US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

20 U.S.C. § 2353

Special rules for career and technical education

(a)

Special rule for minimal allocation

(1)

General authority

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 2351 and 2352 of this title and in order to make a more equitable distribution of funds for programs serving the areas of greatest economic need, for any program year for which a minimal amount is made available by an eligible agency for distribution under section 2351 or 2352 of this title, such eligible agency may distribute such minimal amount for such year—
(A)
on a competitive basis; or
(B)
through any alternative method determined by the eligible agency.
(2)

Minimal amount

section 2322(a)(1) of this titleFor purposes of this section, the term “minimal amount” means not more than 15 percent of the total amount made available for distribution under .

(b)

Redistribution

(1)

In general

In any academic year that an eligible recipient does not expend all of the amounts the eligible recipient is allocated for such year under section 2351 or 2352 of this title, such eligible recipient shall return any unexpended amounts to the eligible agency to be reallocated under section 2351 or 2352 of this title, as appropriate.

(2)

Redistribution of amounts returned late in an academic year

section 2322(a)(1) of this titleIn any academic year in which amounts are returned to the eligible agency under section 2351 or 2352 of this title and the eligible agency is unable to reallocate such amounts according to such sections in time for such amounts to be expended in such academic year, the eligible agency shall retain such amounts for distribution in combination with amounts provided under for the following academic year.

(c)

Construction

Nothing in section 2351 or 2352 of this title shall be construed—
(1)
section 2351 of this titlesection 2352 of this title to prohibit a local educational agency or a consortium thereof that receives assistance under , from working with an eligible institution or consortium thereof that receives assistance under , to carry out career and technical education programs or programs of study at the secondary level in accordance with this subchapter;
(2)
section 2352 of this titlesection 2351 of this title to prohibit an eligible institution or consortium thereof that receives assistance under , from working with a local educational agency or consortium thereof that receives assistance under , to carry out postsecondary and adult career and technical education programs or programs of study in accordance with this subchapter; or
(3)
to require a charter school, that provides career and technical education programs or programs of study and is considered a local educational agency under State law, to jointly establish the charter school’s eligibility for assistance under this subchapter unless the charter school is explicitly permitted to do so under the State’s charter school statute.
(d)

Consistent application

For purposes of this section, the eligible agency shall provide funds to charter schools offering career and technical education programs or programs of study in the same manner as the eligible agency provides those funds to other schools. Such career and technical education programs or programs of study within a charter school shall be of sufficient size, scope, and quality to be effective.

Pub. L. 88–210, title I, § 133Pub. L. 109–270, § 1(b)120 Stat. 731Pub. L. 115–224, title I, § 132132 Stat. 1612(, as added , , ; amended , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 88–210, title I, § 133Pub. L. 105–332, § 1(b)112 Stat. 3113Pub. L. 109–270A prior section 2353, , as added , , , related to special rules for vocational and technical education, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–2242018—Subsecs. (c), (d). inserted “or programs of study” after “career and technical education programs” wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–224section 4 of Pub. L. 115–224section 2301 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .