[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3995 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3995

   To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to create 
     evidence-based student success programs designed to increase 
 participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 20, 2024

 Mr. Heinrich 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 create 
     evidence-based student success programs designed to increase 
 participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.

    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 ``Postsecondary Student Success Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to support evidence-based 
participation, retention, and completion activities designed to ensure 
the postsecondary success of high-need students.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Completion rate.--The term ``completion rate'' means--
                    (A) the percentage of students from an initial 
                cohort enrolled at an entity that is a 2-year 
                institution who have graduated from the institution or 
                transferred to a 4-year institution of higher 
                education; or
                    (B) the percentage of students from an initial 
                cohort enrolled at an entity in the State that is a 4-
                year institution who have graduated from the 
                institution.
            (2) 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).
            (3) 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).
            (4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a public institution of higher education;
                    (B) a partnership between a nonprofit educational 
                organization and an institution of higher education; or
                    (C) a consortium of institutions of higher 
                education.
            (5) Eligible indian entity.--The term ``eligible Indian 
        entity'' means the entity responsible for the governance, 
        operation, or control of a Tribal College or University.
            (6) Evidence-based.--The term ``evidence-based'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 8101(21)(A) of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A)).
            (7) Evidence tiers.--
                    (A) Evidence tier 1 reform or practice.--The term 
                ``evidence tier 1 reform or practice'' means a reform 
                or practice that prior research suggests has promise 
                for the purpose of successfully improving student 
                achievement or attainment for high-need students.
                    (B) Evidence tier 2 reform or practice.--The term 
                ``evidence tier 2 reform or practice'' means a reform 
                or practice described in subparagraph (A), or other 
                reform or practice meeting similar criteria, that 
                measures impact and cost effectiveness of student 
                success activities, and, through rigorous evaluation 
                (including through the use of existing administrative 
                data, as applicable), has been found to be successfully 
                implemented.
                    (C) Evidence tier 3 reform or practice.--The term 
                ``evidence tier 3 reform or practice'' means a reform 
                or practice described in subparagraph (B), or other 
                reform or practice meeting similar criteria, that has 
                been found to produce sizable, important impacts on 
                student success and--
                            (i) determining whether such impacts can be 
                        successfully reproduced and sustained over 
                        time; and
                            (ii) identifying the conditions in which 
                        such reform or practice is most effective.
            (8) First generation college student.--The term ``first 
        generation college student'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 402A(h) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1070a-11(h)).
            (9) High-need student.--The term ``high-need student'' 
        means--
                    (A) a student from low-income background;
                    (B) a first generation college student;
                    (C) a caregiver student;
                    (D) a student with a disability;
                    (E) a student who stopped out before completing;
                    (F) a reentering justice-impacted student; or
                    (G) a military-connected student.
            (10) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (11) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (12) Tribal college or university.--The term ``Tribal 
        College or University'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3)).

SEC. 4. RESERVATION OF FUNDS FOR ELIGIBLE INDIAN ENTITIES.

    From the total amount appropriated to carry out this Act for a 
fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 2 percent for grants to 
eligible Indian entities to increase participation, retention, and 
completion rates of high-need students.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF POSTSECONDARY STUDENT SUCCESS COMPETITIVE 
              GRANTS.

