Community college opportunity; college preparation programs authorized

Subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended— (1)by redesignating section 407E as section 406E; and (2)by inserting after chapter 3 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–31 et seq.) the following new chapter:

Community college opportunity

407A.

Purpose

It is the purpose of this chapter to enhance opportunities of students at community or technical colleges to transfer to 4-year institutions and complete bachelor’s degrees.

407B.

Activities

(a)

Grants authorized

From the amounts appropriated under section 407E, the Secretary shall award grants to an eligible partnership that— (1)shall include— (A)1 or more community or technical colleges that award associate’s degrees; and (B)1 or more institutions of higher education that offer a baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate degree not awarded by the institutions described in subparagraph (A) with which it is partnered; and (2)may include a State agency responsible for the oversight or coordination of institutions of higher education. (b)

Use of funds

Grants awarded under this part shall be used for— (1)the development of policies and programs to expand opportunities for community or technical college students to earn bachelor’s degrees, including promoting the transfer of academic credits between institutions and expanding articulation and guaranteed transfer agreements between institutions of higher education; (2)support services to 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 the community or technical college to the partner institution; (3)academic program enhancements at the community or technical college that result in increasing the quality of the program offered and the number of student participants in the program offered in cooperation with a baccalaureate degree granting institution pursuant to this section; and (4)programs to identify barriers that inhibit student transfers. (c)

Applications

Any institution, or a consortia or system of higher education, that desires to obtain a grant under this section 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)

Regulations

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

407C.

Definition

For the purpose of this part, the term community or technical college means a public or nonprofit institution of higher education— (1)that admits as regular students persons 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; (2)that predominately does not provide an educational program for which it awards a bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent degree); (3)that— (A)provides an educational program of not less than 2 years that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree; or (B)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 (4)that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary under section 496.

407D.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 to carry out this chapter for fiscal year 2008 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.