Sec. 143. Youth innovation and replication grants
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There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018. From funds described in subsection (a), the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education shall award youth innovation and replication grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities. The grants awarded under this subsection shall be used to support the demonstration of innovative new strategies and activities, or the replication and expansion of effective evidence-based strategies and activities, that are designed to substantially improve education and employment outcomes for eligible youth.
Such strategies and activities shall include— establishing career pathways in in-demand industry sectors and occupations for eligible youth, in collaboration with other Federal, State, and local programs, such as career and technical education programs as defined in section 101, and public and private entities; developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy, for an area of high poverty, that provides education and training programs, resources, and other activities that prepare youth for postsecondary education and training and for employment that leads to economic self-sufficiency; developing and implementing strategies and activities that provide opportunities for youth with disabilities to receive education, training, and employment services that lead to a recognized postsecondary credential or integrated, competitive employment; developing and implementing evidence-based strategies and activities, such as— education offered concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster; career academies; dropout prevention and recovery strategies; paid or unpaid work experience, including summer employment opportunities and employment opportunities available throughout the school year, combined with academic learning leading to a recognized postsecondary credential; or innovative programs for youth facing multiple barriers to employment that arrange for the provision of or provide supportive services combined with education, training, or employment activities; or other evidence-based strategies or activities designed to improve the education and employment outcomes for youth.
To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall— meet the requirements of this paragraph; and submit an application in accordance with paragraph (4). An eligible entity shall include— the Governor of a State in coordination with the State board and with a local board for a local area that is aligned with a region, or with all local boards for local areas that comprise a planning region, under section 116(c), in consultation with the standing committee on youth associated with the local board; or a local board for a local area that is aligned with a region, or all local boards for local areas that comprise a planning region, under section 116(c), in consultation with the standing committee on youth associated with the local board; and one or more of the following:
A State educational agency. A local educational agency. A nonprofit organization with expertise serving eligible youth, including a community-based organization or an intermediary. An institution of higher education, including a community college. A joint labor-management partnership. To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education at such time, in such manner, and containing such information, consistent with this paragraph, as the Secretaries may require.
Each such application shall describe the innovation and replication strategies and activities that the eligible entity will carry out to strengthen the workforce development system in the State or region in order to substantially improve education and employment outcomes for youth, such as youth with disabilities, served by such system, and shall include— a description of the region in the State or the State, as applicable, that will be the focus of grant activities, including analyses of economic conditions, skill needs, the workforce, and the workforce development services (including the strengths and weaknesses of such services and the capacity to provide such services) that are relevant to the proposed strategies and activities that would be carried out under the grant; a description of the youth populations to be served, including individuals with barriers to employment who are youth, and the skill needs of those populations; a description of the promising strategies and activities the eligible entity is proposing to demonstrate, or the evidence-based strategies and activities that the eligible entity is proposing to expand or replicate; a description of how the eligible entity will meaningfully involve youth in the design and implementation of the proposed strategies and activities; a description of how, in carrying out such strategies and activities, the eligible entity will— collaborate to leverage resources among strategic partners to achieve the purposes of the grant, and to provide the matching share described in paragraph (5)(B); and ensure the sustainability of the programs and activities supported by the grant after grant funds are no longer available; a description of how the strategies and activities will be aligned with the State plan and the local plans in the region of the State that will be the focus of grant activities; a description of the outcomes, including outcomes for the performance accountability measures based on indicators of performance described in section 131(b)(2)(A)(ii), to be achieved by the proposed strategies and activities; and a description of how the eligible entity will— use technology; collect data; make data publicly available; and use technology and data to improve program delivery, activities, and administration.
The amount of the share of the funds provided under paragraph
(1)shall be not greater than 50 percent of the cost of the programs and activities that are carried out under the grant. The amount of the matching share under this subsection for a program year may not be less than 50 percent of the costs of the programs and activities that are carried out under the grant. The matching share may be in cash or in kind (fairly evaluated). Not more than 50 percent of the matching share required under this subsection may be provided from Federal resources, of which not less than 50 percent shall be provided from Federal resources from the partner programs identified in the application other than resources provided under the core programs. Non-Federal sources for the matching share may include State resources, local resources, contributions from private organizations, or a combination of such resources and contributions. The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education may waive or reduce the matching share of an eligible entity that has submitted an application under this subsection if such entity demonstrates a need for such waiver or reduction due to extreme financial hardship as defined by the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education. The Federal and matching share required by this subsection shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal and State funds used to carry out activities described in this subsection. Grants awarded under this subsection shall be awarded for periods of not more than 3 years in duration and may not be renewed. In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education shall take into consideration the geographic diversity, and diversity with respect to population density, of the areas in which projects will be carried out under this section. The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education are authorized to establish appropriate reporting requirements for grantees under this subsection. For each program year for which funds are available to carry out this section, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education may reserve not more than 5 percent of the amount available to carry out this subsection to provide technical assistance to applicants and grantees under this subsection, and to evaluate projects carried out under this subsection. The Secretaries shall ensure that the results of the evaluations are publicly available (including by electronic means).