Sec. 212. Promoting integration with postsecondary education
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In this section: The term Collaborative means the Registered Apprenticeship-College Collaborative established under subsection (b)(1). The term Secretaries means the Secretary of Labor, acting through the Administrator, working jointly with the Secretary of Education, acting through the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education. The Secretaries shall establish and maintain a voluntary Registered Apprenticeship-College Collaborative. The Collaborative shall consist of the sponsors carrying out registered apprenticeship programs, 2- or 4-year postsecondary educational institutions, and organizations that represent such programs or institutions, that agree to meet certain criteria in order to support the purposes described in paragraph (2).
The Collaborative shall support the purposes of— promoting stronger connections between the registered apprenticeship programs involved and participating 2- and 4-year postsecondary educational institutions; promoting the translation of experience in a registered apprenticeship program to academic credit at participating 2- and 4-year postsecondary educational institutions; facilitating the enrollment of an individual who has completed a registered apprenticeship program (referred to in this section as an apprentice ) at a participating 2- or 4-year postsecondary educational institution for the purpose of attaining academic credit toward an associate’s or more advanced degree; advancing the attainment of associate’s and more advanced degrees by apprentices; promoting the attainment of recognized postsecondary credentials with value in the labor market; expanding awareness about the value of registered apprenticeship programs as a postsecondary education option; and maintaining the quality and rigor of traditional registered apprenticeship programs.
The Secretaries shall establish criteria that any interested 2- or 4-year postsecondary educational institution or sponsor shall meet in order to participate in the Collaborative, which criteria shall include, at a minimum— for a 2- or 4-year postsecondary educational institution— agreement to recognize and accept the academic credit (as assessed under subparagraph (B)(i)) earned by an apprentice for, and the assessment of the apprentice’s learning in, a registered apprenticeship program at another participating institution; agreement to have a formal articulation agreement with a participating sponsor of a registered apprenticeship program, other than a 2- or 4-year postsecondary educational institution; and agreement to provide certain information, as determined by the Secretaries, to the Collaborative; and for a sponsor— agreement to participate in third-party evaluations of the quality and rigor of the program offerings in order to determine the value of academic credit for learning during a registered apprenticeship program; agreement to have a formal articulation agreement with a participating 2- or 4-year postsecondary educational institution; and agreement to provide certain information, as determined by the Secretaries, to the Collaborative.
In order to participate in the Collaborative, interested 2- or 4-year postsecondary educational institutions and sponsors shall agree to meet certain conditions determined by the Secretaries. Such conditions shall address, at a minimum— how learning during a registered apprenticeship program, including related instruction and on-the-job training, will be assessed for academic credit; how programs and procedures, especially those related to admissions, credit transfer, and recognition of such learning will be structured to support accessibility for apprentices; how the structure and scheduling of courses will be developed in a way that supports the matriculation of apprentices; and how residency requirements will support the transferability of credit earned by apprentices.
The Secretaries shall maintain a publicly accessible website identifying, at a minimum— the participating members of the Collaborative in each State; a model for articulation agreements, and copies of some exemplary articulation agreements for illustrative purposes; and such other information as the Secretaries determine to be necessary to promote awareness of the Collaborative and its members. The Secretaries shall use 30 percent of the funds available under subsection
(c)to establish and maintain the Collaborative and the website described in paragraph (5), to support the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships established under section 211(d) and for technical assistance, evaluation, and research activities. The Secretaries shall use 70 percent of the funds available under subsection
(c)to carry out, directly or by grant or contract with an eligible entity, activities consisting of— providing funding to Collaborative participants to support the development of articulation agreements with other Collaborative participants; providing funding to the Collaborative to support the assessment of learning during a registered apprenticeship program, for academic credit; providing funding to the Collaborative to support third-party evaluations of the quality and rigor of program offerings, described in paragraph (3)(B)(i), which evaluations shall be conducted by an entity that meets minimum criteria as established by the Secretaries; providing curriculum development, for participating institutions and sponsors of the Collaborative; and carrying out other purposes that will help participating institutions and sponsors of the Collaborative meet the requirements of paragraphs
(3)and (4). To be eligible to receive a grant or contract under subparagraph (B), an entity shall be a partnership comprised of— at least one 2- or 4-year postsecondary educational institution participating in the Collaborative; and at least one sponsor of a registered apprenticeship program participating in the Collaborative. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 and each subsequent year.