§ 6102. — Purposes and Congressional intent.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 20USC6102]
TITLE 20--EDUCATION
CHAPTER 69--SCHOOL-TO-WORK OPPORTUNITIES
Sec. 6102. Purposes and Congressional intent
(a) Purposes
The purposes of this chapter are--
(1) to establish a national framework within which all States
can create statewide School-to-Work Opportunities systems that--
(A) are a part of comprehensive education reform;
(B) are integrated with the systems developed under the
Goals 2000: Educate America Act [20 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.] and the
National Skill Standards Act of 1994 [20 U.S.C. 5931 et seq.];
and
(C) offer opportunities for all students to participate in a
performance-based education and training program that will--
(i) enable the students to earn portable credentials;
(ii) prepare the students for first jobs in high-skill,
high-wage careers; and
(iii) increase their opportunities for further
education, including education in a 4-year college or
university;
(2) to facilitate the creation of a universal, high-quality
school-to-work transition system that enables youths in the United
States to identify and navigate paths to productive and
progressively more rewarding roles in the workplace;
(3) to utilize workplaces as active learning environments in the
educational process by making employers joint partners with
educators in providing opportunities for all students to participate
in high-quality, work-based learning experiences;
(4) to use Federal funds under this chapter as venture capital,
to underwrite the initial costs of planning and establishing
statewide School-to-Work Opportunities systems that will be
maintained with other Federal, State, and local resources;
(5) to promote the formation of local partnerships that are
dedicated to linking the worlds of school and work among secondary
schools and postsecondary educational institutions, private and
public employers, labor organizations, government, community-based
organizations, parents, students, State educational agencies, local
educational agencies, and training and human service agencies;
(6) to promote the formation of local partnerships between
elementary schools and secondary schools (including middle schools)
and local businesses as an investment in future workplace
productivity and competitiveness;
(7) to help all students attain high academic and occupational
standards;
(8) to build on and advance a range of promising school-to-work
activities, such as tech-prep education, career academies, school-
to-apprenticeship programs, cooperative education, youth
apprenticeship, school-sponsored enterprises, business-education
compacts, and promising strategies that assist school dropouts, that
can be developed into programs funded under this chapter;
(9) to improve the knowledge and skills of youths by integrating
academic and occupational learning, integrating school-based and
work-based learning, and building effective linkages between
secondary and postsecondary education;
(10) to encourage the development and implementation of programs
that will require paid high-quality, work-based learning
experiences;
(11) to motivate all youths, including low-achieving youths,
school dropouts, and youths with disabilities, to stay in or return
to school or a classroom setting and strive to succeed, by providing
enriched learning experiences and assistance in obtaining good jobs
and continuing their education in postsecondary educational
institutions;
(12) to expose students to a broad array of career
opportunities, and facilitate the selection of career majors, based
on individual interests, goals, strengths, and abilities;
(13) to increase opportunities for minorities, women, and
individuals with disabilities, by enabling individuals to prepare
for careers that are not traditional for their race, gender, or
disability; and
(14) to further the National Education Goals set forth in title
I of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act [20 U.S.C. 5811 et seq.].
(b) Congressional intent
It is the intent of Congress that the Secretary of Labor and the
Secretary of Education jointly administer this chapter in a flexible
manner that--
(1) promotes State and local discretion in establishing and
implementing statewide School-to-Work Opportunities systems and
School-to-Work Opportunities programs; and
(2) contributes to reinventing government by--
(A) building on State and local capacity;
(B) eliminating duplication in education and training
programs for youths by integrating such programs into 1
comprehensive system;
(C) maximizing the effective use of resources;
(D) supporting locally established initiatives;
(E) requiring measurable goals for performance; and
(F) offering flexibility in meeting such goals.
(Pub. L. 103-239, Sec. 3, May 4, 1994, 108 Stat. 570.)
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original ``this Act'',
meaning Pub. L. 103-239, May 4, 1994, 108 Stat. 568, which is classified
principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to
the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6101 of this title
and Tables.
The Goals 2000: Educate America Act, referred to in subsec.
(a)(1)(B), (14), is Pub. L. 103-227, Mar. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 125
(except titles V and IX), as amended, which is classified principally to
chapter 68 (Sec. 5801 et seq.) of this title (except subchapters V
(Sec. 5931 et seq.) and IX (Sec. 6001 et seq.)). Title I of the Act is
classified generally to subchapter I (Sec. 5811 et seq.) of chapter 68
of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title note set out under section 5801 of this title and Tables.
The National Skill Standards Act of 1994, referred to in subsec.
(a)(1)(B), is title V of Pub. L. 103-227, Mar. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 191,
which is classified generally to subchapter V (Sec. 5931 et seq.) of
chapter 68 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the
Code, see section 5931 of this title and Tables.
