(a) Authorization of grant program
(1) In general
From the amounts appropriated to carry out this section, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities under paragraph (2) to promote training and placement of individuals, including individuals who have completed a court reporting training program, as realtime writers in order to meet the requirements for closed captioning of video programming set forth in section
613 of title 47 and the rules prescribed thereunder.
(2) Eligible entities
For purposes of this section, an eligible entity is a court reporting program that—
(A) has a curriculum capable of training realtime writers qualified to provide captioning services;
(B) is accredited by an accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary; and
(C) is participating in student aid programs under subchapter IV.
(3) Priority in grants
In determining whether to make grants under this section, the Secretary shall give a priority to eligible entities that, as determined by the Secretary—
(A) possess the most substantial capability to increase their capacity to train realtime writers;
(B) demonstrate the most promising collaboration with educational institutions, businesses, labor organizations, or other community groups having the potential to train or provide job placement assistance to realtime writers; or
(C) propose the most promising and innovative approaches for initiating or expanding training or job placement assistance efforts with respect to realtime writers.
(4) Duration of grant
A grant under this section shall be for a period of up to five years.
(5) Maximum amount of grant
The amount of a grant provided under this subsection to an eligible entity may not exceed $1,500,000 for the period of the grant.
(b) Application
(1) In general
To receive a grant under subsection (a), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require. The application shall contain the information set forth under paragraph (2).
(2) Information
Information in the application of an eligible entity for a grant under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(A) A description of the training and assistance to be funded using the grant amount, including how such training and assistance will increase the number of realtime writers.
(B) A description of performance measures to be utilized to evaluate the progress of individuals receiving such training and assistance in matters relating to enrollment, completion of training, and job placement and retention.
(C) A description of the manner in which the eligible entity will ensure that recipients of scholarships, if any, funded by the grant will be employed and retained as realtime writers.
(D) A description of the manner in which the eligible entity intends to continue providing the training and assistance to be funded by the grant after the end of the grant period, including any partnerships or arrangements established for that purpose.
(E) A description of how the eligible entity will work with local boards (as defined in section
3102 of title 29) to ensure that training and assistance to be funded with the grant will further local workforce goals, including the creation of educational opportunities for individuals who are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or are displaced workers.
(F) Additional information, if any, on the eligibility of the eligible entity for priority in the making of grants under subsection (a)(3).
(G) Such other information as the Secretary may require.
(c) Use of funds
(1) In general
An eligible entity receiving a grant under subsection (a) shall use the grant amount for purposes relating to the recruitment, training and assistance, and job placement of individuals, including individuals who have completed a court reporting training program, as realtime writers, including—
(A) recruitment;
(B) subject to paragraph (2), the provision of scholarships;
(C) distance learning;
(D) further developing and implementing both English and Spanish curricula to more effectively train individuals in realtime writing skills, and education in the knowledge necessary for the delivery of high quality closed captioning services;
(E) mentoring students to ensure successful completion of the realtime training and providing assistance in job placement;
(F) encouraging individuals with disabilities to pursue a career in realtime writing; and
(G) the employment and payment of personnel for the purposes described in this paragraph.
(2) Scholarships
(A) Amount
The amount of a scholarship under paragraph (1)(B) shall be based on the amount of need of the scholarship recipient for financial assistance, as determined in accordance with part F of subchapter IV.
(B) Agreement
Each recipient of a scholarship under paragraph (1)(B) shall enter into an agreement with the school in which the recipient is enrolled to provide realtime writing services for the purposes described in subsection (a)(1) for a period of time appropriate (as determined by the Secretary) for the amount of the scholarship received.
(C) Coursework and employment
The Secretary shall establish requirements for coursework and employment for recipients of scholarships under paragraph (1)(B), including requirements for repayment of scholarship amounts in the event of failure to meet such requirements for coursework and employment. The Secretary may waive, in whole or in part, the requirements for repayment of scholarship amounts on the basis of economic conditions which may affect the ability of scholarship recipients to find work as realtime writers.
(3) Administrative costs
The recipient of a grant under this section may not use more than five percent of the grant amount to pay administrative costs associated with activities funded by the grant. The Secretary shall use not more than five percent of the amount available for grants under this section in any fiscal year for administrative costs of the program.
(4) Supplement not supplant
Grant amounts under this section shall supplement and not supplant other Federal or non-Federal funds of the grant recipient for purposes of promoting the training and placement of individuals as realtime writers.
(d) Report
(1) In general
Each eligible entity receiving a grant under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary, at the end of the grant period, a report on the activities of such entity with respect to the use of grant amounts during the grant period.
(2) Report information
Each report of an eligible entity under paragraph (1) shall include—
(A) an assessment by the entity of the effectiveness of activities carried out using such funds in increasing the number of realtime writers, using the performance measures submitted by the eligible entity in the application for the grant under subsection (b)(2); and
(B) a description of the best practices identified by the eligible entity for increasing the number of individuals who are trained, employed, and retained in employment as realtime writers.
(3) Summaries
The Secretary shall summarize the reports submitted under paragraph (2) and make such summary available on the Department's website.
(e) 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.