[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1403 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1403
To amend the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program under
the Higher Education Act of 1965.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 9, 2019
Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mr. Casey, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Gillibrand, and
Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program under
the Higher Education Act of 1965.
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 ``Expanding On-Campus Child Care to
Help Student Parents Succeed Act''.
SEC. 2. CHILD CARE ACCESS MEANS PARENTS IN SCHOOL.
Section 419N of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070e)
is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to facilitate the
success of low-income parents in postsecondary education through the
provision of subsidized child care services, including campus-based
child care services.'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraphs (A)
and (B) and inserting the following:
``(A) Minimum grant amount.--A grant under this
section shall be awarded in an amount that is not less
than $50,000.
``(B) CCAMPIS increase.--
``(i) In general.--For any fiscal year for
which the amount appropriated under subsection
(h) is not less than $140,000,000, the
Secretary may increase the amount of a grant
awarded under this section to an eligible
institution of higher education if the
institution submits an application that--
``(I) demonstrates the success of
the eligible institution of higher
education in serving a significant
number of low-income student parents,
which may include graduation, transfer,
or retention rates for full-time and
part-time students receiving subsidies
for child care under this section;
``(II) demonstrates the need for
additional funds; and
``(III) provides information
regarding the planned use of additional
funds to--
``(aa) improve the quality
of a campus-based child care
facility;
``(bb) provide child care
subsidies to additional student
parents; or
``(cc) provide support
services to student parents.
``(ii) Maximum amount.--The increase paid
to an eligible institution of higher education
under clause (i) for a fiscal year shall not
exceed an amount equal to 20 percent of the
amount of the annual grant payment received by
the institution under paragraph (3)(B) for the
fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which
the increase is paid.
``(iii) Eligible institution of higher
education.--In this subparagraph, the term
`eligible institution of higher education'
means an institution of higher education that
has received a grant under this section for not
less than the period of 3 consecutive fiscal
years preceding the fiscal year in which the
increase is paid under clause (i).'';
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``4
years'' and inserting ``5 years''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking
``subsection (e)(2)'' and inserting
``subsection (e)(3)'';
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``exceeds
$350,000'' and all that follows through the period at
the end and inserting ``exceeds $300,000, except for
institutions that are eligible for assistance under
title III or V.''; and
(D) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the
following:
``(5) Use of funds.--Grants funds under this section shall
be used by an institution of higher education to support
accessible high-quality child care services for low-income
parents enrolled in postsecondary education. Grant funds under
this section may be used--
``(A) to support or establish a campus-based child
care program primarily serving the needs of low-income
students enrolled at the institution of higher
education;
``(B) to provide child care subsidies or a sliding
fee scale for low-income student parents;
``(C) to provide affordable and accessible before
and after school services for children of low-income
student parents;
``(D) to provide support services for low-income
student parents; or
``(E) to enhance the quality of campus-based child
care services, including improvements to--
``(i) move to the next tier or level of the
State tiered and transparent system for
measuring the quality of child care providers;
``(ii) implement the training and
professional development required for child
care providers through the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 2014 (Public Law
113-186); or
``(iii) implement quality improvements
toward achieving accreditation from a
nationally recognized accrediting body.'';
(3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Applications.--
``(1) In general.--An institution of higher education
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 require. Such
application shall--
``(A) demonstrate that the institution is an
eligible institution described in subsection (b)(4);
``(B) specify the amount of funds requested;
``(C) demonstrate the need of low-income students
at the institution for accessible and affordable child
care services by including in the application--
``(i) information regarding student
demographics;
``(ii) an assessment of child care capacity
on or near campus;
``(iii) information regarding the existence
of waiting lists for child care services on or
near campus;
``(iv) information regarding additional
needs created by concentrations of poverty or
by geographic isolation; and
``(v) other relevant data;
``(D) contain a description of the activities to be
assisted, including whether the grant funds will
support an existing child care program or a new child
care program;
``(E) identify the resources, including technical
expertise and financial support, the institution will
draw upon to support the child care program and the
participation of low-income students in the program
(such as accessing social services funding, using
student activity fees to help pay the costs of child
care, using resources obtained by meeting the needs of
parents who are not low-income students, and accessing
foundation, corporate, or other institutional support)
and demonstrate that the use of the resources will not
result in increases in student tuition;
``(F) contain an assurance that the institution
will meet the child care needs of low-income students
through the provision of services, or through a
contract for the provision of services;
``(G) describe the extent to which the child care
program will coordinate with the institution's early
childhood education curriculum, to the extent the
curriculum is available, to meet the needs of the
students in the early childhood education program at
the institution, and the needs of the parents and
children participating in the child care program
assisted under this section;
``(H) in the case of an institution seeking
assistance for a new child care program--
``(i) provide a timeline, covering the
period from receipt of the grant through the
provision of the child care services,
delineating the specific steps the institution
will take to achieve the goal of providing low-
income students with child care services;
``(ii) specify any measures the institution
will take to assist low-income students with
