[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4612 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4612
To amend the eligibility requirements for funding under title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 8, 2014
Mr. DeSantis (for himself, Mr. Salmon, Mr. Posey, and Mr. Bentivolio)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the eligibility requirements for funding under title IV of 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 ``Higher Education Reform and
Opportunity Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT.
(a) Definition of Institution of Higher Education.--Section 102(a)
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002(a)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs
(6) and (7), respectively;
(2) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``Subject to paragraphs (2) through (4)'' and
inserting ``Subject to paragraphs (2) through (5)'';
(3) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as
subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the
following:
``(B) if accredited by an authorized accreditation
authority in a State that has an alternative
accreditation agreement with the Secretary, as
described in paragraph (5)--
``(i) an institution that provides
postsecondary education;
``(ii) a postsecondary apprenticeship
program; or
``(iii) a postsecondary education course or
program provided by an institution of
postsecondary education, a nonprofit
organization, or a for-profit organization or
business;''; and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (4), the following:
``(5) State alternative accreditation.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, a State may establish an alternative
accreditation system for the purpose of establishing
institutions that provide postsecondary education and
postsecondary education courses or programs as eligible
for funding under title IV if the State enters into an
agreement with the Secretary for the establishment of
the alternative accreditation system. Such
institutions, courses, or programs may include--
``(i) institutions that provide
postsecondary education;
``(ii) postsecondary apprenticeship
programs;
``(iii) any other postsecondary education
course or program offered at an institution of
postsecondary education, a nonprofit
organization, or a for-profit organization or
business; and
``(iv) any of the entities described in
clauses (i) through (iii) that do not award a
postsecondary certification, credential, or
degree, provided that such entity provides
credit that will apply toward a postsecondary
certification, credential, or degree.
``(B) Alternative accreditation agreement.--The
alternative accreditation agreement described in
subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
``(i) The designation of one or more
authorized accrediting entities within the
State, such as the State Department of
Education, another State agency, an industry-
specific accrediting agency, or another entity,
and an explanation of the process through which
the State will select such authorized
accrediting entities.
``(ii) The standards or criteria that an
institution that provides postsecondary
education and a postsecondary education course
or program must meet in order to--
``(I) receive an initial
accreditation as part of the
alternative accreditation system; and
``(II) maintain such accreditation.
``(iii) A description of the appeals
process through which an institution that
provides postsecondary education and a
postsecondary education course or program may
appeal to an authorized accrediting entity if
such institution, course, or program is denied
accreditation under the State alternative
accreditation system.
``(iv) Each authorized accrediting entity's
policy regarding the transfer of credits
between institutions that provide postsecondary
education and postsecondary education courses
or programs within the State that are
accredited as part of the alternative
accreditation system.
``(v) The Secretary's reporting
requirements for the State regarding the State
alternative accreditation system, including--
``(I) the contents of reports that
must be submitted to the Secretary,
which may include information such as--
``(aa) in the case of a
postsecondary education course
or program that is accredited
through the State alternative
accreditation system--
``(AA) the number
and percentage of
students who
successfully complete
each such postsecondary
education course or
program; and
``(BB) the number
and percentage of
students who
successfully obtain a
postsecondary
certification,
credential, or degree
using credit obtained
from each such
postsecondary education
course or program; and
``(bb) in the case of an
institution that provides
postsecondary education that is
accredited through the State
alternative accreditation
system--
``(AA) the number
and percentage of
students who
successfully obtain a
postsecondary
certification,
credential, or degree
from such institution;
and
``(BB) the number
and percentage of
students who do not
successfully obtain a
postsecondary
certification,
credential, or degree
from such institution
but do obtain credit
from such institution
toward a postsecondary
degree, credential, or
certification;
``(II) the frequency with which
such reports must be submitted to the
Secretary; and
``(III) any requirements for third
party verification of information
contained in such reports.
``(vi) The State policy regarding public
accessibility to certain information relating
to institutions that provide postsecondary
education and postsecondary education courses
and programs accredited under the State
alternative accreditation system, including--
``(I) the information described in
subclause (I) of clause (v); and
``(II) information about the rates
of job placement for individuals that
have graduated from an institution or
completed a course or program that is
accredited under the State alternative
accreditation system.
