,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #aaag ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #aj1 #bjai ,ms4 ,hassan 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,young1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 and ,mr4 ,gardner7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to establish a career pathway grant program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,gateway to ,careers ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,career ,pathways ,grant ,program ,title ,,viii of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #aafa;a et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,,bb ,career ,pathway ,grant ,program #hii4 ,career ,pathway ,grant ,program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,,wioa definitions ,the terms area career and technical education school1 career pathway1 in-demand industry sector or occupation1 individual with a barrier to employment1 industry or sector partnership1 integrated education and training1 local board1 recognized postsecondary credential1 and ,state board have the meanings given such terms in section #c of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cajb74 7#b7 ,career pathway partnership 7,a7 ,in ,general ,the term career pathway partnership means a partnership-- 7i7 between an eligible institution1 a workforce development partner described in subparagraph 7,b71 and an education partner described in subparagraph 7,c72 7ii7 evidenced by a formal agreement between partners2 and 7iii7 that is intended to support the development and implementation of a career pathway program4 7,b7 ,workforce development partner ,a workforce development partner described in subparagraph 7,a7 means one or more of the following3 7i7 ,a local board or a ,state board4 7ii7 ,an industry association or other representative of multiple employers in the target industry1 including an industry or sector partnership4 7iii7 ,a community-based organization with experience in providing employment1 education1 or support services relevant to the career pathway and student populations receiving services under the grant under this section4 7,c7 ,education partner ,an education partner described in subparagraph 7,a7 means one or more of the following3 7i7 ,a local educational agency1 as defined under section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7ii7 ,an eligible provider1 as defined under section #bjc of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #cbgb74 7iii7 ,an institution of higher education1 as defined in section #aja1 or a postsecondary vocational institution1 as defined in section #ajb7;c74 7#c7 ,eligible institution ,the term eligible institution means-- 7,a7 a public institution of higher education at which the highest degree that is predominantly awarded to students is an associate's degree1 including #b-year ,tribal ,colleges or ,universities under section #caf of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajei;c7 and public #b-year ,state institutions of higher education2 7,b7 an area career and technical education school that provides education at the postsecondary level2 or 7,c7 a consortium of institutions described in subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b74 7#d7 ,evidence-based ,the term evidence-based means an activity1 strategy1 or intervention that-- 7,a7 demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on-- 7i7 strong evidence from not less than #a well-designed and well-implemented experimental study2 7ii7 moderate evidence from not less than #a well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study2 or 7iii7 promising evidence from not less than #a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias2 7,b7 demonstrates a rationale based on high quality research finding or positive evaluation that such activity1 strategy1 or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes2 and 7,c7 includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity1 strategy1 or intervention4 7#e7 ,measurable skill gains ,the term measurable skill gains has the meaning given the term in section #cfa4aee7;a77#a77v7 of title #cd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or successor regulations74 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,education4 7b7 ,program established ,the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,labor1 shall establish a career pathway grant program1 through which the ,secretary shall award grants1 on a competitive basis1 to eligible institutions in order to enable eligible institutions to carry out the activities described in subsection 7e74 7c7 ,application ,an eligible institution desiring to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application1 at such time and in such manner as the ,secretary may require1 that includes the following information3 7#a7 ,a description of the career pathway partnership1 including the roles and responsibilities of each partner4 7#b7 ,a description of the career pathway program that will be supported under the grant1 including a description of the in-demand industry sectors or occupations that will be targeted and the recognized postsecondary credentials to be awarded4 7#c7 ,a description of how the career pathway program supported under the grant are aligned and coordinated with other employment1 education1 and support services offered in the geographic area served under the grant4 7#d7 ,a description of the student populations that will be served under the grant1 including an analysis of any barriers to postsecondary access and completion that such populations face1 and an analysis of how the services to be provided under the grant will address those barriers4 7#e7 ,a description of the activities and services to be provided under this grant1 consistent with the subsection 7e74 7#f7 ,a description of the performance outcomes that the eligible institution plans to achieve1 including a description of how the eligible institution will evaluate and measure student progress and measurable skill gains along a career pathway4 7#g7 ,such other information as