Educating Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2017

Educating Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2017

This bill 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. The state plan must describe how the eligible state agency will ensure the quality of any program of study culminating in an industry-recognized certificate, credential, or license.

State agency leadership activities must 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.

Local plans for career and technical education programs must 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.

The bill authorizes the local use of funds for improving such programs to support career academies.