[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4874 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4874
To establish an Early Federal Pell Grant Commitment Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 15, 2022
Ms. Stabenow (for herself and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an Early Federal Pell Grant Commitment Program.
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 ``Early Pell Promise Act''.
SEC. 2. EARLY FEDERAL PELL GRANT COMMITMENT PROGRAM.
Subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 401B. EARLY FEDERAL PELL GRANT COMMITMENT PROGRAM.
``(a) Program Authority.--The Secretary is authorized to carry out
an Early Federal Pell Grant Commitment Program (referred to in this
section as the `Program') under which the Secretary shall--
``(1) award grants to States to pay the administrative
expenses incurred in participating in the Program; and
``(2) make a commitment to award Federal Pell Grants to
eligible students in accordance with this section.
``(b) Program Requirements.--The Program shall meet the following
requirements:
``(1) Eligible students.--
``(A) In general.--A student shall be eligible to
receive a commitment from the Secretary to receive a
Federal Pell Grant early in the student's academic
career if the student--
``(i) is in any of grades 8 through 12; and
``(ii) is a member of a household receiving
assistance under the supplemental nutrition
assistance program established under the Food
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et
seq.).
``(2) Federal pell grant commitment.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), each eligible student who
participates in the Program shall receive a commitment
from the Secretary to receive a Federal Pell Grant
during the first 2 academic years that the student is
in attendance at an institution of higher education as
an undergraduate student, if the student--
``(i) applies for Federal financial aid
(via the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid under section 483 (referred to in this
section as `FAFSA')) for the award year that
the student will be in attendance at an
institution of higher education; and
``(ii) enrolls at such institution of
higher education--
``(I) not later than 1 year after
such student receives a secondary
school diploma or its recognized
equivalent; or
``(II) if such student becomes a
member of the Armed Forces, not later
than 3 years after such student is
discharged, separated, or released from
the Armed Forces.
``(B) Continued eligibility.--
``(i) In general.--If an eligible student
receives a commitment from the Secretary to
receive a Federal Pell Grant during the first 2
academic years that the student is in
attendance at an institution of higher
education as an undergraduate student and the
student is not a member of a household
receiving assistance under the supplemental
nutrition assistance program established under
the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C.
2011 et seq.) at the time of the FAFSA
application described in subparagraph (A)(i),
then such student shall not receive a Federal
Pell Grant pursuant to the commitment under
this section for the academic year, unless the
student, at the time of such FAFSA application,
is a member of a household that is eligible for
benefits under--
``(I) the supplemental security
income program under title XVI of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et
seq.);
``(II) a State program funded under
the temporary assistance for needy
families program under part A of title
IV of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
``(III) the Medicaid program under
title XIX of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); or
``(IV) a means-tested Federal
benefit program, not described in
subclause (I), (II), or (III), that is
determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
``(ii) Eligibility for other aid.--A
student who does not receive a Federal Pell
Grant pursuant to the commitment under this
section because such student is not a member of
a household receiving assistance under the
supplemental nutrition assistance program
established under the Food and Nutrition Act of
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) at the time such
student applies for Federal financial aid (via
the FAFSA) and the student is not eligible for
benefits under a program described in clause
(i), shall continue to be eligible for any
other Federal student financial aid for which
the student is otherwise eligible.
``(C) Identification.--The Secretary shall identify
for each eligible institution, each eligible student
who attends that institution and participates in the
Program, including students participating in accordance
with subparagraph (B).
``(3) Applicability of federal pell grant requirements.--
The requirements of section 401 shall apply to Federal Pell
Grants awarded pursuant to this section, except that with
respect to each eligible student who participates in the
Program, the amount of each such eligible student's Federal
Pell Grant only shall be calculated by deeming such student to
have an expected family contribution or student aid index, as
applicable, equal to zero.
``(c) State Applications.--
``(1) In general.--Each State desiring to participate in
the Program shall submit an application to the Secretary at
such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.
