,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dife ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #ca1 #bjai ,mr4 ,pocan 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,espaillat1 ,mr4 ,sires1 ,mr4 ,carson of ,indiana1 ,mr4 ,levin of ,michigan1 ,ms4 ,eshoo1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,mr4 ,lujn1 ,mr4 ,thompson of ,mississippi1 ,mrs4 ,watson ,coleman1 ,mrs4 ,lawrence1 ,mr4 ,higgins of ,new ,york1 ,mrs4 ,axne1 ,mr4 ,lamb1 ,mr4 ,kildee1 ,mr4 ,soto1 ,mr4 ,david ,scott of ,georgia1 ,ms4 ,haaland1 ,mrs4 ,dingell1 ,mr4 ,kilmer1 ,mr4 ,evans1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,ms4 ,slotkin1 ,mr4 ,pallone1 ,mr4 ,cisneros1 ,mr4 ,sablan1 ,mr4 ,johnson of ,georgia1 ,mr4 ,raskin1 ,ms4 ,schakowsky1 ,mr4 ,crow1 ,mr4 ,langevin1 ,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,mr4 ,courtney1 ,mr4 ,morelle1 ,mr4 ,serrano1 ,mr4 ,vargas1 ,ms4 ,roybal-,allard1 ,mr4 ,de,saulnier1 ,mr4 ,takano1 ,mr4 ,rose of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,mr4 ,michael ,f4 ,doyle of ,pennsylvania1 ,ms4 ,velzquez1 ,mr4 ,visclosky1 ,ms4 ,jayapal1 ,mr4 ,krishnamoorthi1 ,ms4 ,tlaib1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mr4 ,khanna1 ,ms4 ,de,lauro1 ,mr4 ,carbajal1 ,ms4 ,del,bene1 ,ms4 ,bonamici1 ,mr4 ,suozzi1 ,mr4 ,ryan1 ,mr4 ,crdenas1 and ,ms4 ,clarke of ,new ,york7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to promote effective registered apprenticeships1 for skills1 credentials1 and employment1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title and table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,leveraging ,effective ,apprenticeships to ,rebuild ,national ,skills ,act or the ,,learns ,act4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title and table of contents4 ,sec4 #b4 ,findings and purposes4 ,sec4 #c4 ,definitions4 ,,title ,i--,promoting ,registered ,apprenticeships ,sec4 #aja4 ,promoting registered apprenticeship programs4 ,sec4 #ajb4 ,promoting integration with postsecondary education4 ,,title ,,ii--,program development and enhancement ,sec4 #bja4 ,expanding registered apprenticeship programs4 #b4 ,findings and purposes 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,a highly skilled workforce is necessary to compete in the global economy1 support economic growth1 and maintain the standard of living of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,the apprenticeship model is a longstanding1 on-the-job training and education model that prepares workers for the skill demands of particular occupations and employers while1 at the same time1 providing the workers with recognized1 portable credentials1 and wages while in training4 7#c7 ,the registered apprenticeship program model has been successful in skilled trade industries1 including construction and manufacturing1 as well as service industries1 such as health care1 and holds great potential for expansion into other industries4 7#d7 ,registered apprenticeships are becoming increasingly innovative and diverse in their designs1 partnerships1 timeframes1 and use of emerging concepts such as competency-based learning1 and will continue to evolve to meet emerging skill requirements1 while maintaining high standards and quality4 7#e7 ,registered apprenticeship programs are an essential element of an effective workforce development system and help individuals attain a recognized postsecondary credential1 contributing to their personal economic sustainability4 7#f7 ,according to a report from the ,georgetown ,university ,center on ,education and the ,workforce1 by #bjbj the ,united ,states will face a shortage of #e1jjj1jjj workers with recognized postsecondary credentials4 7#g7 ,according to a #bjab report from the ,annie ,e4 ,casey ,foundation1 youth employment in the ,united ,states has reached the lowest point since ,world ,war ,,ii4 ,more than #f1jjj1jjj young people ages #af through #bd are disconnected from school and work4 7#h7 ,a #bjab evaluation of registered apprenticeship programs in #aj ,states by ,mathematica ,policy ,research found that-- 7,a7 individuals who completed registered apprenticeship programs earned over #bdj1jjj more over their careers than individuals not participating in such apprenticeship programs2 7,b7 the estimated social benefits of registered apprenticeship programs1 including additional productivity of apprentices and the reduction in governmental expenditures as a result of reduced use of unemployment compensation and public assistance1 exceeded the costs of the programs by more than #di1jjj per program2 and 7,c7 the tax return on every ,federal ,government dollar invested in registered apprenticeship programs was #bg4 7b7 ,purposes ,the purposes of this ,act are-- 7#a7 to increase the number of highly skilled workers in the ,united ,states1 particularly in in-demand industry sectors and occupations2 7#b7 to increase the attainment of recognized postsecondary credentials by participants2 7#c7 to increase awareness about the value of the registered apprenticeship program model as an effective earn-and-learn