the ,secretary may require4 7d7 ,priority in awarding grants ,the ,secretary shall award grants under this part in a manner that-- 7#a7 supports geographic diversity among grantees2 7#b7 gives priority to eligible institutions that seek to serve individuals with a barrier to employment or individuals with a barrier to postsecondary education2 and 7#c7 gives priority to eligible institutions that will use grant funds for evidence-based activities4 7e7 ,use of funds 7#a7 ,developing and implementing career pathway programs ,an eligible institution receiving a grant under this section shall use grant funds to carry out activities that support the development and implementation of career pathway programs1 which shall include one or more of the following3 7,a7 ,the planning and implementation of agreements between the eligible institution and other partners in the career pathway partnership to support seamless transitions between elements of the career pathway program offered by different partners1 as appropriate4 7,b7 ,the development and expansion of new or existing programs at the eligible institution that utilize integrated education and training strategies1 and support multiple entry and exit points for working learners1 which may include-- 7i7 dual-enrollment approaches for secondary students or disconnected youth seeking to participate in a career pathway program2 and 7ii7 strategies that help working students and other nontraditional and adult student populations access skills and recognized postsecondary credentials4 7,c7 ,the provision of evidence-based professional development for faculty and other staff at the eligible institution or at partner organizations described under subparagraph 7,b7 or 7,c7 of subsection 7a77#b7 on the development and implementation of career pathways4 7,d7 ,the acquisition of equipment necessary to support the delivery of career pathway programs supported through a grant under this section4 7,e7 ,any other evidence-based activities identified by the eligible institution or partners as necessary to support the development or implementation of career pathway programs1 as long as such activities are clearly outlined in the grant application4 7#b7 ,student support services ,in addition to the activities described in paragraph 7#a71 an eligible institution receiving a grant under this section shall use grant funds to provide student support services to students engaged in career pathway programs1 which shall include-- 7,a7 the provision of direct support services such as childcare1 transportation1 mental health and substance use disorder treatment1 assistance in obtaining health insurance coverage1 and assistance in accessing the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq471 the special supplemental nutrition program for women1 infants1 and children established by section #ag of the ,child ,nutrition ,act of #aiff 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aghf71 housing1 and other benefits1 as appropriate2 7,b7 offering career pathway navigation and case management services1 including providing information and outreach to target populations to encourage individuals to take part in programs and service offerings2 and 7,c7 the provision of emergency grants to help students facing financial hardships that may impact enrollment or completion of an element of a career pathway program4 7f7 ,duration of award ,a grant under this section shall be for a period of not more than #d years4 ,an eligible institution may apply for subsequent grants after the completion of a grant period4 7g7 ,reports 7#a7 ,report to the ,secretary ,each eligible institution receiving a grant under this section shall submit a report to the ,secretary1 on an annual basis1 describing-- 7,a7 the activities provided under the grant1 including activities carried out directly by the eligible institution and activities carried out by partner organizations2 7,b7 the students receiving services under the grant1 disaggregated by age1 race or ethnicity1 gender1 barriers to employment1 and income2 and 7,c7 indicators of performance for students receiving services through a career pathway program carried out through a grant under this part1 disaggregated by participant type as described in paragraph 7#b71 including1 at a minimum-- 7i7 the percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment prior to enrollment in the career pathway program2 7ii7 the percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program2 7iii7 the percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit from the program2 7iv7 the median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment prior to enrollment in the career pathway program2 7v7 the median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program2 7vi7 the percentage of program participants who obtain a recognized postsecondary credential1 or a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent1 during participation in or within #a year after exit from the program2 7vii7 the percentage of program participants who1 during a program year1 are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving measurable skill gains toward such a credential or employment2 and 7viii7 the percentage of program participants receiving support services1 disaggregated by type of service4 7#b7 ,report to ,congress ,the ,secretary shall submit a report to ,congress1 on a biennial basis1 containing a summary of the information described in paragraph 7#a74 7h7 ,evaluation ,the ,secretary shall reserve not less than #a percent and not more than #c percent of the funds made available under subsection 7i7 for each fiscal year to-- 7#a7 conduct a rigorous1 independent evaluation of the activities funded under this section2 and 7#b7 disseminate and promote the utilization of evidence-based practices related to career pathway programs for postsecondary students4 7i7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the activities described in this section1 such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year #bjbj and for each subsequent fiscal year thereafter4 4