Academic Success Centers and Education Networks for Dreamers (ASCEND) Act

Summary: Academic Success Centers and Education Networks for Dreamers (ASCEND) Act This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to not-for-profit institutions of higher education to develop programs that support Dreamer students in successfully completing postsecondary education. A &quot;Dreamer student&quot; is an individual who is a beneficiary of, or eligible for, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Academic Success Centers and 
Education Networks for Dreamers (ASCEND) Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAMS FOR DREAMER STUDENT SUCCESS IN COMPLETING 
              POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to encourage programs 
that support Dreamer student success in completing postsecondary 
education by coordinating educational and community services to address 
the academic, financial, and social needs of Dreamer students.
    (b) Grants Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations under subsection (h), the Secretary of Education 
        shall award grants to not-for-profit institutions of higher 
        education to develop programs to support Dreamer student 
        success in completing postsecondary education.
            (2) Grant period.--A grant awarded under this section shall 
        be awarded for a period of 4 years.
    (c) Use of Grants.--
            (1) Required activities.--An institution of higher 
        education receiving a grant under this section shall use such 
        grant to carry out a program that includes--
                    (A) developing a team of professionals who provide 
                services to Dreamer students and provide training to 
                faculty on how to support Dreamer students;
                    (B) providing a coordinator whose primary 
                responsibility is to coordinate the program carried out 
                under this section; and
                    (C) establishing a plan to sustain the program 
                after the grant period.
            (2) Other authorized activities.--An institution of higher 
        education receiving a grant under this section may use such 
        grant to carry out any of the following authorized activities 
        with respect to Dreamer students and students described in 
        section 212(a)(6) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
        U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)) or subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section 
        237(a)(1) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(1)):
                    (A) Outreach to such students.
                    (B) Supportive instructional services for such 
                students, which may include--
                            (i) personal, academic, and career 
                        counseling, as an ongoing part of the program;
                            (ii) tutoring and academic skill-building 
                        instruction assistance, as needed; and
                            (iii) assistance with special admissions 
                        and transfer of credit from previous 
                        postsecondary education or experience.
                    (C) Assistance in obtaining student financial aid.
                    (D) Assistance with applications for in-state 
                tuition, where applicable.
                    (E) Establishing a scholarship program modeled 
                after Federal work-study programs.
                    (F) Other support services and planning activities 
                the institution determines to be necessary to ensure 
                the success of such students in achieving educational 
                goals.
    (d) Application; Selection.--
            (1) Application.--To be considered for a grant under this 
        section, an institution of higher education shall submit to the 
        Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require.
            (2) Selection considerations.--
                    (A) In general.--In awarding grants under this 
                section, the Secretary shall consider--
                            (i) the need for a new program for Dreamer 
                        students; or
                            (ii) the need for additional services 
                        provided by an existing program for Dreamer 
                        students.
                    (B) Grant criteria depending on established source 
                of funding.--The Secretary shall set criteria for 
                grants awarded based on the differing objectives of 
                programs for Dreamer students with, or without, an 
                established source of funding. With respect to an 
                institution of higher education having a program with 
                an established source of funding at the time the 
                application under paragraph (1) is submitted, the 
                institution shall provide in the application an 
                assurance that it will use Federal funds received under 
                this section only to supplement the funds that would, 
                in the absence of such Federal funds, be made available 
                from State, local, and private sources for the program, 
                and not to supplant such funds.
    (e) Evaluation and Accountability Plan.--The Secretary shall 
develop an evaluation and accountability plan for programs funded under 
this section to measure objectively the following:
            (1) The ability of the program to establish or expand 
        services provided to Dreamer students.
            (2) Graduation rates of Dreamer students.
    (f) Online Publication of Progress Results.--The Secretary of 
Education shall publish progress results online.
    (g) Dreamer Students.--In this section, the term ``Dreamer 
student'' means an individual who is a beneficiary of, or eligible for, 
the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program pursuant to the 
memorandum by the Secretary of Homeland Security dated June 15, 2012, 
or November 20, 2014.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2017 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.