S 3508 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to support early college high schools and other dual enrollment programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

September 17, 2008CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. KOHL introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to support early college high schools and other dual enrollment programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Fast Track to College Act of 2008’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AGENCY- The term ‘educational service agency’ means an educational service agency as defined by section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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 (20 U.S.C. 1002).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY- The term ‘local educational agency’ means a local educational agency as defined by section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Education.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Funds Reserved- The Secretary shall reserve 3 percent of funds appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) for grants to States under section 9.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Grant Amount- A grant under this Act shall not exceed $2,000,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Matching Requirement-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) 20 percent of the grant amount received in each of the first and second years of the grant.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) 30 percent in each of the third and fourth years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) 40 percent in the fifth year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) 50 percent in the sixth year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT CONTRIBUTED- The Secretary shall allow an eligible entity to satisfy the requirement of this subsection through in-kind contributions.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Priority- In awarding grants under this Act, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. USES OF FUNDS.

(a) Mandatory Activities- An eligible entity shall use grant funds received under section 5 to support the activities described in its application, including for the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) PLANNING YEAR- In the case of a new early college high school or dual enrollment program, during the first year of the grant--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) hiring a principal and staff, as appropriate;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) educating parents and the community about the school;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) recruiting students;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) liaison activities among partners in the eligible entity; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) coordinating secondary and postsecondary support services, academic calendars, and transportation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD- During the remainder of the grant period--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) academic and social support services, including counseling;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) student recruitment and community education and engagement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) professional development, including joint professional development for secondary school and faculty from the institution of higher education; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) school design and planning team activities, including curriculum development.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) purchasing textbooks and equipment that support academic programs;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) learning opportunities for students that complement classroom experiences, such as internships, career-based capstone projects, and opportunities provided under chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 et seq., 1070a-21 et seq.);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) transportation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) planning time for high school and college educators to collaborate; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) data collection, sharing, reporting, and evaluation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. APPLICATION.

(a) In General- To receive a grant under section 5, 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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Contents of Application- At a minimum, the application described in subsection (a) shall include a description of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the early college high school’s or other dual enrollment program’s budget;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II));CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) a system of student supports for students in the early college high school or other dual enrollment program, including 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;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) how parents or guardians of dually enrolled students will be informed of the students’ academic performance and progress and, subject to paragraph (5), involved in the development of the students’ career and graduation plan;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) coordination activities between the institution of higher education and the local educational agency, including regarding academic calendars, provision of student services, curriculum development, and professional development;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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 the teachers to help English-language learners, students with disabilities, and students from diverse cultural backgrounds to succeed;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) learning opportunities for students that complement classroom experiences, such as internships, career-based capstone projects, and opportunities provided under chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 et seq., 1070a-21 et seq.);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) student assessments and other measurements of student achievement that will be used, including benchmarks for student achievement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(13) how the eligible entity will help students meet eligibility criteria for postsecondary courses; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(14) how the eligible entity will sustain the early college high school or other dual enrollment program after the grant expires.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Assurances- An eligible entity’s application under subsection (a) shall include assurances that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) students will not be required to pay tuition or fees for postsecondary courses;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) postsecondary credits earned will be transcribed upon completion of the requisite coursework; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) faculty teaching postsecondary courses meet the normal standards for faculty established by the institution of higher education.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. PEER REVIEW.

(a) Peer Review of Applications- The Secretary shall establish peer review panels to review applications submitted pursuant to section 7 and to advise the Secretary regarding such applications.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) experts in the establishment and administration of early college high schools or other dual enrollment programs from the high school and college perspective;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) faculty at institutions of higher education and secondary school teachers with expertise in dual enrollment; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) experts in the education of at-risk students.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Contents of Application- At a minimum, the application described in subsection (b) shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) how the State will provide technical assistance to local dual enrollment programs as appropriate;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) how the State will ensure the quality of State and local dual enrollment programs; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) such other information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) State Activities- A State receiving a grant under this section shall use such funds for--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) planning and implementing a statewide strategy for expanding access to dual enrollment programs for students who are underrepresented in higher education; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) providing technical assistance to local dual enrollment programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 10. REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT.

(a) Reporting by Grantees-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall establish uniform guidelines for all grantees under section 5, and uniform guidelines for all grantees under section 9, concerning information such grantees annually shall report to the Secretary to demonstrate a grantee’s progress toward achieving the goals of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) CONTENTS OF REPORT- At a minimum, the report described in paragraph (1) shall include, for eligible entities receiving funds under section 5, for each category of students described in section 1111(h)(1)(C)(i) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(h)(1)(C)(i)):CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) The number of students.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(3)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) The performance of students on other assessments or measurements of achievement.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) The number of secondary school credits earned.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) The number of postsecondary credits earned.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) Attendance rate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(G) Graduation rate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(H) Placement in postsecondary education or advanced training, in military service, and in employment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(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)(vi) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C)(vi)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink