Career Education Incentive Act Statement on Signing H.R. 7 Into Law.

I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 7, which authorizes $325 million in Federal grants over the next 5 years to State and local education agencies. The purpose of these grants is to help the agencies improve career education programs in elementary and secondary schools.

Until now, the Federal Government has had a very limited role in sponsoring career education. While expanding that role, H.R. 7 is designed to ensure that the State and local education agencies take the lead in developing and coordinating better career education programs. During the first 2 years, the programs will be fully funded by the Federal Government. After FY '80, there will be a system of matching grants; in FY '81, the Federal Government will pay 75 percent of the cost by this bill; in FY '82, 50 percent; and in FY '83, 25 percent. After FY '83, the entire cost will be borne by the State and local education agencies. By that time, the programs authorized under this bill should be well enough established, and clearly enough under the direction of the State and local education agencies, to enable them to continue without Federal financial support.