April 22, 2026
Mr. Curtis introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
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).