II 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1299 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 23, 2005 Ms. Cantwell introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To encourage partnerships between community colleges and 4-year institutions of higher education.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Community College Partnership Act of 2005.

2.

Community college opportunity; college preparation programs authorized

Subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 et seq.) is amended— (1)by redesignating section 407E as section 406E; and (2)by adding at the end the following: 4

Community college opportunity

407A.

Purpose

It is the purpose of this chapter to enhance— (1)the retention of students at community or technical colleges; (2)the opportunities for students to transfer to 4-year institutions of higher education and complete baccalaureate degrees; and (3)the preparation of students for high-quality and high-demand emerging and established occupations.

407B.

Activities

(a)

Definitions

In this chapter: (1)

Community or technical college

The term community or technical college means an institution of higher education— (A)that admits as regular students, individuals who are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in the State in which the institution is located and who have the ability to benefit from the training offered by the institution; (B)that predominately does not provide an educational program for which it awards a baccalaureate degree (or an equivalent degree); (C)that— (i)provides an educational program of not less than 2 years that is acceptable for full credit toward a baccalaureate degree; or (ii)offers a 2-year program in engineering, mathematics, or the physical or biological sciences, designed to prepare a student to work as a technician or at the semiprofessional level in engineering, scientific, or other technological fields requiring the understanding and application of basic engineering, scientific, or mathematical principles of knowledge; and (D)that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary under section 496. (2)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means— (A)a statewide governance or coordinating board with jurisdiction over community or technical colleges and institutions of higher education that offer a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree; (B)a partnership between— (i)a statewide governance or coordinating board with jurisdiction over community or technical colleges; and (ii)a statewide governance or coordinating board with jurisdiction over institutions of higher education that offer a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree; or (C)a partnership between— (i)1 or more community or technical colleges; and (ii)1 or more institutions of higher education that offer a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree which is not awarded by a college described in clause (i) with which the institution is partnered. (b)

Grants authorized

From the amounts appropriated under section 407C, the Secretary shall award not less than 6 and not more than 12 grants to eligible entities. (c)

Applications

Any eligible entity that desires to obtain a grant under this chapter shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information or assurances as the Secretary may require. (d)

Awarding of grants

(1)

Criteria

The Secretary shall establish criteria for awarding grants under this chapter. (2)

Priority

In awarding grants under this chapter, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that demonstrate the capacity to identify and address systemic problems related to college retention and the transfer of community or technical college students to institutions of higher education that offer a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree. (e)

Duration

A grant under this chapter shall be awarded for a period of 5 or 6 years, which period shall include a planning and implementation phase. (f)

Use of funds

Grants funds awarded under this chapter shall be used for— (1)the development of policies to expand opportunities for community or technical college students to earn baccalaureate degrees, including promoting the transfer of academic credits between institutions and expanding articulation and guaranteed transfer agreements; (2)support services for students participating in the program, such as tutoring, mentoring, and academic and personal counseling, as well as any service that facilitates the transition of students from a community or technical college to an institution of higher education that offers a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree; (3)academic program enhancements at a community or technical college that result in increasing— (A)the quality of the program offered; (B)the connection to high-quality and high-demand emerging and established occupations; and (C)the number of student participants in a dual degree program offered in conjunction with an institution of higher education that offers a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree; and (4)programs to identify barriers that inhibit student transfers. (g)

Regulations

The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this chapter.

407C.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this chapter $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years.

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