``(2) Contents.--Each application shall include--
``(A) a description of the proposed targeted
information campaign for the Program and a copy of the
plan described in subsection (e)(2);
``(B) an assurance that the State will fully
cooperate with the ongoing evaluation of the Program;
``(C) a description of how the State will--
``(i) encourage participating students to
enroll in rigorous and challenging curricula
and coursework, in order to reduce the need for
remedial coursework at the postsecondary level;
``(ii) increase the number of participating
students who--
``(I) obtain a secondary school
diploma; and
``(II) complete applications for
and enroll in a program of
postsecondary education;
``(iii) introduce participating students to
institutions of higher education, through trips
and school-based sessions;
``(iv) provide participating students with
assistance in the admissions and application
process for institutions of higher education or
other postsecondary education programs; and
``(v) ensure that each participating
student has an educational development plan;
and
``(D) such other information as the Secretary may
require.
``(3) Educational development plan.--In this subsection,
the term `educational development plan' means an individualized
plan for a student that--
``(A) contains a series of steps to help promote
the student's career awareness and exploration; and
``(B) assists students in identifying--
``(i) career and technical education
programs or programs of study (as those terms
are defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins
Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20
U.S.C. 2302), as in effect on July 1, 2019); or
``(ii) other postsecondary options,
including baccalaureate and subbaccalaureate
degree programs.
``(d) Evaluation.--
``(1) In general.--From amounts appropriated under
subsection (f) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve
not less than 2 percent and not more than 5 percent to award a
grant or contract to an organization outside the Department for
an independent evaluation of the impact of the Program.
``(2) Competitive basis.--The grant or contract shall be
awarded on a competitive basis.
``(3) Matters evaluated.--The evaluation described in this
subsection shall consider metrics established by the Secretary
that emphasize access to and success in institutions of higher
education, encouraging low-income students to pursue higher
education, and the cost effectiveness of the program.
``(4) Dissemination.--The findings of the evaluation shall
be widely disseminated to the public by the organization
conducting the evaluation as well as by the Secretary.
``(e) Targeted Information Campaign.--
``(1) In general.--Each State receiving a grant under this
section shall, in cooperation with the participating local
educational agencies within the State and the Secretary,
develop a targeted information campaign for the Program.
``(2) Plan.--Each State receiving a grant under this
section shall include in the application submitted under
subsection (c) a written plan for their proposed targeted
information campaign. The plan shall include the following:
``(A) Outreach.--Outreach to students and their
families, at a minimum, at the beginning and end of
each academic year.
``(B) Distribution.--How the State plans to provide
the outreach described in subparagraph (A) and to
provide the information described in subparagraph (C).
``(C) Information.--The annual provision by the
State to all students and families participating in the
Program of information regarding--
``(i) the estimated national and statewide
average higher education institution cost data
for each academic year, which cost data shall
be disaggregated by--
``(I) type of institution,
including--
``(aa) 2-year public
institutions of higher
education;
``(bb) 4-year public
institutions of higher
education;
``(cc) 4-year private
institutions of higher
education; and
``(dd) private, for-profit
institutions of higher
education; and
``(II) component, including--
``(aa) tuition and fees;
and
``(bb) room and board;
``(ii) Federal Pell Grants, including--
``(I) the maximum Federal Pell
Grant for each academic year;
``(II) when and how to apply for a
Federal Pell Grant; and
``(III) what the application
process for a Federal Pell Grant
requires;
``(iii) State-specific postsecondary
education savings programs;
``(iv) State-based financial aid, including
State-based merit aid;
``(v) Federal financial aid available to
students, including eligibility criteria for
the Federal financial aid and an explanation of
the Federal financial aid programs; and
``(vi) financial aid that may be available
from non-governmental sources.
``(3) Annual information.--The information described in
paragraph (2)(C) shall be provided to eligible students
annually for the duration of the students' participation in the
Program.
``(4) Reservation.--Each State receiving a grant under this
section shall reserve not less than 10 percent of the grant
funds received each fiscal year to carry out the targeted
information campaign described in this subsection.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be
necessary.''.