[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6926 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6926
To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to support early
college high schools and other dual enrollment programs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 17, 2008
Mr. Kildee (for himself and Mr. Emanuel) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to support early
college high schools and other dual enrollment programs.
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 ``Fast Track to College Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to increase high school graduation rates
and the percentage of students who complete a recognized postsecondary
credential by the age of 26, including among low-income students and
students from other populations underrepresented in higher education.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) Dual enrollment program.--The term ``dual enrollment
program'' means an academic program through which a high school
student is able simultaneously to earn credit toward a high
school diploma and a postsecondary degree or certificate.
(2) Early college high school.--The term ``early college
high school'' means a high school that provides a course of
study that enables a student to earn a high school diploma and
either an associate's degree or one to two years of college
credit toward a postsecondary degree or credential.
(3) Educational service agency.--The term ``educational
service agency'' means an educational service agency as defined
by section 9101(17) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965.
(4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
local educational agency, which may be an educational service
agency, in a collaborative partnership with an institution of
higher education. Such partnership also may include other
entities, such as a nonprofit organization with experience in
youth development.
(5) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' means an institution of
higher education as defined by section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965.
(6) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational
agency'' means a local educational agency as defined by section
9101(26) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Early College High Schools.--To support early college high
schools under this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for
each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.
(b) Other Dual Enrollment Programs.--To support other dual
enrollment programs under this Act, there are authorized to be
appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be
necessary for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.
(c) Funds Reserved.--The Secretary shall reserve 3 percent of funds
appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) for grants to States under
section 9.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZED PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award six-year
grants to eligible entities seeking to establish a new or support an
existing early college high school or other dual enrollment program.
(b) Grant Amount.--A grant under this Act shall not exceed
$2,000,000.
(c) Matching Requirement.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity shall contribute
matching funds toward the costs of the early college high
school or other dual enrollment program to be supported under
this Act, of which not less than half shall be from non-Federal
sources, which funds shall represent not less than the
following:
(A) 20 percent of the grant amount in the first and
second years of the grant.
(B) 30 percent in the third and fourth years.
(C) 40 percent in the fifth year.
(D) 50 percent in the sixth year.
(2) Determination of amount contributed.--The Secretary
shall allow an eligible entity to satisfy the requirement of
this subsection through in-kind contributions.
(d) Supplement, Not Supplant.--An eligible entity shall use a grant
received under this Act only to supplement funds that would, in the
absence of such grant, be made available from non-Federal funds for
support of the activities described in the eligible entity's
application under section 7, and not to supplant such funds.
(e) Priority.--In awarding grants under this Act, the Secretary
shall give priority to applicants--
(1) that propose to establish or support an early college
high school or other dual enrollment program that will serve a
student population of which 40 percent or more are students
counted under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965; and
(2) from States that provide assistance to early college
high schools or other dual enrollment programs, such as
assistance to defray the costs of higher education, such as
tuition, fees, and textbooks.
(f) Geographic Distribution.--The Secretary shall, to the maximum
extent practicable, ensure that grantees are from a representative
cross-section of urban, suburban, and rural areas.
SEC. 6. USES OF FUNDS.
(a) Mandatory Activities.--An eligible entity shall use grant funds
received under section 7 to support the activities described in its
application, including for the following:
(1) Planning year.--In the case of a new early college high
school or dual enrollment program, during the first year of the
grant--
(A) hiring a principal and staff, as appropriate;
(B) designing the curriculum and sequence of
courses in collaboration with at a minimum, teachers
from the local educational agency and faculty from the
partner institution of higher education;
(C) educating parents and the community about the
school;
(D) recruiting students;
(E) liaison activities among partners in the
eligible entity; and
(F) coordinating secondary and postsecondary
support services, academic calendars, and
transportation.
(2) Implementation period.--During the remainder of the
grant period--
(A) academic and social support services, including
counseling;
(B) student recruitment and community education and
engagement;
(C) professional development, including joint
professional development for secondary school and
faculty from the institution of higher education; and
(D) school design and planning team activities,
including curriculum development.
(b) Allowable Activities.--An eligible entity may also use grant
funds received under this Act to otherwise support the activities
described in its application, including, but not limited to--
(1) purchasing textbooks and equipment that support
academic programs;
(2) learning opportunities for students that complement
classroom experiences, such as internships, career-based
capstone projects, and opportunities provided under title IV,
part A, subpart 2, and chapters 1 and 2 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965;
(3) transportation;
(4) planning time for high school and college educators to
collaborate; and
(5) data collection, sharing, reporting, and evaluation.
SEC. 7. APPLICATION.
