[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 647 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 647
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to award
grants to eligible entities to establish, expand, or support school-
based mentoring programs to assist at-risk middle school students with
the transition from middle school to high school.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2017
Mr. Carson of Indiana (for himself, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Ellison, Mr.
Langevin, Ms. Lee, Mr. Loebsack, Ms. Moore, Ms. Norton, Mr. Payne, and
Mr. Ryan of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to award
grants to eligible entities to establish, expand, or support school-
based mentoring programs to assist at-risk middle school students with
the transition from middle school to high school.
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 ``Transition-to-Success Mentoring
Act''.
SEC. 2. TRANSITION-TO-SUCCESS MENTORING PROGRAM.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 1002(d) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6553) is
amended to read as follows: ``There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out the activities described in part D, $50,000,000 for fiscal
year 2018 and such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding fiscal
year.''.
(b) Transition-to-Success Mentoring Program.--Part D of title I of
such Act (20 U.S.C. 6421 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``Subpart 4--Transition-to-Success Mentoring Program
``SEC. 1441. TRANSITION-TO-SUCCESS MENTORING PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--From the amounts appropriated to carry out this
section, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to
establish, expand, or support school-based mentoring programs to assist
eligible students with the transition from middle school to high
school.
``(b) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, an
eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
``(c) Uses of Funds.--
``(1) Required uses of funds.--An eligible entity that
receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds
to establish a mentoring program, or to expand or provide
technical support to an existing mentoring program, in all
middle schools served by the entity, under which each eligible
student is assigned to a success coach who--
``(A) creates a plan for success for the student
that--
``(i) is created with the student,
teachers, mentor, and parents of the student;
``(ii) includes, for each academic year,
the student's academic, personal, and career
exploration goals, and a strategy on how to
accomplish such goals; and
``(iii) identifies the student's strengths,
weaknesses, and academic progress;
``(B) enters into a signed, written agreement with
the parents of the student that describes how the
parents should assist the student in carrying out the
plan for success;
``(C) meets with the student at least once per
month to--
``(i) assist the student in achieving the
goals under the plan for success;
``(ii) identify the student's academic
areas of weaknesses;
``(iii) provide the student with the tools
necessary to improve the student's potential
for academic excellence, and ensure the
student's successful transition from middle
school to high school by identifying improved
attitude, behavior, coursework, and social
involvement; and
``(iv) in the case of a student with
behavioral issues, assist the student in
behavior management techniques;
``(D) at least monthly, meets with the student and
the parents, teachers, or counselors of the student
to--
``(i) evaluate the student's progress in
achieving the goals under the plan for the
current academic year; and
``(ii) revise or establish new goals for
the next academic year; and
``(E) serves as the student's advocate between the
teachers and parents of the student to ensure that the
teachers and parents understand the student's plan.
``(2) Authorized uses of funds.--An eligible entity that
receives a grant under this section may use such funds to--
``(A) develop and carry out a training program for
success coaches, including providing support to match
success coaches with eligible students;
``(B) cover the cost of any materials used by
success coaches under the mentoring program; and
``(C) hire staff to perform or support the program
objectives.
``(d) Grant Duration.--A grant under this section shall be awarded
for a period of not more than 5 years.
``(e) Reporting Requirements.--
``(1) Eligible entities.--An eligible entity receiving a
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary, at the
end of each academic year during the grant period, a report
that includes--
``(A) the number of students who participated in
the school-based mentoring program that was funded in
whole or in part with the grant funds under this
section;
``(B) data on the academic achievement of such
students;
``(C) the number of contact hours between such
students and their success coaches; and
``(D) any other information that the Secretary may
require to evaluate the success of the school-based
mentoring program.
``(2) Secretary.--
``(A) Interim report.--At the end of the third
fiscal year for which funds are made available to carry
out this section, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress an interim report on the success of the
school-based mentoring programs funded under this
section that includes the information received under
paragraph (1).
``(B) Final report.--At the end of the fifth fiscal
year for which funds are made available to carry out
this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
final report on the success of the school-based
mentoring programs funded under this section that
includes the information received under paragraph (1).
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) At-risk student.--The term `at-risk student' means a
student who has been identified as a student who has below a
2.0 grade point average or the equivalent or who has been
determined by parents, teachers, or other school officials to--
``(A) be at-risk of academic failure;
``(B) have expressed interest in dropping out of
school;
``(C) show signs of a drug or alcohol problem;
``(D) be pregnant or a parent;
``(E) have come into contact with the juvenile
justice system in the past;
``(F) have limited English proficiency;
``(G) be a gang member; or
``(H) have a high absenteeism rate at school.
``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) a local educational agency that--
``(i) receives, or is eligible to receive,
funds under part A of this title; or
``(ii) is a high-need local educational
agency; or
``(B) a partnership between a local educational
agency described in subparagraph (A) and a nonprofit,
community-based organization.
``(3) Eligible student.--The term `eligible student' means
a student who--
``(A) is enrolled in a middle school served by an
eligible entity; and
``(B) is an at-risk student.
``(4) 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.
``(5) High-need school.--The term `high-need school' has
the meaning given the term in section 2211(b)(2).
``(6) Middle school.--The term `middle school' means a
nonprofit institutional day or residential school, including a
public charter school, that provides middle school education,
as determined under State law, except that the term does not
include any education below grade 6 or beyond grade 9.
``(7) School-based mentoring.--The term `school-based
mentoring' refers to mentoring activities that--
``(A) are closely coordinated with a school by
involving teachers, counselors, and other school staff
who may identify and refer students for mentoring
services; and
``(B) assist at-risk students in improving academic
achievement, reducing disciplinary referrals, and
increasing positive regard for school.
``(8) Success coach.--The term `success coach' means an
individual who--
``(A) is--
``(i) an employee or volunteer of a local
educational agency in which a mentoring program
receiving support under this section is being
carried out; or
``(ii) a volunteer or employee from a
nonprofit, community-based organization that
provides volunteers for mentoring programs in
secondary schools; and
``(B) prior to becoming a success coach--
``(i) received training and support in
mentoring from an eligible entity, which, at a
minimum, was 2 hours in length and covered the
roles and responsibilities of a success coach;
and
``(ii) underwent a screening by an eligible
entity that included--
``(I) appropriate job reference
checks;
``(II) child and domestic abuse
record checks; and
``(III) criminal background
checks.''.
SEC. 3. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 1432 the following:
``subpart 4--transition-to-success mentoring program
``Sec. 1441. Transition to success mentoring program.''.
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