(a) Purpose
The purpose of this section is to provide grants to institutions of higher education partnering with employers to—

(1) provide relevant job skill training in high-growth and high-wage industries or occupations to nontraditional students; and

(2) strengthen ties between degree credit offerings at institutions of higher education and business and industry workforce needs.

(b) Authorization

(1) In general
From the amounts appropriated under subsection (k), the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships for the purpose provided in subsection (a).

(2) Duration
The Secretary shall award grants under this section for a period of not less than 36 months and not more than 60 months.

(3) Supplement, not supplant
Funds made available under this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds available to the eligible partnership for carrying out the activities described in subsection (c).

(c) Use of funds
In consultation with all of the members of an eligible partnership, grant funds provided under this section may be used to—

(1) expand or create for-credit academic programs or programs of training that provide relevant job skill training for high-growth and high-wage occupations or industries, including offerings connected to registered apprenticeship programs and entrepreneurial training opportunities;

(2) in consultation with faculty in the appropriate departments of an institution of higher education, adapt college offerings to the schedules and needs of working students, such as the creation of evening, weekend, modular, compressed, or distance learning formats;

(3) purchase equipment that will facilitate the development of academic programs or programs of training that provide training for high-growth and high-wage occupations or industries;

(4) strengthen outreach efforts that enable students, including students with limited English proficiency, to attend institutions of higher education with academic programs or programs of training focused on high-growth and high-wage occupations or industries;

(5) expand worksite learning and training opportunities, including registered apprenticeships as appropriate; and

(6) support other activities the Secretary determines to be consistent with the purpose of this section.

(d) Application

(1) In general
Each eligible partnership that desires a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such additional information as the Secretary may require.

(2) Contents
Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall include a description of—

(A) how the eligible partnership, through the institution of higher education, will provide relevant job skill training for students to enter high-growth and high-wage occupations or industries; and

(B) how the eligible partnership has consulted with employers and, where applicable, labor organizations to identify local high-growth and high-wage occupations or industries.

(e) Award basis
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall—

(1) give priority to applications focused on serving nontraditional students;

(2) ensure an equitable distribution of grant funds under this section among urban and rural areas of the United States; and

(3) take into consideration the capability of an institution of higher education that is participating in an eligible partnership to—

(A) offer one- or two-year high-quality programs of instruction and job skill training for students entering a high-growth and high-wage occupation or industry;

(B) involve the local business community, and to place graduates in employment in high-growth and high-wage occupations or industries in the community; and

(C) serve adult workers or displaced workers.

(f) Administrative costs
A grantee under this section may use not more than five percent of the grant amount to pay administrative costs associated with activities funded by the grant.

(g) Technical assistance
The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to grantees under this section throughout the grant period.

(h) Evaluation
The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the program under this section based on performance standards developed in consultation with the Department of Labor, and shall disseminate to the public the findings of such evaluation and information related to promising practices developed under this section.

(i) Report to Congress
Not later than 36 months after the first grant is awarded under this section, the Comptroller General shall report to the authorizing committees recommendations—

(1) for changes to this chapter and related Acts, such as the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 [20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.] and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (including titles I and II [29 U.S.C. 3111 et seq., 3271 et seq.]), to help create and sustain business and industry workforce partnerships at institutions of higher education; and

(2) for other changes to this chapter and related Acts to otherwise strengthen the links between business and industry workforce needs, workforce development programs, and other degree credit offerings at institutions of higher education.

(j) Definitions
In this section:

(1) Eligible partnership

(A) In general
The term "eligible partnership" means a partnership that includes—

(i) one or more institutions of higher education, one of which serves as the fiscal agent and grant recipient for the eligible partnership;

(ii) except as provided in subparagraph (B), an employer, group of employers, local board (as such term is defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act [29 U.S.C. 3102]), or workforce intermediary, or any combination thereof; and

(iii) where applicable, one or more labor organizations that represent workers locally in the businesses or industries that are the focus of the partnership, including as a result of such an organization's representation of employees at a worksite at which the partnership proposes to conduct activities under this section.

(B) State and local boards
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), if an institution of higher education that is participating in an eligible partnership under this section is located in a State that does not operate local boards, an eligible partnership may include a State board (as such term is defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act [29 U.S.C. 3102]).

(C) Rule of construction
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit an eligible partnership that is in existence on August 14, 2008, from applying for a grant under this section.

(2) Nontraditional student
The term "nontraditional student" means a student—

(A) who is an independent student, as defined in section 1087vv(d) of this title;

(B) who attends an institution of higher education—

(i) on less than a full-time basis;

(ii) via evening, weekend, modular, or compressed courses; or

(iii) via distance education methods; and

(C) who—

(i) enrolled for the first time in an institution of higher education three or more years after completing high school; or

(ii) works full-time.

(k) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.