Educating Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2015
Educating Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2015
Amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to revise the requirements for the plan of a state seeking federal assistance for career and technical education programs. Requires the state plan to describe how the eligible state agency will ensure the quality of any program of study culminating in an industry-recognized certificate, credential, or license.
Requires state agency leadership activities to support career academies which:
- implement a college and career ready curriculum at the secondary education level integrating rigorous academic, technical, and employability contents;
- include experiential or work-based learning for secondary school students, in collaboration with local and regional employers;
- include opportunities for secondary school students to earn postsecondary credit while in secondary school; and
- establish and maintain ongoing partnerships between the local educational agency, business and industry, and institutions of higher education, or postsecondary vocational institutions, including local government.
Requires the local plan for career and technical education programs to describe: (1) how the eligible recipient of assistance will assess local needs related to career and technical education as part of the local plan development process, and (2) how this needs assessment will be updated annually, especially on progress toward specific elements leading to high-quality implementation of career and technical education programs of study.
Authorizes the local use of funds for improving such programs to support career academies.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.