model for students1 workers1 and employers2 7#d7 to support the development and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs with employers1 joint labor-management partnerships1 trade and professional associations1 and other program sponsors1 that offer jobs that lead to economic self-sufficiency2 7#e7 to support the development and expansion of effective pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to success in a registered apprenticeship program2 7#f7 to support a closer alignment between registered apprenticeship programs1 the workforce development system1 career and technical education1 and postsecondary education1 including institutions of higher education2 and 7#g7 to support innovative models of effective work-based learning4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,office of ,apprenticeship appointed under section #aja7;a74 7#b7 ,career pathway ,the term career pathway has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb74 7#c7 ,educational service agency ,the term educational service agency-- 7,a7 has the meaning given the term in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja72 and 7,b7 includes a collaborative of those agencies4 7#d7 ,high school ,the term high school means a nonprofit institutional day or residential school that-- 7,a7 provides secondary education1 as determined under ,state law2 7,b7 grants a diploma1 as defined by the ,state2 and 7,c7 includes1 at least1 grade #ab4 7#e7 ,in-demand industry sector or occupation ,the term in-demand industry sector or occupation has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb74 7#f7 ,local and ,state workforce development boards ,the terms local workforce development board and ,state workforce development board have the meanings given the terms local board and ,state board1 respectively1 in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb74 7#g7 ,national apprenticeship system ,the term national apprenticeship system means the collective group of registered apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship programs in the ,nation 7including the rules and regulations governing the #b types of programs74 7#h7 ,postsecondary educational institution ,the term postsecondary educational institution means an institution of higher education1 as defined in section #ajb of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb74 7#i7 ,pre-apprenticeship program ,the term pre-apprenticeship program means a program or set of strategies that-- 7,a7 is designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in a registered apprenticeship program2 7,b7 is carried out by an eligible entity 7meaning an entity described in section #aja7;b77#b77;,c7 that has an application approved under section #aja7;b77#c77 that has a documented partnership with at least #a sponsor of a registered apprenticeship program2 and 7,c7 includes each of the following elements3 7i7 ,training 7including a curriculum for the training71 aligned with industry standards and reviewed and approved annually by sponsors of the registered apprenticeships within the documented partnership1 that will prepare individuals by teaching the skills and competencies needed to enter one or more registered apprenticeship programs4 7ii7 ,provision of hands-on training and theoretical education to individuals that-- 7,i7 accurately simulates the industry and occupational conditions of the registered apprenticeship program described in subparagraph 7,b72 7,,ii7 is carried out in a manner that includes proper observation of supervision and safety protocols2 and 7,,iii7 is carried out in a manner that does not displace a paid employee4 7iii7 ,a formal agreement with a sponsor of a registered apprenticeship program that would enable participants who successfully complete the pre-apprenticeship program to enter directly into the registered apprenticeship program 7if a place in the program is available71 and includes agreements concerning earning credit recognized by a postsecondary educational institution for skills and competencies acquired during the pre-apprenticeship program4 7#aj7 ,recognized postsecondary credential ,the term recognized postsecondary credential has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb74 7#aa7 ,registered apprenticeship program ,the term registered apprenticeship program means a 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 7#ab7 ,secretary ,except as provided in section #ajb or as otherwise modified1 the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,labor1 acting through the ,administrator4 7#ac7 ,sponsor ,the term sponsor means an employer1 joint labor-management partnership1 trade association1 professional association1 labor organization1 or other entity that administers a registered apprenticeship program4 ,i ,promoting ,registered ,apprenticeships #aja4 ,promoting registered apprenticeship programs 7a7 ,establishment of the office of apprenticeship 7#a7 ,office ,there is established1 in the ,employment and ,training ,administration of the ,department of ,labor1 an ,office of ,apprenticeship4 7#b7 ,administrator ,the ,office shall be headed by an ,administrator of the ,office of ,apprenticeship appointed by the ,assistant ,secretary for ,employment and ,training4 ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall appoint an individual who has the demonstrated knowledge of registered apprenticeship programs necessary to serve as the ,administrator4 7#c7 ,responsibilities ,the ,administrator1 through the ,office of ,apprenticeship1 shall carry out responsibilities including-- 7,a7 determining whether an apprenticeship program meets the requirements to become a registered apprenticeship program and maintains the standards necessary to remain a registered apprenticeship program2 7,b7 managing the national apprenticeship system2 7,c7 carrying out activities under subsection 7b7 to promote effective pre-apprenticeship programs2 7,d7 promoting awareness about registered apprenticeship programs1 including carrying out activities under subsection 7c72 7,e7 engaging in regular updates of the registration process1 ensuring that such process is easily accessible and efficient for use by sponsors of registered apprenticeship programs2 7,f7 regularly engaging with the ,national ,advisory ,committee on ,apprenticeships and ensure that the required reports of the ,committee are submitted to the ,secretary and transmitted to ,congress2 7,g7 promoting greater diversity in registered apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship programs1 including by promoting outreach to underrepresented populations1 youth1 and veterans and supporting the development of apprenticeship models2 7,h7 providing for evaluations and research1 as described in subsection 7e72 7,i7 providing technical assistance to sponsors of registered apprenticeship programs1 entities who are interested in developing and becoming sponsors of registered apprenticeship programs1 and eligible entities carrying out pre-apprenticeship programs2 and 7,j7 coordinating and aligning registered apprenticeship programs with other ,federal education and training programs1 including those authorized under the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caja et seq47 and the ,carl ,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical ,education ,act of #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #bcja et seq474 7b7 ,supporting the development of pre-,apprenticeship programs 7#a7 ,support ,the ,secretary shall support the development of pre-apprenticeship programs4 7#b7 ,grants 7,a7 ,in general ,using funds available under subsection 7f71 the ,secretary shall make grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to provide the ,federal share of the cost of carrying out projects that support that development4 7,b7 ,period ,the ,secretary shall make initial grants under this paragraph for periods of not more than #c years1 except that if an eligible entity demonstrates satisfactory performance under paragraph 7#f7 by the end of that third year1 the ,secretary may extend the grant period up to an additional #a year for that entity4 7,c7 ,eligible entity ,to be eligible to receive a grant from the ,secretary under this subsection1 an entity shall be a public-private partnership consisting of-- 7i7 a local educational agency1 high school1 area career and technical school 7as defined in section #c of the ,carl ,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical ,education ,act of #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #bcjb771 educational service agency 7as defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja771 #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institution1 or collaborative of such entities2 7ii7 in a ,state with a ,state entity recognized by the ,secretary of ,labor to register apprenticeship programs in that ,state1 that entity2 7iii7 an industry or business1 consisting of an employer1 a group of employers1 a trade association1 a professional association1 or an entity that sponsors a registered apprenticeship program2 7iv7 a ,state workforce development board or local workforce development board2 and 7v7 to the maximum extent practicable-- 7,i7 a labor organization associated with the industry or occupation related to the pre-apprenticeship program involved2 and 7,,ii7 a community-based organization that provides pre-apprenticeship programs1 as appropriate4 7#c7 ,applications ,to be eligible to receive a grant from the ,secretary under this subsection1 an entity shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including-- 7,a7 a description of the training and curriculum described in section #c7i77;,c77i71 and how the proposed pre-apprenticeship program makes individuals who successfully complete the pre-apprenticeship program qualified to enter into an established registered apprenticeship program2 7,b7 evidence that there are or will be sufficient openings available in the registered apprenticeship program referenced in subparagraph 7,a7 to enable the registered apprenticeship program sponsor to place into a corresponding registered apprenticeship those individuals who successfully complete the pre-apprenticeship program2 7,c7 information about the entity that demonstrates the existence of an active1 advisory partnership between the partners described in paragraph 7#b77;,c7 and the capacity1 of a training and education provider in the entity1 to provide the training and education services necessary for a pre-apprenticeship program2 and 7,d7 information about the proposed pre-apprenticeship program that demonstrates-- 7i7 that the program is in an in-demand industry or occupation in the region in which the project is located2 7ii7 the use of integrated work-based and academic learning that may include training in the workplace2 7iii7 the inclusion of career exploration focused activities1 such as job shadowing1 career information activities1 and rsum preparation1 in the program2 7iv7 if the entity carrying out the project includes a high school1 that the model to be used for the program leads to a high school diploma for participants without such a diploma2 7v7 how the pre-apprenticeship program is aligned with and leverages resources of career and technical education programs1 programs and services authorized under the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caja et seq471 or activities of entities that provide supportive services for participants in pre-apprenticeship programs2 and 7vi7 that the project aligns with an established registered apprenticeship program1 including that the model used for the program leads to the attainment of skills and competencies necessary for entrance into the registered apprenticeship program for participants4 7#d7 ,use of funds 7,a7 ,in general ,an eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to carry out a project that implements a pre-apprenticeship program4 7,b7 ,required activities ,the eligible entity shall use the grant funds-- 7i7 to pay for the cost of training or education associated with the pre-apprenticeship program2 7ii7 for curriculum development that align with the requirements of the appropriate registered apprenticeship programs and learning assessments2 7iii7 to maintain a connection between the pre-apprenticeship program and registered apprenticeship program2 7iv7 for assessments of potential participants for1 and enrollment of the participants in1 the pre-apprenticeship program2 and 7v7 to conduct evaluations described in paragraph 7#f77;,b74 7,c7 ,allowable activities ,the eligible entity may use the grant funds for-- 7i7 teacher training1 including providing externship opportunities for teachers to learn about the skill needs of the industry or occupation that the pre-apprenticeship program focuses on2 7ii7 stipends for participants during work-based training in the program2 or 7iii7 coordination of activities under this subsection with activities carried out under the ,carl ,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical ,education ,act of #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #bcja et seq47 or the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caja et seq474 7#e7 ,federal share 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,federal share of the cost described in paragraph 7#b77;,a7 shall be #ge percent4 7,b7 ,non-,federal share ,the eligible entity may contribute the non-,federal share of the cost in cash or in-kind1 fairly evaluated1 including plant1 equipment1 or services4 7#f7 ,performance 7,a7 ,measures ,the ,secretary shall identify a set of common measures that1 at a minimum1 include measures of entry into a registered apprenticeship program and that are aligned with performance accountability measures described in section #aaf7;c7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cada7;c77 for the local workforce development area 7meaning a local area1 as defined in section #c of that ,act7 and with corresponding measures under the ,carl ,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical ,education ,act of #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #bcja et seq471 as appropriate4 7,b7 ,evaluations ,each eligible entity that receives a grant to carry out a project under this subsection shall arrange for another qualified entity to conduct an evaluation1 or shall participate in a ,department of ,labor sponsored evaluation1 of the project using the identified common measures1 and shall1 to the extent practicable1 cooperate with the evaluator in any evaluations of activities carried out under this section4 7,c7 ,extensions ,the ,secretary shall use the results of an evaluation for a project to determine whether to extend the grant period1 or renew a grant1 for the project under paragraph 7#b77;,b74 7c7 ,promoting awareness of registered apprenticeship programs 7#a7 ,in general ,to promote awareness about registered apprenticeship programs1 the ,secretary1 in cooperation with the ,secretary of ,education and the ,secretary of ,commerce1 shall ensure that timely1 current information about the value of registered apprenticeship programs in the labor market is made available through a range of widely