[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3827 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3827
To promote and support collaboration between Hispanic-serving
institutions and Hispanic-serving school districts, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 18, 2019
Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Gallego, Mr.
Panetta, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Barragan, Mr.
Payne, Ms. Haaland, Mr. Soto, Mr. Lujan, Ms. Lee of California, Ms.
Porter, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr.
Carbajal, Mr. Sires, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Meng, Ms.
Mucarsel-Powell, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Gonzalez of Texas, Mr.
Serrano, Mr. Engel, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Sanchez,
Mr. Veasey, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Hurd of Texas, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Garcia of
Texas, Miss Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico, Ms. Hill of California, and
Mr. Cardenas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote and support collaboration between Hispanic-serving
institutions and Hispanic-serving school districts, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Hispanic Educational Resources and
Empowerment Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Hispanics are the largest, youngest, and second-fastest
growing minority population in the United States.
(2) While Hispanics compose 18 percent of the population of
the United States, they compose 26 percent of the
prekindergarten through grade 12 public school student
enrollment in the United States.
(3) Over 3,300 school districts have 25 percent or more
Hispanic enrollment and those school districts enroll 78
percent of all prekindergarten through grade 12 Hispanic
students in the United States.
(4) Hispanic students are overrepresented in lower
educational outcomes, including lower grades, lower scores on
standardized tests, and higher dropout rates.
(5) Hispanic students tend to face greater barriers once in
college than non-Hispanic peers. Seventy percent of Hispanic
college students are first-generation college students and 48
percent of Hispanic college students have an expected family
contribution of $0, as calculated under title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965.
(6) Hispanics are at high risk of not enrolling or
graduating from institutions of higher education.
(7) More Hispanics are going to college than ever before,
but only a little more than half of the Hispanic students who
enroll earn a bachelor's degree.
(8) Hispanics lag behind non-Hispanic Whites, Blacks, and
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islanders in
attainment of high school diplomas, associate's degrees, and
bachelor's degrees.
(9) Gains in Hispanic educational attainment will greatly
benefit the United States economy because Hispanics will make
up nearly 20 percent of the United States labor force by 2024.
(10) Hispanics are an increasingly vital component of the
workforce of the United States. Between 2010 and 2020, 74
percent of the growth in the workforce in the United States
will be Hispanic workers.
(11) Without eliminating the education gap for Hispanics
now, the growing Hispanic population will not be prepared for
the jobs of the future, hindering the economy of the United
States.
SEC. 3. COLLABORATION BETWEEN HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS AND
HISPANIC-SERVING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101 et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new part:
``PART D--COLLABORATION BETWEEN HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS AND
HISPANIC-SERVING SCHOOL DISTRICTS
``SEC. 531. PURPOSES.
``The purposes of this part are--
``(1) to promote and support opportunities for academic
alliances and collaborative partnerships between Hispanic-
serving institutions and Hispanic-serving school districts for
the purpose of improving postsecondary educational attainment
of Hispanic students; and
``(2) to expand and enhance the course offerings, program
quality, and overall functionality of the colleges,
universities, and school districts that educate the majority of
Hispanic students.
``SEC. 532. PROGRAM AUTHORITY, APPLICATION, AND ELIGIBILITY.
``(a) Program Authority.--Subject to the availability of funds
appropriated to carry out this part, the Secretary shall award grants,
on a competitive basis, to Hispanic-serving institutions serving as
grant recipient and fiscal agent for an eligible entity, for the
eligible entity to carry out activities described under section 533 to
improve and expand the capacity to develop model and innovative
collaboration agreements between local educational agencies and
institutions of higher education to better serve Hispanic students.
``(b) Application.--An eligible entity that desires to receive a
grant under this part shall--
``(1) designate a Hispanic-serving institution that is a
member of the eligible entity to serve as the grant applicant,
grant recipient, and fiscal agent for the eligible entity; and
``(2) through such designated Hispanic-serving institution,
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary
may require under part C and this part.
``(c) Eligible Entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a
partnership that--
``(1) shall include--
``(A) one or more Hispanic-serving institutions,
one of which shall serve as the grant recipient and
fiscal agent for the eligible entity; and
``(B) one or more Hispanic-serving school
districts; and
``(2) may include--
``(A) one or more emerging Hispanic-serving
institutions;
``(B) one or more emerging Hispanic-serving school
districts; and
``(C) one or more nonprofit or community-based
organizations, businesses, or public or private
entities with a demonstrated record of success in
implementing activities similar to the activities
authorized under section 533.
``SEC. 533. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.
``An eligible entity that receives a grant under this part shall
use the grant funds for 1 or more of the following activities to
support eligible students:
``(1) Creating a college-bound culture among eligible
students, which may include activities to promote the early
exposure of such students and their families to the
opportunities and requirements of postsecondary education, and
other evidence-based services, including services determined to
have proven positive outcomes by the What Works Clearinghouse
maintained by the Institute of Education Sciences.