child care during the period before the
institution provides child care services;
``(iii) include a plan for identifying
resources needed for the child care services,
including space in which to provide child care
services, and technical assistance if
necessary; and
``(iv) include plans to assure quality of
campus-based child care facilities;
``(I) in the case of an institution seeking
assistance for a campus-based child care program in
existence on the date of the application--
``(i) provide information regarding the
number of low-income students served through
campus-based child care on such date;
``(ii) provide information on the age
groups of children to be served;
``(iii) specify any measures the
institution will take to assist students
eligible under this section who are waitlisted
for the campus-based child care program;
``(iv) provide information regarding the
application of subsidies or a sliding fee scale
for child care services;
``(v) specify what staff positions will be
supported by funding under this section, and
how those staff positions support the purpose
under subsection (a);
``(vi) provide information on the total
number of children served by the campus-based
child care program, and number of children of
students served; and
``(vii) specify if funding will be used to
enhance program quality as described in
subsection (b)(5)(E);
``(J) in the case of an institution seeking
assistance that will contract for the provision of
child care services--
``(i) provide information on the age groups
of children to be served;
``(ii) provide information regarding the
application of subsidies or a sliding fee scale
for child care services; and
``(iii) provide information regarding
parameters the institution will use in
selecting child care providers in contracting
for the provision of services, including--
``(I) assessment of program
quality; and
``(II) geographic location;
``(K) contain an assurance that any child care
facility assisted under this section will meet the
applicable State and local government licensing,
certification, approval, or registration requirements;
``(L) describe how information regarding the
availability of subsidized child care will be provided
to students;
``(M) contain an assurance that the institution,
when applicable, will make information available to
students receiving child care services provided under
this section about the eligibility of such students for
assistance under the supplemental nutrition assistance
program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7
U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) and the program of block grants
for States for temporary assistance for needy families
established under part A of title IV of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
``(N) contain an abstract summarizing the contents
of such application and how the institution intends to
achieve the purpose under subsection (a); and
``(O) contain a plan for any child care facility
assisted under this section to become accredited within
3 years of the date the institution first receives
assistance under this section.
``(2) Technical assistance.--The Secretary may provide
technical assistance to eligible institutions to help such
institutions qualify for, apply for, and maintain a grant under
this section.'';
(4) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) Priority.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall give priority in
awarding grants under this section--
``(A) first to institutions of higher education
that submit applications describing programs that
leverage significant local or institutional resources,
including in-kind contributions, to support the
activities assisted under this section; and
``(B) to institutions of higher education that
submit applications describing programs that utilize a
sliding fee scale for child care services provided
under this section in order to support a high number of
low-income parents pursuing postsecondary education at
the institution, after the institution gives priority
to institutions described in subparagraph (A).
``(2) Prohibition.--The Secretary may not give priority in
awarding grants under this section to institutions of higher
education that propose projects that are designed to increase
access to educational choice.'';
(5) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking the semicolon
at the end of clause (i) and inserting the following:
``which shall include--
``(I) the number of full- and part-
time students, respectively, receiving
child care services under this section;
``(II) whether the institution
restricts eligibility for child care
services to only full-time students;
and
``(III) the number of students
receiving child care services under
this section who--
``(aa) remain enrolled at
the institution during the
academic year for which they
received such services;
``(bb) graduate from the
institution during the academic
year for which they received
such services;
``(cc) transfer to a
different institution during
the academic year for which
they received such services; or
``(dd) withdrew from the
institution during the academic
year for which they received
such services;'';
(B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph
(3);
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Report.--
``(A) Report required.--On an annual basis, the
Secretary shall submit to the authorizing committees a
report that includes--
``(i) a summary of the information
described in paragraph (1); and
``(ii) each abstract submitted under
subsection (c)(1)(N) by an institution of
higher education that receives a grant under
this section.
``(B) Public availability.--The Secretary shall
make each report submitted under subparagraph (A)
publicly available.
``(C) Stakeholder consultation.--The Secretary
shall work with relevant stakeholders to determine the
manner in which the data described under subparagraph
(A) is collected in order to ensure compliance with
such subparagraph.''; and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
``(4) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide
technical assistance to institutions of higher education
receiving grants under this section to help such institutions
meet necessary reporting requirements.'';
(6) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h);
(7) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
``(g) Nondiscrimination.--No person in the United States shall, on
the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national
origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or
disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits
of, or be subjected to discrimination by any program funded, in whole
or in part, with funds made available under this section or with
amounts appropriated for grants, contracts, or certificates
administered with such funds.''; and
(8) in subsection (h), as redesignated by paragraph (6), by
striking ``such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009
and each of the five succeeding fiscal years'' and inserting
``$200,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal
year''.
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