accessible formats and venues4 ,the information shall be made available to businesses1 trade associations1 professional associations1 students1 parents1 workers1 educational institutions1 workforce and economic development organizations1 and ,state and local elected officials4 7#b7 ,information for state and local workforce development boards ,to promote awareness about registered apprenticeship programs within the workforce development system1 the ,secretary shall disseminate information on the value of registered apprenticeship programs1 to ,state and local workforce development boards described in subsection 7b77#b77;,c77iv71 which information shall include-- 7,a7 a list of registered apprenticeship programs in the ,state involved2 7,b7 guidance for training staff of the workforce development system within the ,state on the value of registered apprenticeship programs1 including relevant placement1 retention and earnings information1 as a training option for participants2 7,c7 guidance on how individual training accounts under section #acd7;c77#c7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cagd7;c77#c77 could be used by participants for a registered apprenticeship program2 and 7,d7 guidance on how performance accountability measures under section #aaf of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cada7 apply to participants in registered apprenticeship programs1 including relevant placement1 retention and earnings information4 7#c7 ,information for employers1 trade associations1 professional associations1 industry groups and labor organizations ,to promote awareness about registered apprenticeship programs to workers and employers1 the ,secretary1 in cooperation with the ,secretary of ,commerce1 shall provide information about the value of registered apprenticeship programs1 including relevant placement1 retention and earnings information1 through the one-stop delivery systems described in section #aba of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caea71 to employers1 trade associations1 professional associations1 industry groups1 and labor organizations1 which information shall include1 at a minimum-- 7,a7 a list of registered apprenticeship programs in the ,state2 7,b7 information on how to develop a registered apprenticeship program2 and 7,c7 information on financial resources available to assist with the establishment and implementation of registered apprenticeship programs4 7#d7 ,information for students and schools ,to promote awareness about registered apprenticeship programs among students and school staff1 the ,secretary1 in cooperation with the ,secretary of ,education1 shall disseminate information on the value of registered apprenticeship programs1 including relevant placement1 retention and earnings information1 to high schools1 area career and technical education schools 7as defined in subsection 7b77#b77;,c77i771 #b- and #d-year postsecondary educational institutions1 and educational service agencies1 to enable1 at a minimum-- 7,a7 parents to understand registered apprenticeship programs and their value in postsecondary education and career pathways2 7,b7 students to understand registered apprenticeship programs and their value in career pathways2 7,c7 career and academic counselors to understand registered apprenticeship programs as a valuable postsecondary education option for students leading to job placement in in-demand industries and occupations2 and 7,d7 school administrators1 workforce and economic development coordinators1 and teachers and faculty to assist with the development1 implementation1 and continuation of registered apprenticeship programs4 7d7 ,secretary's ,national ,advisory ,committee on ,apprenticeships 7#a7 ,establishment 7,a7 ,in general ,there is established in the ,department of ,labor a ,national ,advisory ,committee on ,apprenticeships1 referred to in this section as the ,advisory ,committee4 7,b7 ,composition ,the ,advisory ,committee shall have-- 7i7 #ba voting members appointed by the ,secretary1 composed of-- 7,i7 #g representatives of employers who participate in a registered apprenticeship program1 including employers who participate in a registered apprenticeship program sponsored by a joint labor-management partnership2 7,,ii7 #g representatives of labor organizations who have responsibility for the administration of a registered apprenticeship program sponsored by a joint labor-management partnership2 and 7,,iii7 #g representatives of ,state apprenticeship agencies1 community organizations with significant experience with a registered apprenticeship program1 and #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institutions with at least one articulation agreement with the entity administering a registered apprenticeship program2 and 7ii7 members who are ex officio nonvoting representatives from the ,departments of ,labor1 ,commerce1 ,education1 ,energy1 ,housing and ,urban ,development1 and ,health and ,human ,services4 7,c7 ,qualifications ,the members shall be selected upon the basis of their experience and