Title 20EducationRelease 119-73

§2394 Voluntary selection and participation

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 44— - CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › Part Part A— - Federal Administrative Provisions › § 2394

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Money under this chapter cannot force high school students into a specific career path or require anyone to join career and technical education (CTE) programs that lead to federally funded credentials.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §2394

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

No funds made available under this chapter shall be used—
(1)to require any secondary school student to choose or pursue a specific career pathway or program of study; or
(2)to mandate that any individual participate in a career and technical education program, including a career and technical education program that requires the attainment of a federally funded skill level, standard, or certificate of mastery.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 2394, Pub. L. 88–210, title III, § 314, as added Pub. L. 105–332, § 1(b), Oct. 31, 1998, 112 Stat. 3123, related to voluntary selection and participation, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 109–270. Another prior section 2394 and prior sections 2394a to 2394e were omitted in the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 105–332. section 2394, Pub. L. 88–210, title III, § 342, as added Pub. L. 101–392, title III, § 308, Sept. 25, 1990, 104 Stat. 789, stated findings and purpose of Congress. section 2394a, Pub. L. 88–210, title III, § 343, as added Pub. L. 101–392, title III, § 308, Sept. 25, 1990, 104 Stat. 789; amended Pub. L. 102–103, title III, § 315, Aug. 17, 1991, 105 Stat. 508, authorized grants for tech-prep education programs. section 2394b, Pub. L. 88–210, title III, § 344, as added Pub. L. 101–392, title III, § 308, Sept. 25, 1990, 104 Stat. 790; amended Pub. L. 103–239, title VII, § 711(a),
May 4, 1994, 108 Stat. 606, related to use of grant funds. section 2394c, Pub. L. 88–210, title III, § 345, as added Pub. L. 101–392, title III, § 308, Sept. 25, 1990, 104 Stat. 791; amended Pub. L. 103–239, title VII, § 711(b),
May 4, 1994, 108 Stat. 606, related to applications for grants. section 2394d, Pub. L. 88–210, title III, § 346, as added Pub. L. 101–392, title III, § 308, Sept. 25, 1990, 104 Stat. 792, related to reports. section 2394e, Pub. L. 88–210, title III, § 347, as added Pub. L. 101–392, title III, § 308, Sept. 25, 1990, 104 Stat. 792; amended Pub. L. 105–244, title I, § 102(a)(6)(E), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1618, defined terms for purposes of tech-prep education grant program.

Amendments

2018—Par. (1). Pub. L. 115–224, § 201(a)(2), substituted “career pathway or program of study” for “career path or major”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–224 effective July 1, 2019, see section 4 of Pub. L. 115–224, set out as a note under section 2301 of this title.

Short Title

Pub. L. 88–210, title III, § 341, as added by Pub. L. 101–392, title III, § 308, Sept. 25, 1990, 104 Stat. 788, which provided that part E of title III of Pub. L. 88–210, enacting part E (§ 2394 et seq.) of former subchapter III of this chapter, could be cited as the “Tech-Prep Education Act”, was omitted in the general amendment of Pub. L. 88–210 by Pub. L. 105–332, § 1(b), Oct. 31, 1998, 112 Stat. 3076.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 2394

Title 20Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73