Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 1.djvu/224

 108 STAT. 198 PUBLIC LAW 103-227—MAR. 31, 1994 discriminatory with respect to race, color, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, disability, or national origin, consistent with Federal civil rights laws, (iii) A system to promote the use of and to disseminate information relating to skill standards, and assessment and certification systems, developed pursuant to this paragraph (including dissemination of information relating to civil rights laws relevant to the use of such standards and systems) to entities such as institutions of higher education offering professional and technical education, labor organizations, trade associations, employers providing formalized training, and other organizations likely to benefit from such standards and systems. (iv) A system to evaluate the implementation of the skill standards, and assessment and certification systems developed pursuant to this paragraph, and the effectiveness of the information disseminated pursuant to subparagraph (C) for informing the users of such standards and systems of the requirements of relevant civil rights laws. (v) A system to periodically revise and update the skill standards, and assessment and certification systems developed pursuant to this paragraph, which will take into account changes in standards in other countries. (2) ENDORSEMENT.— The National Board, after public review and comment, shall endorse those skill standards systems relating to the occupational clusters identified pursuant to subsection (a) that— (A) meet the objective endorsement criteria that are developed pursuant to paragraph (1); and (B) are submitted by voluntary partnerships that meet the requirements of subsection (b). (e) RELATIONSHIP WITH CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS. — (1) IN GENERAL. —Nothing in this title shall be construed to modify or affect any Federal or State law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, disability, or national origin. (2) EVIDENCE. —The endorsement or absence of an endorsement by the National Board of a skill standard, or assessment and certification system, under subsection (d) shall not be used in any action or proceeding to establish that the use of a skill standard or assessment and certification system conforms or does not conform to the requirements of civil rights laws. (f) COORDINATION. —The National Board shall establish cooperative arrangements with the National Education Standards and Improvement Council to promote the coordination of the development of skill standards under this section with the development of voluntary national content standards and voluntary national student performance standards in accordance with section 213. (g) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— (1) IN GENERAL.— From funds appropriated pursuant to section 507— (A) the National Board may enter into contracts and cooperative agreements to carry out the purposes of this title; and

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