1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Careers Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) A career guidance and counseling program develops an individual's competencies in self-knowledge, educational and occupational exploration, and career planning. (2) Career guidance and counseling programs help individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to identify options, explore alternatives, and succeed in a 21st century society. (3) The American School Counselor Association recommends a student-to-counselor ratio of two-hundred fifty to one. Forty-seven States do not meet this recommendation. (4) School counselors design and implement comprehensive school counseling programs that include educational and career planning activities for all students that are designed to assist students in reaching academic, career, and personal goals. (5) Students at schools with highly integrated, rigorous, academic and career and technical education programs have significantly higher achievement in reading, mathematics, and science than do students at schools with less integrated programs. 3. Career counseling program (a) Program authorized Part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6621 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 5 Career counseling program 2251. Definitions In this subpart: (1) Career counselor The term career counselor means a school counselor licensed or certified by a State. (2) Comprehensive career counseling program The term comprehensive career counseling program means a program that— (A) provides access for students (and parents, as appropriate) to information regarding career awareness and planning with respect to an individual’s occupational and academic future; (B) provides information with respect to career options, financial aid, and postsecondary options, including baccalaureate degree programs, registered apprenticeship programs, and professional trades