A bill to encourage partnerships between community colleges and 4-year institutions of higher education.

Summary: Community College Partnership Act of 2003 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a community college opportunity program to help students at community or technical colleges (CTCs) to transfer to four-year institutions of higher education (IHEs) and complete baccalaureate degrees. Directs the Secretary of Education to award not less than six and not more than 12 program grants to eligible entities. Makes eligible for such grants: (1) partnerships that include one or more CTCs that award associate's degrees and one or more IHEs that offer a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree not awarded by the partner colleges; or (2) a statewide governance or coordinating board that has jurisdiction over both CTCs and IHEs, or a partnership of such boards that have separate jurisdiction over such entities. Requires funds from such grants to be used for: (1) development of policies to expand opportunities for community or technical college students to earn baccalaureate degrees, including promoting the transfer of academic credits between institutions and expanding articulation and guaranteed transfer agreements; (2) support services to students participating in the program, including tutoring, mentoring, academic and personal counseling, and transition facilitation; (3) academic program enhancements at the community or technical college that increase program quality and the number of student participants in the dual degree program offered in conjunction with a baccalaureate degree granting institution; and (4) programs to identify barriers that inhibit student transfers.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Community College Partnership Act of 
2003''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNITY COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY; COLLEGE PREPARATION PROGRAMS 
              AUTHORIZED.

    Subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1070a-11) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 407E as section 406E; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:

               ``CHAPTER 4--COMMUNITY COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY

``SEC. 407A. PURPOSE.

    ``It is the purpose of this chapter to enhance--
            ``(1) retention of students at community or technical 
        colleges;
            ``(2) opportunities of students to transfer to 4-year 
        institutions of higher education and complete baccalaureate 
        degrees; and
            ``(3) preparation of students for high-quality and high-
        demand emerging and established occupations.

``SEC. 407B. ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this chapter:
            ``(1) Community or technical college.--The term `community 
        or technical college' means an institution of higher 
        education--
                    ``(A) that admits as regular students, individuals 
                who are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance 
                in the State in which the institution is located and 
                who have the ability to benefit from the training 
                offered by the institution;
                    ``(B) that predominately does not provide an 
                educational program for which it awards a baccalaureate 
                degree (or an equivalent degree);
                    ``(C) that--
                            ``(i) provides an educational program of 
                        not less than 2 years that is acceptable for 
                        full credit toward a baccalaureate degree; or
                            ``(ii) offers a 2-year program in 
                        engineering, mathematics, or the physical or 
                        biological sciences, designed to prepare a 
                        student to work as a technician or at the 
                        semiprofessional level in engineering, 
                        scientific, or other technological fields 
                        requiring the understanding and application of 
                        basic engineering, scientific, or mathematical 
                        principles of knowledge; and
                    ``(D) that is accredited by a regional accrediting 
                agency or association recognized by the Secretary under 
                section 496.
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a statewide governance or coordinating board 
                with jurisdiction over community or technical colleges 
                and institutions of higher education that offer a 
                baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree;
                    ``(B) a partnership between a statewide governance 
                or coordinating board with jurisdiction over community 
                or technical colleges and a statewide governance or 
                coordinating board with jurisdiction over institutions 
                of higher education that offer a baccalaureate or 
                postbaccalaureate degree; or
                    ``(C) a partnership between--
                            ``(i) 1 or more community or technical 
                        colleges; and
                            ``(ii) 1 or more institutions of higher 
                        education that offer a baccalaureate or 
                        postbaccalaureate degree not awarded by the 
                        institutions described in clause (i) with which 
                        it is partnered.
    ``(b) Grants Authorized.--From the amounts appropriated under 
section 407C, the Secretary shall award not less than 6 and not more 
than 12 grants to eligible entities.
    ``(c) Applications.--Any eligible entity that desires to obtain a 
grant under this chapter shall submit to the Secretary an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information or 
assurances as the Secretary may require.
    ``(d) Awarding of Grants.--
            ``(1) Criteria.--The Secretary shall establish criteria for 
        awarding grants under this chapter.
            ``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this chapter, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that 
        demonstrate the capacity to identify and address systemic 
        problems related to college retention and the transfer of 
        community or technical college students to institutions of 
        higher education that offer a baccalaureate or 
        postbaccalaureate degree.
    ``(e) Duration.--Grants under this chapter shall be for a period of 
5 or 6 years in duration, which period of time shall include a planning 
and implementation phase.
    ``(f) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded under this chapter shall be 
used for--
            ``(1) the development of policies to expand opportunities 
        for community or technical college students to earn 
        baccalaureate degrees, including promoting the transfer of 
        academic credits between institutions and expanding 
        articulation and guaranteed transfer agreements;
            ``(2) support services to students participating in the 
        program, such as tutoring, mentoring, and academic and personal 
        counseling, as well as any service that facilitates the 
        transition of students from a community or technical college to 
        an institution of higher education;
            ``(3) academic program enhancements at a community or 
        technical college that result in increasing the quality of the 
        program offered, the connection to high-quality and high-demand 
        emerging and established occupations, and the number of student 
        participants in a dual degree program offered in conjunction 
        with an institution of higher education that offers a 
        baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate degree; and
            ``(4) programs to identify barriers that inhibit student 
        transfers.
    ``(g) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations 
as may be necessary to carry out this chapter.

``SEC. 407C. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this chapter 
$70,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the 3 succeeding fiscal years.''.