[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 23, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4729-S4730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Ms. Duckworth):
S. 2198. A bill to amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act of 2006 to give the Department of Education the authority
to award competitive grants to eligible entities to establish, expand,
or support school-based mentoring programs to assist at-risk students
in middle school and high school in developing cognitive and social-
emotional skills to prepare them for success in high school,
postsecondary education, and the workforce; to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2198
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 ``Mentoring to Succeed Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to make assistance available for
school-based mentoring programs for at-risk students in order
to--
(1) establish, expand, or support school-based mentoring
programs;
(2) assist at-risk students in middle school and high
school in developing cognitive and social-emotional skills;
and
(3) prepare such at-risk students for success in high
school, postsecondary education, and the workforce.
SEC. 3. SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING PROGRAM.
Part C of title I of the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2351 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 136. DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS FOR SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING
PROGRAMS.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) At-risk student.--The term `at-risk student' means a
student who--
``(A) is failing academically or at risk of dropping out of
school;
``(B) is pregnant or a parent;
``(C) is a gang member;
``(D) is a child or youth in foster care or a youth who has
been emancipated from foster care, but is still enrolled in
high school;
``(E) is or has recently been a homeless child or youth;
``(F) is chronically absent;
``(G) has changed schools 3 or more times in the past 6
months;
``(H) has come in contact with the juvenile justice system
in the past;
``(I) has a history of multiple suspensions or disciplinary
actions;
``(J) is an English learner;
``(K) has one or both parents incarcerated;
``(L) has experienced one or more adverse childhood
experiences, traumatic events, or toxic stressors, as
assessed through an evidence-based screening;
``(M) lives in a high-poverty area with a high rate of
community violence;
``(N) has a disability; or
``(O) shows signs of alcohol or drug misuse or abuse or has
a parent or guardian who is struggling with substance abuse.
``(2) Disability.--The term `disability' has the meaning
given the term for purposes of section 602(3) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.
1401(3)).
``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity'--
``(A) means a high-need local educational agency, high-need
school, or local government entity; and
``(B) may include a partnership between an entity described
in subparagraph (A) and a nonprofit, community-based, or
faith-based organization, or institution of higher education.
``(4) English learner.--The term `English learner' has the
meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
``(5) Foster care.--The term `foster care' has the meaning
given the term in section 1355.20 of title 45, Code of
Federal Regulations.
``(6) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
need local educational agency' means a local educational
agency that serves at least one high-need school.
``(7) High-need school.--The term `high-need school' has
the meaning given the term in section 2211(b) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6631(b)).
``(8) Homeless children and youths.--The term `homeless
children and youths' has the meaning given the term in
section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 11434a).
``(9) School-based mentoring.--The term `school-based
mentoring' means a structured, managed, evidenced-based
program conducted in partnership with teachers,
administrators, school psychologists, school social workers
or counselors, and other school staff, in which at-risk
students are appropriately matched with screened and trained
professional or volunteer mentors who provide guidance,
support, and encouragement, involving meetings, group-based
sessions, and educational and workforce-related activities on
a regular basis to prepare at-risk students for success in
high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce.
``(b) School-based Mentoring Competitive Grant Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants on a
competitive basis to eligible entities to establish, expand,
or support school-based mentoring programs that--
``(A) are designed to assist at-risk students in high-need
schools in developing cognitive skills and promoting social-
emotional learning to prepare them for success in high
school, postsecondary education, and the workforce by linking
them with mentors who--
``(i) have received mentor training, including on trauma-
informed practices, youth engagement, cultural competency,
and social-emotional learning; and
``(ii) have been screened using appropriate reference
checks and criminal background checks;
``(B) provide coaching and technical assistance to mentors
in each such mentoring program;
``(C) seek to--
``(i) improve the academic achievement of at-risk students;
``(ii) reduce dropout rates and absenteeism and improve
school engagement of at-risk students and their families;
[[Page S4730]]
``(iii) reduce juvenile justice involvement of at-risk
students;
``(iv) foster positive relationships between at-risk
students and their peers, teachers, other adults, and family
members;
``(v) develop the workforce readiness skills of at-risk
students by exploring paths to employment, including
encouraging students with disabilities to explore transition
services; and
``(vi) increase the participation of at-risk students in
community service activities; and
``(D) encourage at-risk students to set goals and plan for
their futures, including making plans and identifying goals
for postsecondary education and the workforce.
``(2) Duration.--The Secretary shall award grants under
this section for a period not to exceed 5 years.
