[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3326 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3326
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local
educational agencies to improve college access.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 24 (legislative day, July 23), 2008
Mr. Durbin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local
educational agencies to improve college access.
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 ``Pathways to College Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) An educated workforce is crucial to the success of the
United States economy. Access to higher education for all
students is critical to maintaining an educated workforce. More
than 80 percent of the 23,000,000 jobs that will be created in
the next 10 years will require postsecondary education. Only 36
percent of all 18- to 24-year olds are currently enrolled in
postsecondary education.
(2) Workers with bachelor's degrees earn on average $17,000
more annually than workers with only high school diplomas.
Workers who earn bachelor's degrees can be expected to earn
$1,000,000 more over a lifetime than those who only finished
high school.
(3) The ACT recommends that schools--
(A) provide student guidance to engage students in
college and career awareness; and
(B) ensure that students enroll in a rigorous
curriculum to prepare for postsecondary education.
(4) The Department of Education reports that the average
student-to-counselor ratio in high schools is 315:1. This falls
far above the ratio recommended by the American School
Counselor Association, which is 250:1. While school counselors
at private schools spend an average of 58 percent of their time
on postsecondary education counseling, counselors in public
schools spend an average of 25 percent of their time on
postsecondary education counseling.
(5) While just 57 percent of students from the lowest
income quartile enroll in college, 87 percent of students from
the top income quartile enroll. Of students who were in eighth
grade in 2000, only 20 percent of the lowest-income students
are projected to attain a bachelor's degree by 2012, compared
to 68 percent of the highest income group, according to the
Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance in 2006.
(6) A recent report by the Consortium on Chicago School
Research found that only 41 percent of Chicago public school
students who aspire to go to college took the steps necessary
to apply to and enroll in a 4-year institution of higher
education. The report also reveals that only \1/3\ of Chicago
students who want to attend a 4-year institution of higher
education enroll in a school that matches their qualifications.
Even among students qualified to attend a selective college, 29
percent enrolled in a community college or did not enroll at
all.
(7) The Consortium found that many Chicago public school
students do not complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid, even though students who apply for Federal
financial aid are 50 percent more likely to enroll in college.
Sixty-five percent of public secondary school counselors at
low-income schools believe that students and parents are
discouraged from considering college as an option due to lack
of knowledge about financial aid.
(8) Low-income and first-generation families often
overestimate the cost of tuition and underestimate available
aid; students from these backgrounds have access to fewer
college application resources and financial aid resources than
other groups, and are less likely to fulfill their
postsecondary plans as a result.
(9) College preparation intervention programs can double
the college-going rates for at-risk youth, can expand students'
educational aspirations, and can boost college enrollment and
graduation rates.
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``local educational
agency'' and ``Secretary'' have the meanings given the terms in
section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Eligible local educational agency.--The term ``eligible
local educational agency'' means a local educational agency in
which a majority of the secondary schools served by the agency
are high-need secondary schools.
(3) High-need secondary school.--The term ``high-need
secondary school'' means a secondary school in which not less
than 50 percent of the students enrolled in the school are--
(A) eligible for a school lunch program under the
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act;
(B) eligible to be counted under section 1124(c) of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6333(c)); or
(C) in families eligible for assistance under the
State program funded under part A of title IV of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
(b) Competitive Grants to Eligible Local Educational Agencies.--The
Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to
eligible local educational agencies to carry out the activities
described in this section.
(c) Duration.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 5 years
in duration.
(d) Distribution.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall ensure that the grants are distributed among the
different geographic regions of the United States, and among eligible
local educational agencies serving urban and rural areas.
(e) Applications.--
(1) In general.--Each eligible local 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.
(2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph
(1) shall include a description of the program to be carried
out with grant funds and--
(A) a description of the secondary school
population to be targeted by the program, the
particular college-access needs of such population, and
the resources available for meeting such needs;
(B) an outline of the objectives of the program,
including goals for increasing the number of college
applications submitted by each student, increasing Free
Application for Federal Student Aid completion rates,
and increasing school-wide college enrollment rates
across the local educational agency;
(C) a description of the local educational agency's
plan to work cooperatively with programs funded under
chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 et
seq. and 1070a-21 et seq.), including the extent to
which the agency commits to sharing facilities,
providing access to students, and developing compatible
record-keeping systems;
(D) a description of the activities, services, and
training to be provided by the program, including a
plan to provide structure and support for all students
in the college search, planning, and application
process;
(E) a description of the methods to be used to
evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of the program;
(F) an assurance that grant funds will be used to
supplement, and not supplant, any other Federal, State,
or local funds available to carry out activities of the
type carried out under the grant;
(G) an explanation of the method used for
calculating college enrollment rates for each secondary
school served by the eligible local educational agency
that is based on externally verified data, and, when
possible, aligned with existing State or local methods;
and
(H) a plan to make the program sustainable over
time, including the use of matching funds from non-
Federal sources.
