to qualify for subgrants2 7#d7 the ,state-wide strategies to be implemented by the ,state to increase the number of high-quality career counselors2 7#e7 how the ,state will disseminate1 in a timely manner1 information regarding-- 7,a7 national1 regional1 and local labor market trends2 and 7,b7 other career-relevant data2 and 7#f7 how the ,state will assist local educational agencies in the ,state in developing a comprehensive career counseling program4 7c7 ,special consideration ,in awarding grants under this program1 the ,secretary shall give special consideration to ,state educational agencies that have high student-to-counselor ratios4 7d7 ,federal share2 ,non-,federal share 7#a7 ,federal share ,the ,federal share of a grant under this subpart shall be #hj percent of the costs of the activities under the grant4 7#b7 ,non-,federal share ,the non-,federal share of a grant under this subpart shall be #bj percent1 and may be provided in cash or in-kind4 7e7 ,use of funds ,each ,state receiving a grant under this subpart-- 7#a7 may use not more than #aj percent of the total amounts available for the grant to support the grant by carrying out the activities described in paragraphs 7#b7 through 7#f7 of subsection 7b71 as proposed by the ,state and approved by the ,secretary in the application submitted under subsection 7b72 7#b7 may use not more than #c percent of such total amounts for the administrative costs associated with the grant2 and 7#c7 shall use not less than #hg percent of such total amounts to carry out the subgrant program described in section #bbec4 #bbec4 ,career counseling subgrants 7a7 ,subgrants authorized ,from amounts made available under section #bbeb7;e77#c71 each ,state receiving a grant under this subpart shall award subgrants1 on a competitive basis1 to local educational agencies to enable the local educational agencies to improve career counseling programs4 7b7 ,application ,a local educational agency desiring a subgrant under this subpart shall submit to the ,state an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,state may require1 including the following3 7#a7 ,a description of a comprehensive career counseling program to be offered in the local educational agency that-- 7,a7 encompasses grades #f through #ab2 7,b7 includes strategies to ensure that-- 7i7 all students served by the local educational agency start developing an educational development plan beginning in grade #g2 and 7ii7 the educational development plan of each student is regularly reviewed and updated until the date that the student graduates from secondary school or is no longer enrolled in a school served by the local educational agency2 and 7,c7 is developed in consultation with not less than two of the following types of stakeholders3 7i7 ,institutions of higher education or postsecondary vocational institutions 7as defined in section #ajb7;c7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb7;c7774 7ii7 ,sponsors of registered apprenticeship programs4 7iii7 ,local boards 7as defined in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb774 7iv7 ,nonprofit organizations with expertise in career counseling4 7v7 ,tribal organizations4 7vi7 ,labor organizations4 7vii7 ,trade associations4 7#b7 ,in the case of a local educational agency whose student-to-counselor ratio is higher than the national average ratio 7as determined by the ,american ,school ,counselor ,association1 or a similar organization designated by the ,secretary71 a description of the activities that will be offered under the program described in paragraph 7#a7 to reduce the local educational agency's ratio4 7#c7 ,a description of activities to be offered under the comprehensive career counseling program to promote student engagement with registered apprenticeship programs1 internships1 and other work-based learning experiences4 7#d7 ,a description of the strategies to be employed by the local educational agency-- 7,a7 to ensure the effective dissemination of career and labor market information to parents and students2 and 7,b7 to ensure students are aware of in-school career development activities1 including career and technical education programs and career and technical student organizations4 7#e7 ,a description of how the local educational agency will ensure that parents of students are routinely engaged in the development of the educational development plans for their students4 7#f7 ,a description of the strategies to be employed by the local educational agency-- 7,a7 for ensuring that the comprehensive career counseling program described in paragraph 7#a7 is incorporated in the school curriculum2 and 7,b7 for bolstering career readiness among out-of-school youth1 economically disadvantaged students1 students who are children with disabilities1 and other at-risk populations4 7c7 ,use of subgrant funds ,a local educational agency receiving a subgrant under this section-- 7#a7 shall use subgrant funds to-- 7,a7 develop and implement the comprehensive career counseling program proposed by the local educational agency in the application submitted under subsection 7b77#a72 and 7,b7 develop and carry out other activities and strategies proposed in the application under subsection 7b72 and 7#b7 may use subgrant funds to-- 7,a7 purchase software or online platforms to directly support the comprehensive career counseling program of the local educational agency2 and 7,b7 train school personnel to effectively provide students with current and relevant workforce information4 #bbed4 ,reports ,each ,state educational agency receiving a grant under this subpart shall submit an annual report to the ,secretary regarding the progress of the grant4 #bbee4 ,supplement not supplant ,amounts made available under this subpart shall supplement1 and not supplant1 other amounts available to carry out the activities supported under this subpart4 #bbef4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subpart #ae1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjai and each of the #d succeeding fiscal years4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #bjjc7;b7 of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ffjc7;b77 is amended by inserting 7except for subpart #e7 after part ,b4