(a) In General.--To receive a grant under section 4(a) or (b), an
eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and including such information as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
(b) Contents of Application.--At a minimum, the application
described in subsection (a) shall include a description of--
(1) the early college high school's or other dual
enrollment program's budget;
(2) each partner in the eligible entity and its experience
with early college high schools or other dual enrollment
programs, key personnel from each partner and their
responsibilities for the early college high school or dual
enrollment program, and how the eligible entity will work with
secondary and postsecondary teachers, other public and private
entities, community-based organizations, businesses, and labor
organizations to ensure that students will be prepared to
succeed in postsecondary education and employment, which may
include the development of an advisory board;
(3) how the eligible entity will target and recruit at-risk
youth, including those at risk of dropping out of school, first
generation college students, and students from populations
described in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965;
(4) a system of student supports including, but not limited
to, small group activities, tutoring, literacy and numeracy
skill development in all academic disciplines, parental
outreach, extended learning time, and college readiness
activities, such as early college academic seminars and
counseling;
(5) in the case of an early college high school, how a
graduation and career plan will be developed, consistent with
State graduation requirements, for each student and reviewed
each semester;
(6) how parents or guardians of dually enrolled students
will be informed of their academic performance and progress
and, subject to paragraph (5), involved in the development of
their career and graduation plan;
(7) coordination between the institution of higher
education and the local educational agency, including regarding
academic calendars, provision of student services, curriculum
development, and professional development;
(8) how the eligible entity will ensure that teachers in
the early college high school or other dual enrollment program
receive appropriate professional development and other
supports, including to enable them to help English-language
learners, students with disabilities, and students from diverse
cultural backgrounds to succeed;
(9) learning opportunities for students that complement
classroom experiences, such as internships, career-based
capstone projects, and opportunities provided under title IV,
part A, subpart 2, and chapters 1 and 2 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965;
(10) a plan to ensure that postsecondary credits earned
will be transferable to, at a minimum, public institutions of
higher education within the State, consistent with existing
statewide articulation agreement;
(11) student assessments and other measurements of students
achievement including benchmarks for student achievement;
(12) outreach programs to provide elementary and secondary
school students, especially those in middle grades, and their
parents, teachers, school counselors, and principals
information about and academic preparation for the early
college high school or other dual enrollment program;
(13) how the eligible entity will help students meet
eligibility criteria for postsecondary courses; and
(14) how the eligible entity will sustain the early college
high school or other dual enrollment program after the grant
expires.
(c) Assurances.--An eligible entity's application under subsection
(a) shall include assurances that--
(1) in the case of an early college high school, the
majority of courses offered, including of postsecondary
courses, will be offered at facilities of the institution of
higher education;
(2) students will not be required to pay tuition or fees
for postsecondary courses;
(3) postsecondary credits earned will be transcribed upon
completion of the requisite coursework; and
(4) faculty teaching postsecondary courses meet the normal
standards for faculty established by the institution of higher
education.
(d) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive the requirement of subsection
(c)(1) upon a showing that it is impractical to apply due to geographic
considerations.
SEC. 8. PEER REVIEW.
(a) Peer Review of Applications.--The Secretary shall establish
peer review panels to review applications submitted pursuant to section
7 to advise the Secretary regarding such applications.
(b) Composition of Peer Review Panels.--The Secretary shall ensure
that each peer review panel is not comprised wholly of full-time
officers or employees of the Federal Government and includes, at a
minimum--
(1) experts in the establishment and administration of
early college high schools or other dual enrollment programs
from the high school and college perspective;
(2) faculty at institutions of higher education and
secondary school teachers with expertise in dual enrollment;
and
(3) experts in the education of at-risk students.
SEC. 9. GRANTS TO STATES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award six-year
grants to State agencies responsible for secondary or postsecondary
education for efforts to support or establish statewide dual enrollment
programs.
(b) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, a State
agency shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and including such information as the Secretary determines
to be appropriate.
(c) Contents of Application.--At a minimum, the application
described in subsection (b) shall include--
(1) how the State will create outreach programs to ensure
that middle and high school students and their families are
aware of dual enrollment programs in the State;
(2) how the State will provide technical assistance to
local dual enrollment programs as appropriate;
(3) how the State will ensure the quality of state and
local dual enrollment programs; and
(4) such other information as the Secretary determines to
be appropriate.
(d) State Activities.--A State receiving a grant under this section
shall use such funds for--
(1) planning and implementing a statewide strategy for
expanding access to dual enrollment programs for students who
are underrepresented in higher education; and
(2) providing technical assistance to local dual enrollment
programs.
SEC. 10. REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT.
(a) Reporting by Grantees.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish uniform
guidelines for all grantees concerning information such
grantees annually shall report to the Secretary to demonstrate
a grantee's progress toward achieving the goals of this Act.
(2) Contents of report.--At a minimum, the report described
in paragraph (1) shall include, for eligible entities receiving
funds under section 7, for each category of students described
in section 1111(h)(1)(C)(i) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965:
(A) The number of students.
(B) The percentage of students scoring advanced,
proficient, basic, and below basic on the assessments
described in section 1111(b)(3) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(C) The performance of students on other
assessments or measurements of achievement.
(D) The number of secondary school credits earned.
(E) The number of postsecondary credits earned.
(F) Attendance rate.
(G) Graduation rate.
(H) Placement in postsecondary education or
advanced training, in military service, and in
employment.
(b) Reporting by the Secretary.--The Secretary annually shall
compile and analyze the information described in subsection (a) and
report it to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of
the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of
Representatives, which report shall include identification of best
practices for achieving the goals of this Act.
(c) Monitoring Visits.--The Secretary's designee shall visit each
grantee at least once for the purpose of helping the grantee achieve
the goals of this Act and to monitor the grantee's progress toward
achieving such goals.
(d) National Evaluation.--Within six months of the appropriation of
funds for this Act, the Secretary shall enter into a contract with an
independent organization to perform an evaluation of the grants awarded
under this Act. Such evaluation shall apply rigorous procedures to
obtain valid and reliable data concerning participants' outcomes by
social and academic characteristics and monitor the progress of
students from high school to and through postsecondary education.
(e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance to eligible entities concerning best practices in early
college high schools and dual enrollment programs and shall disseminate
such best practices among eligible entities and State and local
educational agencies.
SEC. 11. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
(a) Employees.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to alter or
otherwise affect the rights, remedies, and procedures afforded to the
employees of local educational agencies (including schools) or
institutions of higher education under Federal, State, or local laws
(including applicable regulations or court orders) or under the terms
of collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding, or
other agreements between such employees and their employers.
(b) Graduation Rate.--A student who graduates from an early college
high school supported under this Act in the standard number of years
for graduation described in the eligible entity's application shall be
considered to have graduated on time for purposes of section
1111(b)(2)(C)(6) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
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