 
             CHAPTER 44--VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
 
   SUBCHAPTER I--VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO THE 
                                 STATES
 
                        Part B--State Provisions
 
Sec. 2344. State leadership activities


(a) General authority

    From amounts reserved under section 2322(a)(2) of this title, each 
eligible agency shall conduct State leadership activities.

(b) Required uses of funds

    The State leadership activities described in subsection (a) of this 
section shall include--
        (1) an assessment of the vocational and technical education 
    programs carried out with funds under this subchapter that includes 
    an assessment of how the needs of special populations are being met 
    and how such programs are designed to enable special populations to 
    meet State adjusted levels of performance and prepare the special 
    populations for further learning or for high skill, high wage 
    careers;
        (2) developing, improving, or expanding the use of technology in 
    vocational and technical education that may include--
            (A) training of vocational and technical education personnel 
        to use state-of-the-art technology, that may include distance 
        learning;
            (B) providing vocational and technical education students 
        with the academic, and vocational and technical skills that lead 
        to entry into the high technology and telecommunications field; 
        or
            (C) encouraging schools to work with high technology 
        industries to offer voluntary internships and mentoring 
        programs;

        (3) professional development programs, including providing 
    comprehensive professional development (including initial teacher 
    preparation) for vocational and technical, academic, guidance, and 
    administrative personnel, that--
            (A) will provide inservice and preservice training in state-
        of-the-art vocational and technical education programs and 
        techniques, effective teaching skills based on research, and 
        effective practices to improve parental and community 
        involvement; and
            (B) will help teachers and personnel to assist students in 
        meeting the State adjusted levels of performance established 
        under section 2323 of this title;
            (C) will support education programs for teachers of 
        vocational and technical education in public schools and other 
        public school personnel who are involved in the direct delivery 
        of educational services to vocational and technical education 
        students to ensure that such teachers stay current with the 
        needs, expectations, and methods of industry; and
            (D) is integrated with the professional development 
        activities that the State carries out under title II of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 
        et seq.) and title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [20 
        U.S.C. 1021 et seq.];

        (4) support for vocational and technical education programs that 
    improve the academic, and vocational and technical skills of 
    students participating in vocational and technical education 
    programs by strengthening the academic, and vocational and technical 
    components of such vocational and technical education programs 
    through the integration of academics with vocational and technical 
    education to ensure learning in the core academic, and vocational 
    and technical subjects;
        (5) providing preparation for nontraditional training and 
    employment;
        (6) supporting partnerships among local educational agencies, 
    institutions of higher education, adult education providers, and, as 
    appropriate, other entities, such as employers, labor organizations, 
    parents, and local partnerships, to enable students to achieve State 
    academic standards, and vocational and technical skills;
        (7) serving individuals in State institutions, such as State 
    correctional institutions and institutions that serve individuals 
    with disabilities; and
        (8) support for programs for special populations that lead to 
    high skill, high wage careers.

(c) Permissible uses of funds

    The leadership activities described in subsection (a) of this 
section may include--
        (1) technical assistance for eligible recipients;
        (2) improvement of career guidance and academic counseling 
    programs that assist students in making informed academic, and 
    vocational and technical education decisions;
        (3) establishment of agreements between secondary and 
    postsecondary vocational and technical education programs in order 
    to provide postsecondary education and training opportunities for 
    students participating in such vocational and technical education 
    programs, such as tech-prep programs;
        (4) support for cooperative education;
        (5) support for vocational and technical student organizations, 
    especially with respect to efforts to increase the participation of 
    students who are members of special populations;
        (6) support for public charter schools operating secondary 
    vocational and technical education programs;
        (7) support for vocational and technical education programs that 
    offer experience in, and understanding of, all aspects of an 
    industry for which students are preparing to enter;
        (8) support for family and consumer sciences programs;
        (9) support for education and business partnerships;
        (10) support to improve or develop new vocational and technical 
    education courses;
        (11) providing vocational and technical education programs for 
    adults and school dropouts to complete their secondary school 
    education; and
        (12) providing assistance to students, who have participated in 
    services and activities under this subchapter, in finding an 
    appropriate job and continuing their education.

(d) Restriction on uses of funds

    An eligible agency that receives funds under section 2322(a)(2) of 
this title may not use any of such funds for administrative costs.

(Pub. L. 88-210, title I, Sec. 124, as added Pub. L. 105-332, Sec. 1(b), 
Oct. 31, 1998, 112 Stat. 3107.)

                       References in Text

    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in 
subsec. (b)(3)(D), is Pub. L. 89-10, Apr. 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 27, as 
amended generally by Pub. L. 103-382, title I, Sec. 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 
108 Stat. 3519. Title II of the Act is classified generally to 
subchapter II (Sec. 6601 et seq.) of chapter 70 of this title. For 
complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note 
set out under section 6301 of this title and Tables.
    The Higher Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (b)(3)(D), 
is Pub. L. 89-329, Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1219, as amended. Title II of 
the Act is classified generally to subchapter II (Sec. 1021 et seq.) of 
chapter 28 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the 
Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of this title and 
Tables.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 2322 of this title.