competence concerning apprenticeships4 7,d7 ,terms ,the ,secretary shall appoint the members for terms of #d years4 7#b7 ,chairperson ,the ,secretary shall designate one of the members of the ,advisory ,committee to serve as ,chairperson of the ,advisory ,committee4 7#c7 ,meetings ,the ,advisory ,committee shall hold not fewer than #b meetings during each calendar year4 ,all meetings of the ,advisory ,committee shall be open to the public4 ,a transcript shall be kept of each meeting and made available for public inspection4 7#d7 ,duties ,the ,advisory ,committee shall advise1 consult with1 and make recommendations to the ,secretary on matters relating to the administration of this title and 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 7#e7 ,personnel 7,a7 ,procurement 7i7 ,in general ,the ,chairperson of the ,advisory ,committee may procure the temporary and intermittent services of voting members of the ,advisory ,committee under section #caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 at rates for individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of such title4 7ii7 ,officers or employees of the ,united ,states ,all members of the ,advisory ,committee who are officers or employees of the ,united ,states shall serve without compensation in addition to that received for their services as officers or employees of the ,united ,states4 7,b7 ,staff ,the ,secretary shall supply the ,committee with an executive secretary and provide such secretarial1 clerical1 and other services as the ,secretary determines to be necessary to enable the ,advisory ,committee to conduct its business4 7#f7 ,permanent committee ,section #ad of the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the advisory committee4 7e7 ,evaluations and research 7#a7 ,evaluations of programs and activities carried out under this title ,for the purpose of improving the management and effectiveness of the programs and activities carried out under this title1 the ,secretary shall provide for the continuing evaluation1 by an independent entity1 of the programs and activities1 including activities carried out under subsection 7a77#c77;,c74 ,such evaluations shall address-- 7,a7 the general effectiveness of such programs and activities in relation to their cost1 including the extent to which the programs and activities-- 7i7 improve the skill and employment competencies of participants in comparison to comparably situated individuals who did not participate in such programs and activities2 and 7ii7 to the extent feasible1 increase the level of total employment and recognized postsecondary credential attainment over the level that would have existed in the absence of such programs and activities2 7,b7 the impact of the programs and activities for the participants1 sponsors1 and employers2 7,c7 the return on investment of ,federal1 ,state1 local1 sponsor1 employer1 and other funding for registered apprenticeships to capture the full level of investment in1 and impact of1 registered apprenticeships2 7,d7 the longitudinal outcomes for participants in the programs and activities2 and 7,e7 the impact of specific policies on the general effectiveness of such programs and activities4 7#b7 ,research ,the ,secretary may conduct1 through an independent entity1 research on best practices in registered apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship programs and other issues relating to such programs4 7#c7 ,techniques ,evaluations and research conducted under this subsection shall utilize appropriate methodology and research designs4 7#d7 ,reports ,the independent entity carrying out the evaluations described in paragraph 7#a7 or research described in paragraph 7#b7 shall prepare and submit to the ,secretary a final report containing the results of the evaluations or research1 respectively1 and including policy recommendations4 ,the final report shall be made available for public inspection4 ,not later than #cf months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall produce a final report related to the return on investment described in paragraph 7#a77;,c74 7#e7 ,reports to ,congress ,not later than #fj days after the completion of all the final reports described in paragraph 7#d71 the ,secretary shall transmit the final reports to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate4 7#f7 ,public access ,the ,secretary shall develop a mechanism to make research developed under this title publicly available in a timely manner4 7f7 ,reservation ,the ,secretary shall reserve not less than #aj percent of the funds appropriated under subsection 7g7 for each fiscal year for grants to ,states4 ,a ,state that receives such a grant shall use the grant funds for the purpose of assisting the ,administrator in carrying out the activities under this section1 and may use the grant funds to support the voluntary establishment of a ,state apprenticeship office1 if no such office exists in the ,state4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ge1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba and each subsequent