A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local education agencies to improve college access.

Summary: Pathways to College Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive five-year grants to local educational agencies that serve mostly high-need secondary schools for programs to increase the number of students from low-income families who attend college. Defines "high-need secondary schools" as those where at least one-half of the students are from low-income families.

Requires grantees to use such funds to: (1) train teachers and counselors to provide students with advice concerning postsecondary education; (2) ensure that each student receives postsecondary information and planning assistance before the end of their first semester of secondary school; (3) inform students and parents regarding the benefits, expenses, and financing of higher education; and (4) ensure that their schools develop comprehensive, school-wide plans of action to strengthen their college-going culture.

Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance to grantees in calculating and analyzing their college-going rates and adopting best practices for elevating such rates.

Requires grantees to measure externally verified school-wide college enrollment, track data that leads to increased college-going, and evaluate the success of their grant activities.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pathways to College Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) An educated workforce is crucial to the success of the 
        United States economy. Access to higher education for all 
        students is critical to maintaining an educated workforce. More 
        than 80 percent of the 23,000,000 jobs that will be created in 
        the next 10 years will require postsecondary education. Only 36 
        percent of all 18- to 24-year olds are currently enrolled in 
        postsecondary education.
            (2) Workers with bachelor's degrees earn on average $17,000 
        more annually than workers with only high school diplomas. 
        Workers who earn bachelor's degrees can be expected to earn 
        $1,000,000 more over a lifetime than those who only finished 
        high school.
            (3) The ACT recommends that schools--
                    (A) provide student guidance to engage students in 
                college and career awareness; and
                    (B) ensure that students enroll in a rigorous 
                curriculum to prepare for postsecondary education.
            (4) The Department of Education reports that the average 
        student-to-counselor ratio in high schools is 315:1. This falls 
        far above the ratio recommended by the American School 
        Counselor Association, which is 250:1. While school counselors 
        at private schools spend an average of 58 percent of their time 
        on postsecondary education counseling, counselors in public 
        schools spend an average of 25 percent of their time on 
        postsecondary education counseling.
            (5) While just 57 percent of students from the lowest 
        income quartile enroll in college, 87 percent of students from 
        the top income quartile enroll. Of students who were in eighth 
        grade in 2000, only 20 percent of the lowest-income students 
        are projected to attain a bachelor's degree by 2012, compared 
        to 68 percent of the highest income group, according to the 
        Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance in 2006.
            (6) A recent report by the Consortium on Chicago School 
        Research found that only 41 percent of Chicago public school 
        students who aspire to go to college took the steps necessary 
        to apply to and enroll in a 4-year institution of higher 
        education. The report also reveals that only \1/3\ of Chicago 
        students who want to attend a 4-year institution of higher 
        education enroll in a school that matches their qualifications. 
        Even among students qualified to attend a selective college, 29 
        percent enrolled in a community college or did not enroll at 
        all.
            (7) The Consortium found that many Chicago public school 
        students do not complete the Free Application for Federal 
        Student Aid, even though students who apply for Federal 
        financial aid are 50 percent more likely to enroll in college. 
        Sixty-five percent of public secondary school counselors at 
        low-income schools believe that students and parents are 
        discouraged from considering college as an option due to lack 
        of knowledge about financial aid.
            (8) Low-income and first-generation families often 
        overestimate the cost of tuition and underestimate available 
        aid; students from these backgrounds have access to fewer 
        college application resources and financial aid resources than 
        other groups, and are less likely to fulfill their 
        postsecondary plans as a result.
            (9) College preparation intervention programs can double 
        the college-going rates for at-risk youth, can expand students' 
        educational aspirations, and can boost college enrollment and 
        graduation rates.

SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``local educational 
        agency'' and ``Secretary'' have the meanings given the terms in 
        section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Eligible local educational agency.--The term ``eligible 
        local educational agency'' means a local educational agency in 
        which a majority of the secondary schools served by the agency 
        are high-need secondary schools.
            (3) High-need secondary school.--The term ``high-need 
        secondary school'' means a secondary school in which not less 
        than 50 percent of the students enrolled in the school are--
                    (A) eligible for a school lunch program under the 
                Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act;
                    (B) eligible to be counted under section 1124(c) of 
                the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 6333(c)); or
                    (C) in families eligible for assistance under the 
                State program funded under part A of title IV of the 
                Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
    (b) Competitive Grants to Eligible Local Educational Agencies.--The 
Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to 
eligible local educational agencies to carry out the activities 
described in this section.
    (c) Duration.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 5 years 
in duration.
    (d) Distribution.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall ensure that the grants are distributed among the 
different geographic regions of the United States, and among eligible 
local educational agencies serving urban and rural areas.
    (e) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible local educational agency 
        desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application 
        to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
        by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
            (2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall include a description of the program to be carried 
        out with grant funds and--
                    (A) a description of the secondary school 
                population to be targeted by the program, the 
                particular college-access needs of such population, and 
                the resources available for meeting such needs;
                    (B) an outline of the objectives of the program, 
                including goals for increasing the number of college 
                applications submitted by each student, increasing Free 
                Application for Federal Student Aid completion rates, 
                and increasing school-wide college enrollment rates 
                across the local educational agency;
                    (C) a description of the local educational agency's 
                plan to work cooperatively with programs funded 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. and 1070a-21 et seq.), including the extent to 
                which the agency commits to sharing facilities, 
                providing access to students, and developing compatible 
                record-keeping systems;
                    (D) a description of the activities, services, and 
                training to be provided by the program, including a 
                plan to provide structure and support for all students 
                in the college search, planning, and application 
                process;
                    (E) a description of the methods to be used to 
                evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of the program;
                    (F) an assurance that grant funds will be used to 
                supplement, and not supplant, any other Federal, State, 
                or local funds available to carry out activities of the 
                type carried out under the grant;
                    (G) an explanation of the method used for 
                calculating college enrollment rates for each secondary 
                school served by the eligible local educational agency 
                that is based on externally verified data, and, when 
                possible, aligned with existing State or local methods; 
                and
                    (H) a plan to make the program sustainable over 
                time, including the use of matching funds from non-
                Federal sources.
            (3) Method of calculating enrollment rates.--
                    (A) In general.--A method included in an 
                application under paragraph (2)(G)--
                            (i) shall, at a minimum, track students' 
                        first-time enrollment in institutions of higher 
                        education; and
                            (ii) may track progress toward completion 
                        of a postsecondary degree.
                    (B) Development in conjunction.--An eligible local 
                educational agency may develop a method pursuant to 
                paragraph (2)(G) in conjunction with an existing public 
                or private entity that currently maintains such a 
                method.
    (f) Special Consideration.--In awarding grants under this section, 
the Secretary shall give special consideration to applications from 
eligible local educational agencies serving schools with the highest 
percentages of poverty.
    (g) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible local educational agency that 
        receives a grant under this section shall develop and 
        implement, or expand, a program to increase the number of low-
        income students who enroll in postsecondary educational 
        institutions, including institutions with competitive 
        admissions criteria.
            (2) Required use of funds.--Each program funded under this 
        section shall--
                    (A) provide professional development to secondary 
                school teachers and counselors in postsecondary 
                education advising;
                    (B) ensure that each student has not less than 1 
                meeting, not later than the first semester of the first 
                year of secondary school, with a school counselor, 
                college access personnel (including personnel involved 
                in programs funded 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. and 1070a-21 et 
                seq.)), trained teacher, or other professional or 
                organization, such as a community-based organization, 
