Advancing Career Pathways Innovation Act

This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to establish a career pathways innovation grant program to award competitive three-year grants to eligible agencies (a local educational agency, or consortium thereof, or a school operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Education) for the purpose of addressing the specialized skill needs of business and industry by carrying out career pathways programs, featuring school partnerships, that support career pathways at the secondary school level or career exploration at the elementary school level.

The Assistant Secretary of Career, Technical, and Adult Education shall:

• administer such grants;
• provide technical assistance to eligible agencies preparing grant applications; and
• support career pathways partnership coordinators, or other personnel of eligible agencies that have received a grant, in order to ensure that the eligible agency participates in the required school partnership and the grant results in positive program outcomes.

ED must designate at least one employee of the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education who will exclusively support rural and native-serving eligible agencies with the preparation of grant applications and the development of school partnerships necessary to apply for and implement a grant.