Reengage the Workforce Act

Reengage the Workforce Act

This bill requires the Department of Labor, in consultation with the Department of Education, to make competitive grants to eligible entities for carrying out in-person or virtual programs to provide specified services to eligible secondary school dropouts.

Eligible entity refers to a partnership between or among (1) a local educational agency, a unit of general local government, a nonprofit intermediary, or a consortium of any of these entities; and (2) a community-based organization, an institution of higher education, or a local or state board (or a combination of these entities).

Eligible secondary school dropout refers to an individual who is not younger than 16 years of age and who is not enrolled in a secondary school or high school equivalency program.

A program funded with a grant must provide specified services to eligible secondary school dropouts. These services include assistance in reentering a secondary school or entering an in-person or virtual high school equivalency program, flexible secondary school credit recovery to accelerate the time to receive a high school diploma, life and career workshops, and supportive services (e.g., transportation, child care, and housing).

Labor must give preference to eligible entities that will use the grant to carry out programs in low-income communities or that will implement evidence-based practices in providing these services.

Labor must annually report to Congress about this grant program.