                approved by the school, to discuss postsecondary 
                options, outline postsecondary goals, and create a plan 
                to achieve those goals;
                    (C) provide information to all students enrolled in 
                the secondary schools served by the eligible local 
                educational agency and parents beginning in the first 
                year of secondary school on--
                            (i) the economic and social benefits of 
                        higher education;
                            (ii) college expenses, including 
                        information about expenses by institutional 
                        type, differences between sticker price and net 
                        price, and expenses beyond tuition;
                            (iii) paying for college, including the 
                        availability, eligibility, and variety of 
                        financial aid; and
                            (iv) the forms and processes associated 
                        with applying for financial aid; and
                    (D) ensure that each secondary school served by the 
                eligible local educational agency develops a 
                comprehensive, school-wide plan of action to strengthen 
                the college-going culture within the school.
            (3) Allowable use of funds.--Each program funded under this 
        section may--
                    (A) establish mandatory postsecondary planning 
                classes for secondary school seniors to assist the 
                seniors in the college preparation and application 
                process;
                    (B) hire and train postsecondary coaches with 
                expertise in the college-going process;
                    (C) increase the number of counselors who 
                specialize in the college-going process serving 
                students;
                    (D) train student leaders to assist in the creation 
                of a college-going culture in their schools;
                    (E) provide opportunities for students to explore 
                postsecondary opportunities outside of the school 
                setting, such as college fairs, career fairs, college 
                tours, workplace visits, or other similar activities;
                    (F) assist students with test preparation, college 
                applications, Federal financial aid applications, and 
                scholarship applications;
                    (G) establish partnerships with programs funded 
                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. and 1070a-21 et seq.)), and with 
                community and nonprofit organizations to increase 
                college-going rates at secondary schools served by the 
                eligible local educational agency;
                    (H) provide long-term postsecondary follow up with 
                graduates of the secondary schools served by the 
                eligible local educational agencies, including 
                increasing alumni involvement in mentoring and advising 
                roles within the secondary school;
                    (I) create and maintain a postsecondary access 
                center in the school setting that provides information 
                on colleges and universities, career opportunities, and 
                financial aid options and provide a setting in which 
                professionals working in programs funded 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. and 1070a-21 et seq.)), can meet with students;
                    (J) deliver college and career planning curriculum 
                as a stand-alone course, or embedded in other classes, 
                for all students in secondary school; and
                    (K) increase parent involvement in preparing for 
                postsecondary opportunities.
    (h) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Funds made available under this 
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, 
State, and local funds available to carry out the activities described 
in this section.
    (i) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, directly or through 
contracting through a full and open process with 1 or more 
organizations that have demonstrated experience providing technical 
assistance to raise school-wide college enrollment rates in local 
educational agencies in not less than 3 States, shall provide technical 
assistance to grantees in carrying out this section. The technical 
assistance shall--
            (1) provide assistance in the calculation and analysis of 
        college-going rates for all grant recipients;
            (2) provide semi-annual analysis to each grant recipient 
        recommending best practices based on a comparison of the 
        recipient's data with that of secondary schools with similar 
        demographics; and
            (3) provide annual best practices conferences for all grant 
        recipients.
    (j) Evaluation and Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Measure enrollment and track data.--Each eligible local 
        educational agency that receives a grant under this section 
        shall--
                    (A) measure externally verified school-wide college 
                enrollment; and
                    (B) track data that leads to increased college 
                going, including college applications sent and Free 
                Application for Federal Student Aid forms filed.
            (2) Evaluations by grantees.--Each eligible local 
        educational agency that receives a grant under this section 
        shall--
                    (A) conduct periodic evaluations of the 
                effectiveness of the activities carried out under the 
                grant toward increasing school-wide college-going 
                rates;
                    (B) use such evaluations to refine and improve 
                activities conducted with the grant and the performance 
                measures for such activities; and
                    (C) make the results of such evaluations publicly 
                available, including by providing public notice of such 
                availability.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report concerning the 
        results of--
                    (A) the evaluations conducted under paragraph (2); 
                and
                    (B) an evaluation conducted by the Secretary to 
                analyze the effectiveness and efficacy of the 
                activities conducted with grants under this section.