[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3168 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3168

 To establish an educational mentoring pilot program for at-risk youth 
through community partnerships that provides life, social, academic and 
vocational skills necessary for youth to become productive law abiding 
                               citizens.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 24, 2007

   Mr. Hastings of Florida introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish an educational mentoring pilot program for at-risk youth 
through community partnerships that provides life, social, academic and 
vocational skills necessary for youth to become productive law abiding 
                               citizens.

    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 ``Path to Success: Gang Prevention 
through Community Partnerships Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to encourage community supported 
programs that--
            (1) leverage and enhance community support for at-risk 
        young adults by facilitating the transition of such young 
        adults who are eligible individuals into productive learning 
        environments where such young adults can obtain the life, 
        social, academic and vocational skills and credentials 
        necessary to strengthen the Nation's workforce;
            (2) provide counseling, as appropriate, for eligible 
        individuals participating in the programs to allow such 
        individuals to build a relationship with one or more guidance 
        counselors during the period that the individuals are enrolled 
        in the programs, including providing referrals and connections 
        to community resources that help eligible individuals 
        transition back into the community with the necessary life, 
        social, academic and vocational skills after being in 
        detention, or incarcerated, particularly resources related to 
        health, housing, job training, and work-place readiness;
            (3) provide training and education for eligible individuals 
        participating in the programs, to allow such individuals to 
        assist community officials and law enforcement agencies with 
        the deterrence and prevention of gang and youth violence by 
        participating in seminars, training, and workshops throughout 
        the community; and
            (4) provide each eligible youth participating in the 
        programs with individual attention based on a curriculum that 
        matches the interests and abilities of the individual to the 
        resources of the program.

SEC. 3. REENTRY EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Grant Program Established.--The Secretary of Education is 
authorized to award grants to community colleges to enter into and 
maintain partnerships with juvenile detention centers and secure 
juvenile justice residential facilities to provide assistance, 
services, and education to eligible individuals who reenter the 
community and pursue, in accordance with the requirements of this Act, 
at least one of the following:
            (1) A certificate of graduation from a school providing 
        secondary education, a general equivalency diploma (GED), or 
        another recognized equivalent of such a certificate or diploma.
            (2) A certificate of completion for a specialized area of 
        study, such as vocational training and other alternative post-
        secondary educational programs.
            (3) An associate's degree.
    (b) Grant Period.--A grant awarded under this Act shall be for one 
2-year period, and may be renewed for an additional period as the 
Secretary determines to be appropriate.
    (c) Application.--A community college desiring to receive a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
shall require, which shall include--
            (1) an assessment of the existing community resources 
        available to serve at-risk youth;
            (2) a detailed description of the program and activities 
        the community college will carry out with such grant; and
            (3) a proposed budget describing how the community college 
        will use the funds made available by such grant.
    (d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
of Education shall give priority to community colleges that accept the 
highest number of eligible individuals from high-risk areas, and among 
such community colleges, shall give priority to community colleges that 
the Secretary determines will best carry out the purposes of this Act, 
based on the applications submitted in accordance with subsection (c).

SEC. 4. ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS.

    A community college awarded a grant under this Act may use such 
grant to--
            (1) pay for tuition and transportation costs of eligible 
        individuals;
            (2) establish and carry out an education program that 
        includes classes for eligible individuals that--
                    (A) provide marketable life and social skills to 
                such individuals;
                    (B) meet the education program requirements under 
                section 5;
                    (C) promote the civic engagement of such 
                individuals; and
                    (D) facilitate a smooth reentry of such individuals 
                into the community;
            (3) create and carry out a mentoring program--
                    (A) that is specifically designed to help eligible 
                individuals with the potential challenges of the 
                transitional period from detention to release;
                    (B) is created in consultation with guidance 
                counselors, academic advisors, law enforcement 
                officials, and other community resources; and
                    (C) that is administered by a program coordinator, 
                selected and employed by the community college, who 
                shall oversee each individual's development and shall 
                serve as the immediate supervisor and reporting officer 
                to whom the academic advisors, guidance counselors, and 
                volunteers shall report regarding the progress of each 
                such individual;
            (4) facilitate employment opportunities for eligible 
        individuals by entering into partnerships with public and 
        private entities to provide opportunities for internships, 
        apprenticeships, and permanent employment, as possible, for 
        such individuals; and
            (5) provide training for eligible individuals participating 
        in the programs, to allow such individuals to assist community 
        officials and law enforcement agencies with the deterrence and 
        prevention of gang and youth violence by participating in 
        seminars and workshop series throughout the community.

SEC. 5. EDUCATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

    An education program established and carried out under section 4 
shall--
            (1) include classes that are required for completion of a 
        certificate, diploma, or degree described in paragraphs (1) 
        through (3) of section 3(a);
            (2) provide a variety of academic programs, with various 
        completion requirements, to accommodate the distinctive 
        academic backgrounds, learning curves, and concentration 
        interests of the eligible individuals who participate in the 
        program;
            (3) offer flexible academic programs that are designed to 
        improve the academic development and achievement of eligible 
        individuals, and to avoid high attrition rates for such 
        individuals; and
            (4) provide for a uniquely designed education plan for each 
        eligible individual participating in the program, which shall 
        require such individual to receive, at a minimum, a certificate 
        or diploma described in paragraph (1) of section 3(a) to 
        successfully complete such program.

SEC. 6. REPORTS.

    Each community college awarded a grant under this Act shall submit 
to the Secretary of Education a report--
            (1) documenting the results of the program carried out with 
        such grant; and
            (2) evaluating the effectiveness of activities carried out 
        through such program.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Community college.--The term ``community college'' 
        means a public or nonprofit institution of higher education (as 
        such term is defined in section 101 or 102(a)(2)(B) of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001, 1002(a)(2)(B)), 
        that--
                    (A) provides an educational program of not less 
                than two years; and
                    (B) that is accredited by a regional accrediting 
                agency or association.
            (2) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual'' 
        means an individual who--
                    (A) is 16 to 19 years of age;
                    (B) has been convicted of a gang-related offense, 
                and has served a period of detention in a juvenile 
                detention center for such offense; and
                    (C) is detained in, or has been released from such 
                center.
            (3) Gang-related offense.--The term ``gang-related 
        offense'' means conduct constituting any Federal or State 
        crime, punishable by imprisonment in any of the following 
        categories:
                    (A) A crime of violence.
                    (B) A crime involving obstruction of justice, 
                tampering with or retaliating against a witness, 
                victim, or informant, or burglary.
                    (C) A crime involving the manufacturing, importing, 
                distributing, possessing with intent to distribute, or 
                otherwise dealing in a controlled substance or listed 
                chemical (as those terms are defined in section 102 of 
                the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)).
            (4) Guidance counselor.--The term ``guidance counselor'' 
        means an individual who works with at-risk youth on a one-on-
        one basis, to establishing a supportive relationship with such 
        at-risk youth and to provide such at-risk youth with academic 
        assistance and exposure to new experiences that enhance their 
        ability to become responsible citizens.
            (5) High-risk area.--The term ``high-risk area'' means a 
        specified area within a State where there is a 
        disproportionately high number of gang-related activities 
        reported to State and local law enforcement authorities.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$20,000,000 for the period beginning with fiscal year 2008 and ending 
with fiscal year 2010.
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