year4 #ajb4 ,promoting integration with postsecondary education 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,collaborative ,the term ,collaborative means the ,registered ,apprenticeship-,college ,collaborative established under subsection 7b77#a74 7#b7 ,secretaries ,the term ,secretaries means the ,secretary of ,labor1 acting through the ,administrator1 working jointly with the ,secretary of ,education1 acting through the ,assistant ,secretary for the ,office of ,career1 ,technical1 and ,adult ,education4 7b7 ,collaborative with #b- and #d-,year postsecondary educational institutions 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretaries shall establish and maintain a voluntary ,registered ,apprenticeship-,college ,collaborative4 ,the ,collaborative shall consist of the sponsors carrying out registered apprenticeship programs1 #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institutions1 and organizations that represent such programs or institutions1 that agree to meet certain criteria in order to support the purposes described in paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,purposes ,the ,collaborative shall support the purposes of-- 7,a7 promoting stronger connections between the registered apprenticeship programs involved and participating #b- and #d-year postsecondary educational institutions2 7,b7 promoting the translation of experience in a registered apprenticeship program to academic credit at participating #b- and #d-year postsecondary educational institutions2 7,c7 facilitating the enrollment of an individual who has completed a registered apprenticeship program 7referred to in this section as an apprentice7 at a participating #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institution for the purpose of attaining academic credit toward an associate's or more advanced degree2 7,d7 advancing the attainment of associate's and more advanced degrees by apprentices2 7,e7 promoting the attainment of recognized postsecondary credentials with value in the labor market2 and 7,f7 expanding awareness about the value of registered apprenticeship programs as a postsecondary education option4 7#c7 ,participant requirements ,the ,secretaries shall establish criteria that any interested #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institution or sponsor shall meet in order to participate in the ,collaborative1 which criteria shall include1 at a minimum-- 7,a7 for a #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institution-- 7i7 agreement to recognize and accept the academic credit 7as assessed under subparagraph 7,b77i77 earned by an apprentice for1 and the assessment of the apprentice's learning in1 a registered apprenticeship program at another participating institution2 7ii7 agreement to have a formal articulation agreement with a participating sponsor of a registered apprenticeship program1 other than a #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institution2 and 7iii7 agreement to provide certain information1 as determined by the ,secretaries1 to the ,collaborative2 and 7,b7 for a sponsor-- 7i7 agreement to participate in third-party evaluations of the quality and rigor of the program offerings in order to determine the value of academic credit for learning during a registered apprenticeship program2 7ii7 agreement to have a formal articulation agreement with a participating #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institution2 and 7iii7 agreement to provide certain information1 as determined by the ,secretaries1 to the ,collaborative4 7#d7 ,memorandum of understanding 7,a7 ,in general ,in order to participate in the ,collaborative1 interested #b- or #d-year postsecondary educational institutions and sponsors shall agree to meet certain conditions determined by the ,secretaries4 7,b7 ,conditions ,such conditions shall address1 at a minimum-- 7i7 how learning during a registered apprenticeship program1 including related instruction and on-the-job training1 will be assessed for academic credit2 7ii7 how programs and procedures1 especially those related to admissions1 credit transfer1 and recognition of such learning will be structured to support accessibility for apprentices2 7iii7 how the structure and scheduling of courses will be developed in a way that supports the matriculation of apprentices2 and 7iv7 how residency requirements will support the transferability of credit earned by apprentices4 7#e7 ,publicly available information ,the ,secretaries shall maintain a publicly accessible website identifying1 at a minimum-- 7,a7 the participating members of the ,collaborative in each ,state2 7,b7 a model for articulation agreements1 and copies of some exemplary articulation agreements for illustrative purposes2 and 7,c7 such other information as the ,secretaries determine to be necessary to promote awareness of the ,collaborative and its members4 7#f7 ,use of funds 7,a7 ,administrative ,the ,secretaries shall use #cj percent of the funds appropriated under subsection 7c7 to establish and maintain the ,collaborative and