This legislation, titled the "Transforming Education through College and Hands-On Training Act" or "TECH Act," seeks to ensure that qualified technical schools have equal access to certain federal grant programs. It mandates that these schools be eligible to participate in covered federal grant programs to the same extent and on the same basis as 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education. Within 180 days of enactment, the Secretaries of Education and Labor must modify eligibility criteria and application procedures for programs under their jurisdiction, and issue guidance on grant dispersion to ensure an adequate workforce pipeline in critical sectors. A qualified technical school is defined as a postsecondary vocational institution offering an eligible career pathway program or an eligible job training program. An eligible job training program must be at least 150 but less than 600 clock hours, provide training essential for national security, public safety, healthcare, or other critical sectors, and lead to a recognized postsecondary credential validated by industry. The bill specifically identifies covered Federal grant programs from the Department of Education, including the Strengthening Institutions Program, Federal TRIO Program, and Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program, as well as the Department of Labor's Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Program.
This legislation, titled the "Transforming Education through College and Hands-On Training Act" or "TECH Act," seeks to ensure that qualified technical schools have equal access to certain federal grant programs. It mandates that these schools be eligible to participate in covered federal grant programs to the same extent and on the same basis as 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education. Within 180 days of enactment, the Secretaries of Education and Labor must modify eligibility criteria and application procedures for programs under their jurisdiction, and issue guidance on grant dispersion to ensure an adequate workforce pipeline in critical sectors. A qualified technical school is defined as a postsecondary vocational institution offering an eligible career pathway program or an eligible job training program. An eligible job training program must be at least 150 but less than 600 clock hours, provide training essential for national security, public safety, healthcare, or other critical sectors, and lead to a recognized postsecondary credential validated by industry. The bill specifically identifies covered Federal grant programs from the Department of Education, including the Strengthening Institutions Program, Federal TRIO Program, and Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program, as well as the Department of Labor's Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Program.