``(3) Application.--To receive a grant under this section,
an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an
application that includes--
``(A) a needs assessment that includes baseline data on the
measures described in paragraph (6)(A)(ii); and
``(B) a plan to meet the requirements of paragraph (1).
``(4) Priority.--In selecting grant recipients, the
Secretary shall give priority to applicants that--
``(A) serve children and youth with the greatest need
living in high-poverty, high-crime areas, or rural areas, or
who attend schools with high rates of community violence;
``(B) provide at-risk students with opportunities for
postsecondary education preparation and career development,
including--
``(i) job training, professional development, work
shadowing, internships, networking, resume writing and
review, interview preparation, transition services for
students with disabilities, application assistance and visits
to institutions of higher education, and leadership
development through community service; and
``(ii) partnerships with the private sector and local
businesses to provide internship and career exploration
activities and resources; and
``(C) seek to provide match lengths between at-risk
students and mentors for at least 1 academic year.
``(5) Use of funds.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section may use such funds to--
``(A) develop and carry out regular training for mentors,
including on--
``(i) the impact of adverse childhood experiences;
``(ii) trauma-informed practices and interventions;
``(iii) supporting homeless children and youths;
``(iv) supporting children and youth in foster care or
youth who have been emancipated from foster care, but are
still enrolled in high school;
``(v) cultural competency;
``(vi) meeting all appropriate privacy and confidentiality
requirements for students, including students in foster care;
``(vii) working in coordination with a public school
system;
``(viii) positive youth development and engagement
practices; and
``(ix) disability inclusion practices to ensure access and
participation by students with disabilities;
``(B) recruit, screen, match, and train mentors;
``(C) hire staff to perform or support the objectives of
the school-based mentoring program;
``(D) provide inclusive and accessible youth engagement
activities, such as--
``(i) enrichment field trips to cultural destinations; and
``(ii) career awareness activities, including job site
visits, informational interviews, resume writing, interview
preparation, and networking; and
``(iii) academic or postsecondary education preparation
activities, including trade or vocational school visits,
visits to institutions of higher education, and assistance in
applying to institutions of higher education; and
``(E) conduct program evaluation, including by acquiring
and analyzing the data described under paragraph (6).
``(6) Reporting requirements.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the end of
each academic year during the grant period, an eligible
entity receiving a grant under this section shall submit to
the Secretary a report that includes--
``(i) the number of students who participated in the
school-based mentoring program that was funded in whole or in
part with the grant funds;
``(ii) data on the academic achievement, dropout rates,
truancy, absenteeism, outcomes of arrests for violent crime,
summer employment, and postsecondary education enrollment of
students in the program;
``(iii) the number of group sessions and number of one-to-
one contacts between students in the program and their
mentors;
``(iv) the average attendance of students enrolled in the
program;
``(v) the number of students with disabilities connected to
transition services;
``(vi) data on social-emotional development of students as
assessed with a validated social-emotional assessment tool;
and
``(vii) any other information that the Secretary may
require to evaluate the success of the school-based mentoring
program.
``(B) Student privacy.--An eligible entity shall ensure
that the report submitted under subparagraph (A) is prepared
in a manner that protects the privacy rights of each student
in accordance with section 444 of the General Education
Provisions Act (commonly referred to as the `Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974') (20 U.S.C.
1232g).
``(7) Mentoring resources and community service
coordination.--
``(A) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall work with
the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
to--
``(i) refer grantees under this section to the National
Mentoring Resource Center to obtain resources on best
practices and research related to mentoring and to request
no-cost training and technical assistance; and
``(ii) provide grantees under this section with information
regarding transitional services for at-risk students
returning from correctional facilities and transition
services for students with disabilities.
``(B) Coordination.--The Secretary shall, to the extent
possible, coordinate with the Corporation for National and
Community Service, including through entering into an
interagency agreement or a memorandum of understanding, to
support mentoring and community service-related activities
for at-risk students.
``(c) Authorization of Funds.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be
necessary for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027.''.
SEC. 4. INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES STUDY ON SCHOOL-BASED
MENTORING PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Education, acting through
the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, shall
conduct a study to--
(1) identify successful school-based mentoring programs and
effective strategies for administering and monitoring such
programs;
(2) evaluate the role of mentors in promoting cognitive
development and social-emotional learning to enhance academic
achievement and to improve workforce readiness; and
(3) evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program under
section 136 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act of 2006, as added by section 3, on student
academic outcomes and youth career development.
(b) Timing.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education, acting
through the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences,
shall submit the results of the study to the appropriate
congressional committees.
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