``(vii) An assurance by the State that
under the State alternative accreditation
system, only institutions that provide
postsecondary education and postsecondary
education courses or programs that provide
credits toward a postsecondary certification,
credential, or degree (as defined by the State
in accordance with clause (viii)) will be
accredited.
``(viii) The State's definition of a
postsecondary certification, credential, or
degree, as such term applies to the requirement
described in clause (vii).
``(ix) A description of the agreements that
the State will enter into with institutions
that provide postsecondary education and
postsecondary education courses or programs
that are accredited under the alternative
accreditation system to enable such
institutions, courses, or programs to be
eligible under a program authorized under title
IV, for participation in the direct student
loan program, and for the origination of loans
under part D of title IV, and how such
agreements will operate in lieu of the
agreements described in sections 487 and 454.
``(x) A description of how the State will
select institutions that provide postsecondary
education and postsecondary education courses
or programs that are accredited under the
alternative accreditation system, in lieu of
the selection process described in section 453,
for--
``(I) participation in the direct
student loan program under part D of
title IV; and
``(II) approval allowing such
institution, program, or course to
originate direct loans under part D of
title IV.
``(xi) A description of how the State will
administer title IV funds for institutions that
provide postsecondary education, postsecondary
apprenticeship programs, and postsecondary
education courses or programs provided by an
institution of postsecondary education, a
nonprofit organization, or a for-profit
organization or business that are accredited
through the alternative accreditation system.
``(C) Administrative costs for pell grant
students.--
``(i) Pell grants administered by
entities.--In the case of an institution that
provides postsecondary education, a
postsecondary apprenticeship program, or an
entity that provides a postsecondary education
course or program that is accredited through
the alternative accreditation system and that
will administer the Federal Pell Grant, Federal
Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study, and Federal
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants in
accordance with the agreement described in
subparagraph (B)(xi), the Secretary shall, in
lieu of carrying out section 690.10 of title
34, Code of Federal Regulations, and subject to
available appropriations, pay $5.00 to the
institution, apprenticeship program, or entity,
as the case may be, for each student who
receives a Federal Pell Grant at that
institution, apprenticeship program, or entity
for an award year.
``(ii) Pell grants administered by
states.--In the case of an institution that
provides postsecondary education, a
postsecondary apprenticeship program, or an
entity that provides a postsecondary education
course or program that is accredited through
the alternative accreditation system and will
not administer the Federal Pell Grant, Federal
Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study, and Federal
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants,
but will have such programs administered by the
State in accordance with the agreement
described in subparagraph (B)(xi), the
Secretary shall, in lieu of carrying out
section 690.10 of title 34, Code of Federal
Regulations, and subject to available
appropriations, pay $5.00 to the State for each
student who receives a Federal Pell Grant at
that institution, apprenticeship program, or
entity, as the case may be, for an award year.
``(iii) Use of funds.--All funds that an
institution, apprenticeship program, entity, or
the State receives under this subparagraph
shall be used solely to pay the cost of--
``(I) administering the Federal
Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan,
Federal Work-Study, and Federal
Supplemental Educational Opportunity
Grants; and
``(II) carrying out the reporting
requirements described under
subparagraph (B)(v).
``(iv) Financial aid services.--If an
institution, apprenticeship program, or entity
described in this subparagraph enrolls a
significant number of students who are
attending less-than-full-time or are
independent students, such institution,
apprenticeship program, entity, or the State,
as the case may be, shall use a reasonable
proportion of the funds provided under this
subparagraph to make financial aid services
available during times and in places that will
most effectively accommodate the needs of those
students.''.
(b) Title IV Eligibility Requirements.--Part G of title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 493E. STATE ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS, PROGRAMS, OR COURSES.
``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an institution,
program, or course that is eligible for funds under this title in
accordance with section 102(a)(1)(B) and meets the requirements of
section 102(a)(5) shall not be required to meet any other requirements
of this title. For purposes of this title, such an institution,
program, or course shall be deemed to be an eligible institution that
meets the requirements of section 487.''.
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