H.R. 8051 — TECH Act

This section makes qualified technical schools eligible to participate in four specified federal grant programs—(1) Strengthening Institutions Program under part A of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), (2) Federal TRIO Program under chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the HEA, (3) Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program under section 419N of the HEA, and (4) Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Program under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)—to the same extent and on the same basis as 2-year or 4-year institutions of higher education (as defined in HEA §101(a)). (As background, these programs provide grants to institutions for strengthening academic capacity and facilities at under-resourced higher education institutions, student support services for disadvantaged populations, child care access for low-income student parents, and workforce training at community colleges.) It directs the Secretaries of Education and Labor, not later than 180 days after enactment, to (1) modify eligibility criteria and application procedures for these programs to implement the new eligibility and (2) issue guidance on dispersing grants among qualified technical schools and 2-year or 4-year institutions of higher education to build workforce pipelines in critical sectors and occupations (e.g., national security, public safety, healthcare). (Thus, qualified technical schools—defined as postsecondary vocational institutions under HEA §102(c), offering eligible job training programs of 150 to less than 600 clock hours over 8 to less than 15 weeks aligned to high-skill, high-wage industry needs and providing industry-recognized credentials—may compete equally for these grants.)