The TECH Act would expand access to federal education grants for technical schools by allowing qualified vocational institutions to compete for the same federal funding as traditional two-year and four-year colleges. The bill specifically targets four federal grant programs: the Strengthening Institutions Program, the Federal TRIO Program, the CCAMPIS child care program under the Department of Education, and the Labor Department's Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Program. Qualified technical schools would need to offer either eligible career pathway programs or short-term job training programs (150 to 600 clock hours) in critical sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and infrastructure. Within 180 days of enactment, the Departments of Education and Labor must modify their grant eligibility rules and issue guidance on how to distribute funds fairly across technical schools and traditional institutions to build workforce pipelines in aging industries. The bill includes a 60-day approval process for schools seeking to establish program eligibility and requires certification from state boards.
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