[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2819 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 2819

   To provide education to students in grades 8, 9, and 10 about the 
                    importance of higher education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 21, 2004

  Mr. Specter introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide education to students in grades 8, 9, and 10 about the 
                    importance of higher education.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Higher Education Preparation Program 
Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (2) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (4) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).

SEC. 3. HIGHER EDUCATION PREPARATION PROGRAM CURRICULUM.

    (a) Program Authorized.--From amounts appropriated under section 6 
for fiscal year 2005, the Secretary shall award, on a competitive 
basis, a grant to a nonprofit organization to enable the nonprofit 
organization to develop a curriculum-based higher education preparation 
program curriculum for students in grades 8, 9, and 10 that--
            (1) educates such students about the opportunities for and 
        the importance of higher education and prepares such students 
        for the process of applying to institutions of higher 
        education; and
            (2) provides 1 class hour of higher education preparation 
        instruction each week for students in grades 8, 9, and 10.
    (b) Application.--Each nonprofit organization desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may reasonably require.
    (c) Award Basis.--In awarding a grant under this section, the 
Secretary shall take into consideration the ability of the nonprofit 
organization to develop the higher education preparation program 
curriculum described in subsection (a).

SEC. 4. HIGHER EDUCATION PREPARATION PROGRAM DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

    (a) Program Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--From amounts appropriated under section 6, 
        the Secretary shall establish a demonstration project under 
        which the Secretary shall award, on a competitive basis, grants 
        to State educational agencies to enable the State educational 
        agencies to provide higher education preparation programs, 
        using the higher education preparation program curriculum 
        designed under section 3, to students in grades 8, 9, and 10 in 
        middle schools and secondary schools served by the State 
        educational agencies.
            (2) Number.--The Secretary shall award grants under 
        paragraph (1) to not more than 5 State educational agencies.
            (3) Duration.--The Secretary shall award each grant under 
        paragraph (1) for a period of 5 years.
    (b) Application.--Each State educational agency desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may reasonably require.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--A State educational agency receiving a 
grant under this section--
            (1) shall use grant funds to implement the higher education 
        preparation program curriculum developed under section 3 in 
        middle schools and secondary schools served by the State 
        educational agency; and
            (2) may use grant funds, or any other funds including 
        private funds, to supplement the program described in paragraph 
        (1) with appropriate enrichments, such as guest speakers, 
        videos, or web-based services.
    (d) Award Basis.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall take into consideration the number of middle schools 
and secondary schools served by the State educational agency that have 
historically low rates of student application and admission to 
institutions of higher education.
    (e) Requirement.--In selecting students in grades 8, 9, and 10 to 
participate in the higher education preparation program, a State 
educational agency receiving a grant under this section shall give 
priority to students in the middle schools and secondary schools served 
by the State educational agency that have historically low rates of 
student application and admission to institutions of higher education.
    (f) State Educational Agency Reports.--A State educational agency 
receiving a grant under this section shall--
            (1) require that each middle school and secondary school 
        participating in the higher education preparation program 
        submit an annual report on the progress of the demonstration 
        project to the State educational agency; and
            (2) submit an annual report on the progress of the 
        demonstration project to the Secretary.

SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Annual Reports.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress an 
annual report on the progress of the demonstration project described 
under section 4.
    (b) Final Report.--Not less than 90 days after the conclusion of 
the demonstration project described under section 4, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a final report on the results of the 
demonstration project, together with recommendations for such 
legislative or administrative action as the Secretary determines 
appropriate.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2010.
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