the website referred to in paragraph 7#e71 to support the advisory committee referred to in paragraph 7#f71 and for technical assistance1 evaluation1 and research activities4 7,b7 ,for program participants ,the ,secretaries shall use #gj percent of the appropriated funds to carry out1 directly or by grant or contract with an eligible entity1 activities consisting of-- 7i7 providing funding to ,collaborative participants to support the development of articulation agreements with other ,collaborative participants2 7ii7 providing funding to the ,collaborative to support the assessment of learning during a registered apprenticeship program1 for academic credit2 7iii7 providing funding to the ,collaborative to support third-party evaluations of the quality and rigor of program offerings1 referred to in paragraph 7#c77;,b77i71 which evaluations shall be conducted by an entity that meets minimum criteria as established by the ,secretaries2 7iv7 providing curriculum development1 for participating institutions and sponsors2 and 7v7 carrying out other purposes that will help participating #b- and #d-year postsecondary educational institutions and sponsors meet the requirements of paragraphs 7#c7 and 7#d74 7,c7 ,eligible entities ,to be eligible to receive a grant or contract under subparagraph 7,b71 an entity shall be a partnership comprised of-- 7i7 at least #a-1 #b-1 or #d-year postsecondary educational institution participating in the ,collaborative2 and 7ii7 at least #a sponsor of a registered apprenticeship program participating in the ,collaborative4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #e1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba and each subsequent year4 ,,ii ,program development and enhancement #bja4 ,expanding registered apprenticeship programs 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall provide payments of assistance for eligible sponsors of new 7as of the date of submission of an application under subsection 7b77 registered apprenticeship programs1 or for eligible sponsors of existing registered apprenticeship programs that add employers as new 7as of such date7 partners1 which may include joint labor-management registered apprenticeship programs4 7b7 ,applications ,to be eligible to receive payments under this section for a registered apprenticeship program1 a sponsor shall submit an application to the ,secretary including information demonstrating that 7as of the date of submission7-- 7#a7 7,a7 for a new registered apprenticeship program1 the program received recognition as a registered apprenticeship program within the #cf months preceding that date2 or 7,b7 for an existing registered apprenticeship program 7which may include joint labor-management registered apprenticeship programs71 employers were added as new partners within the #cf months preceding that date2 7#b7 the sponsor offered jobs that lead to economic self-sufficiency1 as determined by a local workforce development board located in the same local workforce development area 7meaning a local area1 as defined in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb772 7#c7 the sponsor has demonstrated success in enrolling1 instructing1 advancing1 and graduating individuals in the relevant registered apprenticeship program1 and in the employment of such individuals after completion of the program2 and 7#d7 the sponsor had not received a payment under subsection 7d7 for that registered apprenticeship program4 7c7 ,use of funds ,in providing assistance under this section1 the ,secretary shall arrange to provide payments as described in subsection 7a7 for eligible sponsors1 as funds are available under this section4 ,funds made available through such a payment shall be used to reimburse an eligible sponsor for the allowable costs of establishing or expanding the registered apprenticeship program involved4 ,the maximum total payment to any one sponsor may not exceed #be1jjj or #ej percent of the allowable costs4 7d7 ,disbursement ,the ,secretary shall enter into arrangements with ,state workforce development boards to make disbursements through the local workforce development boards described in subsection 7b77#b7 to provide the payments to the eligible sponsors4 7e7 ,evaluations ,sponsors receiving grants under this section shall1 to the extent practicable1 cooperate with the ,secretary in the conduct of evaluations of the activities carried out under this section4 7f7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #bj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba and each subsequent year4 7#b7 ,reservation ,the ,secretary may reserve #e percent of the amount appropriated under paragraph 7#a7 for a fiscal year for distribution to the ,state workforce development boards and local workforce development boards1 to pay for the costs of the boards associated with making determinations under subsection 7b77#b7 and disbursements under subsection 7d71 and as funds remain available1 other costs of administration and management1 technical assistance1 research1 and evaluation under this ,act4