``(2) Academic support to prepare eligible students for
postsecondary education, prevent the need for postsecondary
remediation, and provide high quality postsecondary remediation
when necessary, which may include--
``(A) aligning high school coursework and high
school graduation requirements with the requirements
for entrance into credit-bearing coursework at 4-year
institutions of higher education, including Hispanic-
serving institutions;
``(B) early identification and support for eligible
students at risk of not graduating from high school
within 4 years, or at risk of requiring remediation
upon enrolling in postsecondary education;
``(C) developing and implementing pathways to
postsecondary education that--
``(i) provide eligible students with
advanced coursework and result in a recognized
postsecondary credential, as defined in section
3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3102); or
``(ii) integrate rigorous and challenging
career and technical education, work-based
learning, and advanced coursework or other
academic instruction aligned with the
challenging State academic standards adopted by
the State in which the eligible entity is
located under section 1111(b)(1) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(1));
``(D) co-requisite courses;
``(E) technology-enhanced diagnostics and delivery
of remedial education;
``(F) faculty development to ensure effective
instruction; and
``(G) practices to teach self-regulated learning
and college success skills.
``(3) Support for eligible students with high school
completion and the transition to postsecondary education, which
may include--
``(A) activities to encourage high school retention
and completion;
``(B) assistance with the college application
process;
``(C) assistance with applying for financial aid;
and
``(D) assistance with selecting institutions of
higher education to which a student should apply based
on the needs and attributes of the student and the
available degree programs and outcomes of the
institutions.
``(4) Addressing non-academic needs that serve as barriers
to college enrollment, persistence, and completion for eligible
students, which may include--
``(A) activities to address the comprehensive needs
of eligible students, including child care, food
insecurity, finances, health issues, and
transportation; and
``(B) activities to promote a positive climate on
campuses of institutions of higher education and to
increase the sense of belonging among eligible
students, including through first year support programs
such as mentoring and peer networks and advisories.
``SEC. 534. REPORTING.
``Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this part shall,
through the Hispanic-serving institution designated under section
532(b), submit to the Secretary, at the end of each grant period, a
report that includes information the Secretary may require. Such report
shall include information on the outcomes of the activities carried out
by the entity, before and after such activities were funded under this
part, on the number and percentage of students entering, persisting,
and completing postsecondary education. Such information shall be
disaggregated to measure the specific impact on economically
disadvantaged students, students from each major racial and ethnic
group, students with disabilities, English learners, students of
different genders, and migrant students.
``SEC. 535. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EVALUATION.
``(a) Reservations.--From the total amount appropriated for this
part under section 528(a) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall
reserve not more than the lesser of 5 percent or $5,000,000 for--
``(1) providing technical assistance to eligible entities,
directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative
agreements, by qualified experts on using practices grounded in
evidence to improve the outcomes of programs funded under this
part; and
``(2) conducting the evaluation described in subsection
(b).
``(b) Evaluation.--The Secretary, in partnership with the Director
of the Institute of Education Sciences, shall contract with a third
party to conduct an independent evaluation of the activities funded
under this part. Such evaluation shall include the impact of the
policies and services resulting from such activities on the number and
percentage of students entering, persisting, and completing
postsecondary education. The data collected by such evaluation shall be
disaggregated to measure the specific impact on economically
disadvantaged students, students from each major racial and ethnic
group, students with disabilities, English learners, students of
different genders, and migrant students.
``SEC. 536. DEFINITIONS.
``In this part:
``(1) Advanced coursework.--The term `advanced coursework'
means coursework designed for students to earn postsecondary
credit upon successful completion of the coursework while still
in secondary school, such as Advanced Placement, International
Baccalaureate, dual or concurrent enrollment programs, and
early college high school programs.
``(2) Co-requisite courses.--The term `co-requisite
courses' means courses designed for students at institutions of
higher education in need of remediation that combine credit-
bearing postsecondary-level coursework with supplemental
instruction.
``(3) Dual or concurrent enrollment program.--The term
`dual or concurrent enrollment program' has the meaning given
the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
``(4) Early college high school.--The term `early college
high school' has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7801).
``(5) Eligible student.--The term `eligible student'
means--
``(A) any student who is enrolled or eligible to
enroll in a secondary school that is served by a
Hispanic-serving school district or an emerging
Hispanic-serving school district; and
``(B) any student who is enrolled or has been
accepted for enrollment at a Hispanic-serving
institution or an emerging Hispanic-serving
institution.
``(6) Emerging hispanic-serving institution.--The term
`emerging Hispanic-serving institution' means an institution of
higher education that--
``(A) is an eligible institution, as defined in
section 502; and
``(B) has an enrollment of undergraduate full-time
equivalent students that is at least 15 percent but
less than 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of
the award year immediately preceding the date of the
application for a grant under this part.
``(7) Emerging hispanic-serving school district.--The term
`emerging Hispanic-serving school district' means a local
educational agency--
``(A) in which at least 15 percent but less than 25
percent of the students served by the local educational
agency are Hispanic students, as determined by the
enrollment data of the local educational agency no
later than the date by which student membership data is
collected annually by State educational agencies for
submission to the National Center for Education
Statistics under section 153 of the Education Sciences
Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9543); and
``(B) in which at least 50 percent of the students
served by the local educational agency meet a measure
of poverty described in section 1113(a)(5) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)).
``(8) Hispanic-serving school district.--The term
`Hispanic-serving school district' (except when used as part of
the term `emerging Hispanic-serving school district') means a
local educational agency--
``(A) in which at least 25 percent of the students
served by the local educational agency are Hispanic
students, as determined by the enrollment data of the
local educational agency no later than the date by
which student membership data is collected annually by
State educational agencies for submission to the
National Center for Education Statistics under section
153 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20
U.S.C. 9543); and
``(B) in which at least 50 percent of the students
served by the local educational agency meet a measure
of poverty described in section 1113(a)(5) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)).''.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 528(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1103g(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) Part d.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out part D $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 and such
sums as may be necessary for each of the five succeeding fiscal
years.''.
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