(3) Method of calculating enrollment rates.--
(A) In general.--A method included in an
application under paragraph (2)(G)--
(i) shall, at a minimum, track students'
first-time enrollment in institutions of higher
education; and
(ii) may track progress toward completion
of a postsecondary degree.
(B) Development in conjunction.--An eligible local
educational agency may develop a method pursuant to
paragraph (2)(G) in conjunction with an existing public
or private entity that currently maintains such a
method.
(f) Special Consideration.--In awarding grants under this section,
the Secretary shall give special consideration to applications from
eligible local educational agencies serving schools with the highest
percentages of poverty.
(g) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--An eligible local educational agency that
receives a grant under this section shall develop and
implement, or expand, a program to increase the number of low-
income students who enroll in postsecondary educational
institutions, including institutions with competitive
admissions criteria.
(2) Required use of funds.--Each program funded under this
section shall--
(A) provide professional development to secondary
school teachers and counselors in postsecondary
education advising;
(B) ensure that each student has not less than 1
meeting, not later than the first semester of the first
year of secondary school, with a school counselor,
college access personnel (including personnel involved
in programs funded under chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2
of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 et seq. and 1070a-21 et
seq.)), trained teacher, or other professional or
organization, such as a community-based organization,
approved by the school, to discuss postsecondary
options, outline postsecondary goals, and create a plan
to achieve those goals;
(C) provide information to all students enrolled in
the secondary schools served by the eligible local
educational agency and parents beginning in the first
year of secondary school on--
(i) the economic and social benefits of
higher education;
(ii) college expenses, including
information about expenses by institutional
type, differences between sticker price and net
price, and expenses beyond tuition;
(iii) paying for college, including the
availability, eligibility, and variety of
financial aid; and
(iv) the forms and processes associated
with applying for financial aid; and
(D) ensure that each secondary school served by the
eligible local educational agency develops a
comprehensive, school-wide plan of action to strengthen
the college-going culture within the school.
(3) Allowable use of funds.--Each program funded under this
section may--
(A) establish mandatory postsecondary planning
classes for secondary school seniors to assist the
seniors in the college preparation and application
process;
(B) hire and train postsecondary coaches with
expertise in the college-going process;
(C) increase the number of counselors who
specialize in the college-going process serving
students;
(D) train student leaders to assist in the creation
of a college-going culture in their schools;
(E) provide opportunities for students to explore
postsecondary opportunities outside of the school
setting, such as college fairs, career fairs, college
tours, workplace visits, or other similar activities;
(F) assist students with test preparation, college
applications, Federal financial aid applications, and
scholarship applications;
(G) establish partnerships with programs funded
under chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1070a-11 et seq. and 1070a-21 et seq.)), and with
community and nonprofit organizations to increase
college-going rates at secondary schools served by the
eligible local educational agency;
(H) provide long-term postsecondary follow up with
graduates of the secondary schools served by the
eligible local educational agencies, including
increasing alumni involvement in mentoring and advising
roles within the secondary school;
(I) create and maintain a postsecondary access
center in the school setting that provides information
on colleges and universities, career opportunities, and
financial aid options and provide a setting in which
professionals working in programs funded under chapters
1 and 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 et
seq. and 1070a-21 et seq.)), can meet with students;
(J) deliver college and career planning curriculum
as a stand-alone course, or embedded in other classes,
for all students in secondary school; and
(K) increase parent involvement in preparing for
postsecondary opportunities.
(h) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Funds made available under this
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal,
State, and local funds available to carry out the activities described
in this section.
(i) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, directly or through
contracting through a full and open process with 1 or more
organizations that have demonstrated experience providing technical
assistance to raise school-wide college enrollment rates in local
educational agencies in not less than 3 States, shall provide technical
assistance to grantees in carrying out this section. The technical
assistance shall--
(1) provide assistance in the calculation and analysis of
college-going rates for all grant recipients;
(2) provide semi-annual analysis to each grant recipient
recommending best practices based on a comparison of the
recipient's data with that of secondary schools with similar
demographics; and
(3) provide annual best practices conferences for all grant
recipients.
(j) Evaluation and Reporting Requirements.--
(1) Measure enrollment and track data.--Each eligible local
educational agency that receives a grant under this section
shall--
(A) measure externally verified school-wide college
enrollment; and
(B) track data that leads to increased college
going, including college applications sent and Free
Application for Federal Student Aid forms filed.
(2) Evaluations by grantees.--Each eligible local
educational agency that receives a grant under this section
shall--
(A) conduct periodic evaluations of the
effectiveness of the activities carried out under the
grant toward increasing school-wide college-going
rates;
(B) use such evaluations to refine and improve
activities conducted with the grant and the performance
measures for such activities; and
(C) make the results of such evaluations publicly
available, including by providing public notice of such
availability.
(3) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report concerning the
results of--
(A) the evaluations conducted under paragraph (2);
and
(B) an evaluation conducted by the Secretary to
analyze the effectiveness and efficacy of the
activities conducted with grants under this section.
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