[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1402 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1402
To amend the Federal Pell Grant Program to support career training
opportunities for young Americans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 26, 2021
Mr. Carter of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Pell Grant Program to support career training
opportunities for young Americans.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``More Choice for Career Training Act
of 2021''.
SEC. 2. SUPPORTING CAREER TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL YOUNG
AMERICANS.
(a) Amendments.--
(1) Beginning on the date of enactment of this act.--
Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1070a) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(k) Alternative Certification Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall devise an
alternative certification program to enable students to use
Federal Pell Grants to enroll in educational programs (either
at eligible institutions or institutions that are not eligible
institutions) for which students are not otherwise eligible to
use Federal Pell Grants under this section.
``(2) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Program completion rate.--The term `program
completion rate' means the percentage of enrollees in a
program who successfully complete the program
requirements within the standard program duration.
``(B) Job placement rate.--The term `job placement
rate' means the percentage of graduates who have
obtained full-time employment in the graduate's field
of study.
``(3) No requirement for accreditation or state
authorization.--The alternative certification program shall not
require accreditation, State authorization, minimum
instructional hours, or minimum classroom time of educational
programs for which students may use Federal Pell Grants to
enroll pursuant to this subsection.
``(4) Continuous operation; determination of eligibility.--
The Secretary shall--
``(A) only certify an educational program under the
alternative certification program that--
``(i) has been in existence for not less
than 5 years; and
``(ii) has an annual cost of enrollment for
a year that is equal to or less than the
maximum Federal Pell Grant award applicable to
that year;
``(B) make an initial determination of educational
program eligibility under the alternative certification
program not later than 180 days after the date of
application of the educational program; and
``(C) re-evaluate educational program eligibility
under the alternative certification program not less
often than once every 5 years.
``(5) Information to assess program eligibility.--
``(A) In general.--Each educational program
applying for certification or re-certification under
the alternative certification program, the Secretary of
the Treasury, and the Secretary of Labor shall submit
to the Secretary all data necessary for the Secretary
to assess educational program eligibility under the
alternative certification program.
``(B) Privacy.--The Secretary shall keep all
student data submitted under subparagraph (A) private
and confidential.
``(6) Determinations of program eligibility.--The Secretary
shall make a determination of educational program eligibility
under the alternative certification program on the basis of
student outcomes in the educational program, including based on
each of the following:
``(A) Program completion rate.
``(B) Job placement rate within 90 days of program
completion.
``(C) Job placement rate within 12 months of
program completion.
``(D) Graduate median starting salary.
``(E) Graduate median salary 5 years after program
completion.
``(F) Graduate average starting salary.
``(G) Graduate average salary 5 years after program
completion.
``(7) Decertification.--The Secretary may decertify an
educational program under the alternative certification program
if the program meets any of the following:
``(A) The program completion rate is less than 70
percent.
``(B) The job placement rate within 90 days of
program completion is less than 50 percent.
``(C) The job placement rate within 12 months of
program completion is less than 70 percent.
``(D) The graduate median starting salary is less
than 200 percent of the Federal poverty level for a
one-person household.
``(E) The graduate median salary 5 years after
program completion is less than 300 percent of the
Federal poverty level for a one-person household.
``(8) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed to extend eligibility with respect to an
educational program that is certified under the alternative
certification program under this subsection to other programs
under this title.''.
(2) Beginning on july 1, 2023.--Section 401 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a), as amended by section
703 of division FF of Public Law 116-260, is further amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(k) Alternative Certification Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall devise an
alternative certification program to enable students to use
Federal Pell Grants to enroll in educational programs (either
at eligible institutions or institutions that are not eligible
institutions) for which students are not otherwise eligible to
use Federal Pell Grants under this section.
``(2) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Program completion rate.--The term `program
completion rate' means the percentage of enrollees in a
program who successfully complete the program
requirements within the standard program duration.
``(B) Job placement rate.--The term `job placement
rate' means the percentage of graduates who have
obtained full-time employment in the graduate's field
of study.
``(3) No requirement for accreditation or state
authorization.--The alternative certification program shall not
require accreditation, State authorization, minimum
instructional hours, or minimum classroom time of educational
programs for which students may use Federal Pell Grants to
enroll pursuant to this subsection.
``(4) Continuous operation; determination of eligibility.--
The Secretary shall--
``(A) only certify an educational program under the
alternative certification program that--
``(i) has been in existence for not less
than 5 years; and
``(ii) has an annual cost of enrollment for
a year that is equal to or less than the
maximum Federal Pell Grant award applicable to
that year;
``(B) make an initial determination of educational
program eligibility under the alternative certification
program not later than 180 days after the date of
application of the educational program; and
``(C) re-evaluate educational program eligibility
under the alternative certification program not less
often than once every 5 years.
``(5) Information to assess program eligibility.--
``(A) In general.--Each educational program
applying for certification or re-certification under
the alternative certification program, the Secretary of
the Treasury, and the Secretary of Labor shall submit
to the Secretary all data necessary for the Secretary
to assess educational program eligibility under the
alternative certification program.
``(B) Privacy.--The Secretary shall keep all
student data submitted under subparagraph (A) private
and confidential.
``(6) Determinations of program eligibility.--The Secretary
shall make a determination of educational program eligibility
under the alternative certification program on the basis of
student outcomes in the educational program, including based on
each of the following:
``(A) Program completion rate.
``(B) Job placement rate within 90 days of program
completion.
``(C) Job placement rate within 12 months of
program completion.
``(D) Graduate median starting salary.
``(E) Graduate median salary 5 years after program
completion.
``(F) Graduate average starting salary.
``(G) Graduate average salary 5 years after program
completion.
``(7) Decertification.--The Secretary may decertify an
educational program under the alternative certification program
if the program meets any of the following:
``(A) The program completion rate is less than 70
percent.
``(B) The job placement rate within 90 days of
program completion is less than 50 percent.
``(C) The job placement rate within 12 months of
program completion is less than 70 percent.
``(D) The graduate median starting salary is less
than 200 percent of the Federal poverty level for a
one-person household.
``(E) The graduate median salary 5 years after
program completion is less than 300 percent of the
Federal poverty level for a one-person household.
``(8) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed to extend eligibility with respect to an
educational program that is certified under the alternative
certification program under this subsection to other programs
under this title.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)(2) shall
take effect as if included in the enactment of Division FF of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
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