HR 5253 — 21st Century Youth Entrepreneurship Act

(a) General authority Each eligible recipient that receives funds under this part shall use such funds to develop, coordinate, implement, or improve career and technical education programs to meet the needs identified in the comprehensive needs assessment described in section 2354(c) of this title. (b) Requirements for uses of funds Funds made available to eligible recipients under this part shall be used to support career and technical education programs that are of sufficient size, scope, and quality to be effective and that— (1) provide career exploration and career development activities through an organized, systematic framework designed to aid students, including in the middle grades, before enrolling and while participating in a career and technical education program, in making informed plans and decisions about future education and career opportunities and programs of study, which may include— (A) introductory courses or activities focused on career exploration and career awareness, including non-traditional fields; (B) readily available career and labor market information, including information on— (i) occupational supply and demand; (ii) educational requirements; (iii) other information on careers aligned to State, local, or Tribal (as applicable) economic priorities; and (iv) employment sectors; (C) programs and activities related to the development of student graduation and career plans; (D) career guidance and academic counselors that provide information on postsecondary education and career options; (E) any other activity that advances knowledge of career opportunities and assists students in making informed decisions about future education and employment goals, including non-traditional fields; or (F) providing students with strong experience in, and comprehensive understanding of, all aspects of an industry; (2) provide professional development for teachers, faculty, school leaders, administrators, specialized instructional support personnel, career guidance and academic counselors, or paraprofessionals, which may include— (A) professional development on supporting individualized academic and career and technical education instructional approaches, including the integration of academic and career and technical education standards and curricula; (B) professional development on ensuring labor market information is used to inform the programs, guidance, and advisement offered to students, including information provided under section 49l–2(e)(2)(C) of title 29; (C) providing teachers, faculty, school leaders, administrators, specialized instructional support personnel, career guidance and academic counselors, or paraprofessionals, as appropriate, with opportunities to advance knowledge, skills, and understanding of all aspects of an industry, including the latest workplace equipment, technologies, standards, and credentials; (D) supporting school leaders and administrators in managing career and technical education programs in the schools, institutions, or local educational agencies of such school leaders or administrators; (E) supporting the implementation of strategies to improve student achievement and close gaps in student participation and performance in career and technical education programs; (F) providing teachers, faculty, specialized instructional support personnel, career guidance and academic counselors, principals, school leaders, or paraprofessionals, as appropriate, with opportunities to advance knowledge, skills, and understanding in pedagogical practices, including, to the extent the eligible recipient determines that such evidence is reasonably available, evidence-based pedagogical practices; (G) training teachers, faculty, school leaders, administrators, specialized instructional support personnel, career guidance and academic counselors, or paraprofessionals, as appropriate, to provide appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities, and students with disabilities who are provide...

(a) In general Subject to section 7116(f) of this title, each local educational agency, or consortium of such agencies, that receives an allocation under section 7115(a) of this title shall use a portion of such funds to develop and implement programs and activities that support access to a well-rounded education and that— (1) are coordinated with other schools and community-based services and programs; (2) may be conducted in partnership with an institution of higher education, business, nonprofit organization, community-based organization, or other public or private entity with a demonstrated record of success in implementing activities under this section; and (3) may include programs and activities, such as— (A) college and career guidance and counseling programs, such as— (i) postsecondary education and career awareness and exploration activities; (ii) training counselors to effectively use labor market information in assisting students with postsecondary education and career planning; and (iii) financial literacy and Federal financial aid awareness activities; (B) programs and activities that use music and the arts as tools to support student success through the promotion of constructive student engagement, problem solving, and conflict resolution; (C) programming and activities to improve instruction and student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science, (referred to in this section as “STEM subjects”) such as— (i) increasing access for students through grade 12 who are members of groups underrepresented in such subject fields, such as female students, minority students, English learners, children with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students, to high-quality courses; (ii) supporting the participation of low-income students in nonprofit competitions related to STEM subjects (such as robotics, science research, invention, mathematics, computer science, and technology competitions); (iii) providing hands-on learning and exposure to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and supporting the use of field-based or service learning to enhance the students’ understanding of the STEM subjects; (iv) supporting the creation and enhancement of STEM-focused specialty schools; (v) facilitating collaboration among school, after-school program, and informal program personnel to improve the integration of programming and instruction in the identified subjects; and (vi) integrating other academic subjects, including the arts, into STEM subject programs to increase participation in STEM subjects, improve attainment of skills related to STEM subjects, and promote well-rounded education; (D) efforts to raise student academic achievement through accelerated learning programs described in section 7114(b)(3)(A)(i)(IV) of this title, such as— (i) reimbursing low-income students to cover part or all of the costs of accelerated learning examination fees, if the low-income students are enrolled in accelerated learning courses and plan to take accelerated learning examinations; or (ii) increasing the availability of, and enrollment in, accelerated learning courses, accelerated learning examinations, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and early college high school courses; (E) activities to promote the development, implementation, and strengthening of programs to teach traditional American history, civics, economics, geography, or government education; (F) foreign language instruction; (G) environmental education; (H) programs and activities that promote volunteerism and community involvement; (I) programs and activities that support educational programs that integrate multiple disciplines, such as programs that combine arts and mathematics; or (J) other activities and programs to support student access to, and success in, a variety of well-rounded education experiences. (b) Special rule A local educational agency, or consortium of such agencies, that receives a subgran...