    (a) Grant Authorization.--For each of fiscal years 2025 through 
2030, the Secretary shall award, on a competitive basis, grants to 
eligible entities to provide student services to increase 
participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.
    (b) Notification and Application.--An eligible entity or eligible 
Indian entity desiring a grant under this Act shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing the information required under subsection (c).
    (c) Content of Application.--An application submitted under this 
section shall include the following:
            (1) A plan to increase, with respect to all students 
        enrolled at the eligible entity or Tribal College or 
        University, attainment and completion rates or graduation 
        rates, including--
                    (A) a description of the evidence-based reform or 
                practice that would be used and whether the reform or 
                practice would be an evidence tier 1 reform or 
                practice, evidence tier 2 reform or practice, or 
                evidence tier 3 reform or practice; and
                    (B) a particular focus on serving high-need 
                students through student services and collaboration 
                among 2-year programs, 4-year programs, and workforce 
                systems.
            (2) Annual benchmarks for student outcomes with respect to 
        the evidence-based reform or practice that would be used.
            (3) A plan to evaluate the evidence-based reform or 
        practice that would be used.
            (4) Rates of enrolled students who received a Federal Pell 
        Grant under subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.).
            (5) Demographics of enrolled students, including high-need 
        students.
            (6) A description of how the eligible entity or eligible 
        Indian entity will, directly or in collaboration with other 
        institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations, 
        use the grant funds to implement one or more of the following 
        evidence-based reforms and practices:
                    (A) Providing comprehensive academic, career, and 
                student services, which may include mentoring, 
                advising, or case management services.
                    (B) Providing accelerated learning opportunities, 
                which may include dual or concurrent enrollment 
                programs and early college high school programs.
                    (C) Reforming course scheduling, or credit-awarding 
                policies.
                    (D) Improving transfer pathways between the 
                eligible entity, or Tribal College or University, and 
                other institutions of higher education.
            (7) A description of how the evidence-based reform or 
        practice will be sustained once the grant expires.
    (d) Evidence-Based Student Success Programs.--From the total amount 
appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year and not reserved 
under section 4, the Secretary shall reserve not less than 20 percent 
to award grants to eligible entities with applications that propose to 
include evidence-based reforms and practices--
            (1) at least 1 of which is an evidence tier 3 reform or 
        practice; and
            (2) the rest of which are evidence tier 1 reforms or 
        practices or evidence tier 2 reforms or practices.
    (e) Required Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity or eligible Indian 
entity that receives a grant under this Act shall use the grant funds 
to carry out the plans submitted under subsection (c) and for evidence-
based reforms and practices for improving participation, retention, and 
completion rates of students that may include the following:
            (1) Student services to support retention, completion, and 
        success, which may include--
                    (A) faculty and peer counseling;
                    (B) use of real-time data on student progress;
                    (C) improving transfer student success; and
                    (D) incentives for students to re-enroll or stay on 
                track.
            (2) Direct student support services, including a 
        combination of--
                    (A) tutoring, academic supports, and enrichment 
                services; and
                    (B) emergency financial assistance.
            (3) Efforts to prepare students for a career, which may 
        include--
                    (A) career coaching, career counseling and planning 
                services, and efforts to lower student to advisor 
                ratios;
                    (B) networking and work-based learning 
                opportunities to support the development of skills and 
                professional relationships;
                    (C) utilizing career pathways; and
                    (D) boosting experiences necessary to obtain and 
                succeed in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry 
                sectors or occupations, as described in section 
                135(b)(3) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
                Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2355(b)(3)).
            (4) Efforts to recruit and retain faculty and other 
        instructional staff.
    (f) Permissive Use of Funds.--From the total amount appropriated to 
carry out this Act for a fiscal year and not reserved under section 4 
or subsection (d), the Secretary may set aside--
            (1) not more than 5 percent for administration, capacity 
        building, research, evaluation, and reporting; and
            (2) not more than 2 percent for technical assistance to 
        eligible entities and eligible Indian entities.
    (g) Evaluations.--
            (1) In general.--For the purpose of improving the 
        effectiveness of the evidence-based reforms and practices 
        carried out by eligible entities and eligible Indian entities 
        pursuant to a grant under this Act, the Secretary shall make 
        grants to or enter into contracts with 1 or more organizations 
        to--
                    (A) evaluate the effectiveness of such evidence-
                based reforms and practices; and
                    (B) disseminate information on the impact of such 
                evidence-based reforms and practices in increasing 
                completion and retention activities of students, as 
                well as other appropriate measures.
            (2) Issues to be evaluated.--The evaluations required under 
        paragraph (1) shall measure the effectiveness of the evidence-
        based reforms and practices carried out by eligible entities 
        and eligible Indian entities pursuant to a grant under this 
        subsection in--
                    (A) whether such entity implemented the plans, and 
                carried out the activities, described in subsection 
                (c); and
                    (B) comparing the completion and retention rates of 
                students who participated in such reforms and practices 
                with the rates of students of similar backgrounds who 
                did not participate in such reforms and practices.
            (3) Results.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a final 
        report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
        Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the 
        Workforce of the House of Representatives.
    (h) Grant Limit.--An eligible entity that has branch campus may 
only receive a grant under this Act for 1 campus of the entity at a 
time.
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