21st Century Scholars Act of 1997

Summary: 21st Century Scholars Act of 1997 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to establish a 21st Century Scholars Program, which shall give eligible 21st Century Scholars (eligible Scholars) a legally binding promise, secured by the full faith and credit of the United States, to provide the maximum authorized Pell Grant to cover the costs of attendance for each of up to four years of attendance at an eligible institution. 
Makes students eligible Scholars if they successfully completed the uppermost grade at a qualifying elementary school and were residents of the such school's attendance area during the school year in which such grade was completed.  Makes schools qualifying elementary schools if they serve attendance areas in which the concentration of children from low-income families exceeds 75 percent, as determined under specified provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``21st Century Scholars Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. PELL GRANT GUARANTEES.

    (a) Amendment.--Subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after section 401 (20 
U.S.C. 1070a) the following new section:

``SEC. 401A. PELL GRANT GUARANTEES.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to require the 
Secretary to establish a program to provide to eligible 21st Century 
Scholars (in this section referred to as `eligible Scholars') a legally 
binding promise, secured by the full faith and credit of the United 
States, to provide, for each of up to 4 years of attendance at an 
eligible institution, the maximum authorized Pell Grant to cover the 
costs of attendance at such institution.
    ``(b) Eligible Scholars.--
            ``(1) Eligible scholars.--For purposes of this section, a 
        student is an eligible Scholar if the student successfully 
        completed the uppermost grade at a qualifying elementary school 
        and was a resident of the school attendance area of such school 
        during the school year in which such grade was completed.
            ``(2) Qualifying elementary schools.--For purposes of 
        paragraph (1), an elementary school is a qualifying elementary 
        school if such school serves a school attendance area in which 
        the concentration of children from low-income families exceeds 
        75 percent, as determined under section 1113(a)(3)(A) of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        6313(a)(3)(A)).
    ``(c) Notification to Eligible Scholars.--
            ``(1) Initial notification.--Upon receipt of notification 
        from a qualifying elementary school of the identities and 
        addresses of each student meeting the requirements of 
        subsection (b), the Secretary shall send to each such student 
        at their school, and to the parents or guardians of such 
        student, a written commitment to provide, for each of up to 4 
        years of attendance at an eligible institution, the maximum 
        authorized Pell Grant to cover the costs of attendance at an 
        eligible institution. A copy of the notice shall be maintained 
        in the student's official record. Such notice shall contain--
                    ``(A) a statement of the value of the award and its 
                character as a legal obligation of the United States; 
                and
                    ``(B) the obligations of students and parents or 
                guardians, including the obligation to meet current 
                Pell requirements at the time of admission to 
                postsecondary education, except as otherwise provided 
                in this section.
            ``(2) Annual notices.--The Secretary shall annually provide 
        to each school, for each student notified under paragraph (1), 
and to the parents or guardians of such student, a notice restating the 
written commitment provided under paragraph (1) and containing--
                    ``(A) a statement of the maximum Pell Grant then 
                currently authorized;
                    ``(B) a notification to the parents or guardians of 
                the status of the Secretary's records of the Scholar's 
                current address, grade, and school where currently 
                enrolled; and
                    ``(C) instructions to the parents or guardians of 
                how to inform the Secretary of any changes of the 
                Scholar's address, grade, or school where currently 
                enrolled.
            ``(3) Pledge of full faith and credit.--The full faith and 
        credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of the 
        written commitments provided under this subsection.
    ``(d) Maximum Authorized Pell Grant.--
            ``(1) In general.--The commitments provided under 
        subsection (c) shall guarantee to each eligible Scholar an 
        amount that, subject to paragraph (2), is equal to the greater 
        of--
                    ``(A) the maximum Pell Grant available, pursuant to 
                an appropriations Act, for the academic year for which 
                the Scholar is seeking payment of the commitment; or
                    ``(B) the maximum Pell Grant available, pursuant to 
                an appropriations Act, for the academic year during 
                which the Scholar is first notified under subsection 
                (c)(2) of such commitment.
            ``(2) Cost of attendance.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), 
        the amount guaranteed to an eligible Scholar for any academic 
        year shall not exceed such Scholar's cost of attendance at the 
        eligible institution at which such Scholar is enrolled or 
        accepted for enrollment.
            ``(3) Other limitations not applicable.--Except as provided 
        in paragraphs (1) and (2), the Pell Grant awarded under this 
        section shall not be subject to any reduction based on expected 
        family contribution, or to any other limitation or reduction 
        pursuant to section 401 or any other law.
    ``(e) Applications for Grants.--The Secretary shall from time to 
time set dates by which eligible Scholars shall file applications for 
payments of the commitments provided under this section. Each such 
Scholar shall file an application therefor containing such information 
and assurances as the Secretary may deem necessary to enable the 
Secretary to carry out the functions and responsibilities of this 
section.
    ``(f) Distribution of Grants to Students.--Payments under this 
section shall be made in accordance with regulations promulgated by the 
Secretary for such purpose, in such manner as will best accomplish the 
purpose of this section. Any disbursement allowed to be made by 
crediting the student's account shall be limited to tuition and fees 
and, in the case of institutionally owned housing, room and board. The 
student may elect to have the institution provide other such goods and 
services by crediting the student's account.''.
    (b) TRIO Participation and Mentoring.--
            (1) TRIO eligibility.--Section 402A(g) of Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11(g)) is amended by adding at the 
        end the following new sentence: ``Any individual who has been 
        identified as an eligible 21st Century Scholar under section 
        401A shall be treated as a low-income individual for purposes 
        of this section.''.
            (2) Talent search mentoring.--Section 402B(b) of such Act 
        (20 U.S.C. 1070a-12(b)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (9);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
                (10) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(11) special mentoring programs and activities for 
        eligible 21st Century Scholars identified under section 
        401A.''.
            (3) Early intervention mentoring, counseling, outreach, and 
        supportive services.--Section 404C(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
        1070a-23(c)) is amended by striking ``who is eligible'' and 
        inserting ``who is an eligible 21st Century Scholars identified 
        under section 401A or who is eligible''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965.--
            (1) State assurances.--Section 1111(c) of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (B) in paragraph (6), by striking the period and 
                adding ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) the State educational agency annually will notify the 
        recipients of awards under subpart 2 of part A of title IV of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the Secretary of the 
        identities and addresses of all students who meet the 
        requirements of section 401A(b) of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965.''.
            (2) Local assurances.--Section 1112(c)(1) of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (H), by striking the period and 
                adding ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(I) notify the State educational agency annually 
                of the identities and addresses of all students who 
                meet the requirements of section 401A(b) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965.''.
    (d) Evaluation.--The Secretary of Education shall establish a 
system for the evaluation of the 21st Century Scholars Program 
established pursuant to the amendments made by this section. Such 
evaluation shall include measurements of the impact of the Program on 
Pell Grant participation by low-income individuals, the educational 
attainment of 21st Century Scholars as compared to control groups, and 
any change in social behavior such as teenage pregnancy, drop-out 
rates, and juvenile detention and incarceration rates.