S. 4371

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4371 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4371

To ensure that qualified technical schools offering certain career 
pathway and job training programs have the same access to Federal 
grants as 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education, and for 
other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 22, 2026

Mr. Curtis introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To ensure that qualified technical schools offering certain career 
pathway and job training programs have the same access to Federal 
grants as 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education, and for 
other purposes.

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 ``Transforming Education through 
College and Hands-On Training Act'' or the ``TECH Act''.

SEC. 2. MODIFICATION TO ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a 
qualified technical school shall be eligible to participate in any 
covered Federal grant program to the same extent, and on the same 
basis, as any 2-year or 4-year institution of higher education.
(b) Agency Action.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, each Secretary concerned shall--
(1) modify the eligibility criteria and application 
procedures for the covered Federal grant programs under the 
jurisdiction of such Secretary, as necessary, to ensure that 
qualified technical schools are eligible to participate in the 
program to the same extent, and on the same basis, as 2-year 
and 4-year institutions of higher education, as required under 
subsection (a); and
(2) issue guidance that specifies how grants under such 
programs should be dispersed among qualified technical schools 
and 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education to 
ensure that the sectors and occupations described in subsection 
(c)(4)(A)(ii) have an adequate workforce pipeline to replace 
the aging and retiring current employees.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) 2-year or 4-year institution of higher education.--The 
term ``2-year or 4-year institution of higher education'' means 
an institution described in section 101(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(2) Covered federal grant program.--The term ``covered 
Federal grant program'' means the following:
(A) Grants made by the Department of Education 
under--
(i) the Strengthening Institutions Program 
authorized under part A of title III of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1057 et 
seq.);
(ii) the Federal TRIO Program authorized 
under chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of title 
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1070a-11 et seq.); and
(iii) the Child Care Access Means Parents 
in School Program (commonly known as the 
``CCAMPIS Program'') authorized under section 
419N of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1070e).
(B) Grants made by the Department of Labor under 
the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants 
Program, authorized under section 169(c) of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
3224(c)).
(3) Eligible career pathway program.--The term ``eligible 
career pathway program'' means a program that--
(A) meets the requirements of section 484(d)(2) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1091(d)(2));
(B) is offered by a provider on the list under 
section 122(d) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3152(d));
(C) is part of a career pathway, as defined in 
section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
Act (29 U.S.C. 3102); and
(D) is aligned to a program of study, as defined in 
section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302).
(4) Eligible job training program.--
(A) In general.--The term ``eligible job training 
program'' means a career and technical education 
program that--
(i) is a program of at least 150 clock 
hours of instruction, but less than 600 clock 
hours of instruction, or an equivalent number 
of credit hours, offered by a postsecondary 
vocational institution (as defined in section 
102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1002(c))) located in the United States 
during a minimum of 8 weeks, but less than 15 
weeks;
(ii) provides training that is--
(I) in a sector or occupation 
determined by the Secretary concerned 
to be essential for national security, 
public safety, supply chain security, 
transportation, critical manufacturing 
or infrastructure, healthcare, or 
public health; and
(II) aligned with the requirements 
of high-skill, high-wage occupations or 
in-demand industry sectors or 
occupations in the State or local area, 
as determined by an industry or sector 
partnership;
(iii) is a program of training services, 
and provided through an eligible training 
provider that is on the list under section 
122(d) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3152(d));
(iv) provides a student, upon completion of 
the program, with a recognized postsecondary 
credential that is recognized by employers in 
the relevant industry, including credentials 
recognized by industry or sector partnerships 
in the relevant industry in the State or local 
area where the industry is located and the job 
training program is provided;
(v) has been determined by the school 
(after validation of that determination by an 
industry or sector partnership) to provide 
academic content, an amount of instructional 
time, and a recognized postsecondary credential 
that are sufficient to--
(I) meet the hiring requirements of 
potential employers; and
(II) satisfy any applicable 
educational prerequisite requirement 
for professional licensure or 
certification, so that the student who 
completes the program and seeks 
employment qualifies to take any 
licensure or certification examination 
needed to practice or find employment 
in an occupation that the program 
prepares students to enter;
(vi) may include integrated education and 
training;
(vii) may be offered as part of an eligible 
career pathway program; and
(viii) does not exceed by more than 50 
percent the minimum number of clock hours 
required for training if the State has 
established such a requirement.
(B) Approval by the secretary.--In the case of a 
program that is seeking to establish eligibility as an 
eligible job training program under this paragraph, the 
Secretary of Education shall make a determination about 
whether the program meets the requirements of this 
paragraph not more than 60 days after the date on which 
such program is submitted for consideration as an 
eligible job training program.
(C) Additional assurance.--The Secretary of 
Education shall not determine that a program is an 
eligible job training program in accordance with 
subparagraph (B) unless the Secretary receives a 
certification from the appropriate State board 
containing an assurance that the program meets the 
requirements of subparagraph (A).
(5) Qualified technical school.--The term ``qualified 
technical school'' means a postsecondary vocational institution 
(as defined in section 102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(c))) that--
(A) offers an eligible career pathway program or an 
eligible job training program; and
(B) is located in the United States.
(6) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
means--
(A) the Secretary of Education, with respect to a 
covered Federal grant program administered by the 
Department of Education; and
(B) the Secretary of Labor, with respect to a 
covered Federal grant program administered by the 
Department of Labor.
(7) WIOA terms.--The terms ``industry or sector 
partnership'', ``in-demand industry sector or occupation'', 
``recognized postsecondary credential'', and ``State board'' 
have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
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