To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to provide for integrated workforce training programs for adults with limited English proficiency, and for other purposes.

October 1, 2003

Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself and Mr. BOND) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to provide for integrated workforce training programs for adults with limited English proficiency, 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 `Limited English Proficiency and Integrated Workforce Training Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 system is designed--

(A) to ensure universal access for individuals in need of employment and training systems; and

(B) to equip workers with those skills that contribute to lifelong education.

(2) The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 system is designed to recognize and reinforce the link between economic development and workforce development to meet the joint demands of employers and workers.

(3) The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 system should address the ongoing shortage of essential skills in the United States workforce in sectors with economic growth to ensure the United States remains competitive in the global economy.

(4) Immigrants accounted for over 50 percent of the growth in the civilian workforce between 1990 and 2001, and assuming today's levels of immigration remain constant, immigrants will account for half of the growth in the working age population between 2006 and 2015.

(5) The growth of the United States workforce and the competitiveness of the United States economy is directly linked to immigrants, some of whom are limited English proficient.

(6) The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 system may be significantly strengthened by funding the development of an employer centered integrated workforce training program for adults with limited English proficiency, taking into account the needs of the local and regional economy and the linguistic, social, and cultural characteristics of the individual.

SEC. 3. INTEGRATED WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.

Section 171 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2916) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(e) INTEGRATED WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY-

`(1) DEFINITIONS- In this subsection:

`(A) INTEGRATED WORKFORCE TRAINING- The term `integrated workforce training' means training that integrates occupational skills training with language acquisition.

`(B) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Labor in consultation with the Secretary of Education.

`(2) DEMONSTRATION PROJECT- In accordance with subsection (b), the Secretary shall establish and implement a national demonstration project designed to both analyze and provide data on workforce training programs that integrate English language acquisition and occupational training.

`(3) GRANTS-

`(A) IN GENERAL- In carrying out the demonstration project, the Secretary shall make not less than 10 grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to provide the integrated workforce training programs. In awarding grants under this subsection the Secretary shall take into consideration awarding grants to eligible entities from diverse geographic areas, including rural areas.

`(B) PERIODS- The Secretary shall make the grants for periods of not less than 24 months and not more than 48 months.

`(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES-

`(A) IN GENERAL- To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall work in conjunction with a local board and shall include as a principal participant one or more of the following:

`(i) An employer or employer association.

`(ii) A nonprofit provider of English language instruction.

`(iii) A provider of occupational or skills training.

`(iv) A community-based organization.

`(v) An educational institution, including a 2- or 4-year college, or a technical or vocational school.

`(vi) A labor organization.

`(vii) A local board.

`(B) EXPERTISE- To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall have proven expertise in--

`(i) serving individuals with limited English proficiency, including individuals with lower levels of oral and written English; and

`(ii) providing workforce programs with training and English language instruction.

`(5) APPLICATIONS-

`(A) IN GENERAL- To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

`(B) CONTENTS- Each application submitted under subparagraph (A) shall--

`(i) contain information, including capability statements, that demonstrates that the eligible entity has the expertise described in paragraph (4)(B); and

`(ii) include an assurance that the program to be assisted shall--

`(I) establish a generalized adult bilingual workforce training and education model that integrates English language acquisition and occupational training, and incorporates the unique linguistic and cultural factors of the participants;

`(II) establish a framework by which the employer, employee, and other relevant members of the eligible entity can create a career development and training plan that assists both the employer and the employee to meet their long-term needs;

`(III) ensure that this framework takes into consideration the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the employee with respect to both the current and economic conditions of the employer and future labor market conditions relevant to the local area; and

`(IV) establish identifiable measures so that the progress of the employee and employer and the relative efficacy of the program can be evaluated and best practices identified.

`(6) -CRITERIA- The Secretary of Labor shall establish criteria for awarding grants under this subsection.

`(7) INTEGRATED WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS-

`(A) PROGRAM COMPONENTS-

`(i) REQUIRED COMPONENTS- Each program that receives funding under this subsection shall--

`(I) test an individual's English language proficiency levels to assess oral and literacy gains from the beginning and throughout program enrollment;

`(II) combine training specific to a particular occupation or occupational cluster, with--

`(aa) English language instruction, such as instruction through English as a Second Language program, or English for Speakers of Other Languages;

`(bb) basic skills instruction; and

`(cc) supportive services;

`(III) effectively integrate public and private sector entities, including the local workforce investment system and its functions, to achieve the goals of the program; and

`(IV) require matching or in-kind resources from private and nonprofit entities.

`(ii) PERMISSIBLE COMPONENTS- The program may offer other services as necessary to promote successful participation and completion, including work-based learning, substance abuse treatment, and mental health services.

`(B) GOAL- Each program that receives funding under this subsection shall be designed to prepare limited English proficient adults for and place such adults in employment in growing industries with identifiable career ladder paths.

`(C) PROGRAM TYPES- In selecting programs to receive funding under this subsection, the Secretary shall select programs that meet 1 or more of the following criteria:

`(i) A program that--

`(I) serves unemployed, limited English proficient individuals with significant work experience or substantial education but persistently low wages; and

`(II) aims to prepare such individuals for and place such individuals in higher paying employment, defined for purposes of this subparagraph as

employment that provides at least 75 percent of the median wage in the local area.

`(ii) A program that--

`(I) serves limited English proficient individuals with lower levels of oral and written fluency, who are working but at persistently low wages; and

`(II) aims to prepare such individuals for and place such individuals in higher paying employment, through services provided at the worksite, or at a location central to several worksites, during work hours.

`(iii) A program that--

`(I) serves unemployed, limited English proficient individuals with lower levels of oral and written fluency, who have little or no work experience; and

`(II) aims to prepare such individuals for and place such individuals in employment through services that include subsidized employment, in addition to the components required in subparagraph (A)(i).

`(iv) A program that includes funds from private and nonprofit entities.

`(D) PROGRAM APPROACHES- In selecting programs to receive funding under this subsection, the Secretary shall select programs with different approaches to integrated workforce training, in different contexts, in order to obtain comparative data on multiple approaches to integrated workforce training and English language instruction, to ensure programs are tailored to characteristics of individuals with varying skill levels and to assess how different curricula work for limited English proficient populations. Such approaches may include--

`(i) bilingual programs in which the workplace language component and the training are conducted in a combination of an individual's native language and English;

`(ii) integrated workforce training programs that combine basic skills, language instruction, and job specific skills training.

`(iii) sequential programs that provide a progression of skills, language, and training to ensure success upon an individual's completion of the program.

`(8) EVALUATION BY ELIGIBLE ENTITY- Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection for a program shall carry out a continuous program evaluation and an evaluation specific to the last phase of the program operations.

`(9) EVALUATION BY SECRETARY-

`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of program impacts of the programs funded under the demonstration project, with a random assignment, experimental design impact study done at each worksite at which such a program is carried out.

`(B) DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS- The Secretary shall collect and analyze the data from the demonstration project to determine program effectiveness, including gains in language proficiency, acquisition of skills, and job advancement for program participants.

`(C) REPORT- The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, and make available to the public, a report on the demonstration project, including the results of the evaluation.

`(10) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to recipients of grants under this subsection throughout the grant periods.

`(11) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- In addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated under section 174(b), there are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2004--

`(A) $10,000,000 to make grants under paragraph (3); and

`(B) $1,000,000 to carry out paragraph (9).'.

END