```

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9824 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9824

 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program for 
  skills-for-success courses for all first-year students enrolled at 
               certain institutions of higher education.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 25, 2024

 Mrs. Foushee (for herself, Ms. Adams, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, and Ms. 
    Ross) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program for 
  skills-for-success courses for all first-year students enrolled at 
               certain institutions of higher education.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``College Thriving Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED; APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Grant Program Authorized.--The Secretary of Education shall 
award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible institutions to carry 
out skills-for-success courses for all first-year students enrolled at 
such institutions.
    (b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to eligible institutions that are historically 
Black colleges and universities.
    (c) Grant Period; Minimum Grant Amount.--
            (1) Grant period.--A grant awarded to an eligible 
        institution under this Act shall be for a 5-year grant period.
            (2) Minimum grant amount.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), a 
                grant under this Act shall be awarded in an amount of 
                $1,000,000 for the 5-year grant period for such grant.
                    (B) Ratable increases or decreases.--The amount 
                specified in subparagraph (A) shall be ratably 
                increased or decreased to the extent that funds 
                available under section 5 exceed or are less than 
                (respectively) the amount required to provide the 
                amounts specified in subparagraph (A).
    (d) Application Requirements.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this Act, an eligible institution shall submit an application at 
such time, and in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require, which shall include a description of--
            (1) the skills-for-success course that the institution will 
        develop and implement with the grant; and
            (2) the activities the institution will carry out under 
        each phase described in section 3(b).

SEC. 3. USES OF FUNDS; REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Each eligible institution receiving a grant under 
this section shall develop and implement a skills-for-success course by 
carrying out the activities listed in each of the 4 phases described in 
subsection (b).
    (b) Phases for Uses of Funds.--
            (1) Preparation phase.--During the first year of the grant 
        period, the eligible institution shall use such grant to 
        develop the skills-for-success course and carry out the 
        necessary preparation activities, which may include--
                    (A) identifying and training instructional staff;
                    (B) obtaining support from faculty, staff, or 
                institution administration for the curricular 
                adaptation;
                    (C) developing infrastructure for implementation, 
                including obtaining necessary course and syllabus 
                approvals;
                    (D) determining how student registration will be 
                handled;
                    (E) establishing a course evaluation model; and
                    (F) designating appropriate classroom space.
            (2) Pilot phase.--During the second year of the grant 
        period, the eligible institution shall use such grant to 
        implement a pilot skills-for-success course, which shall 
        include the piloting of methods for evaluating the course, such 
        as observation and solicitation of feedback from course 
        instructors, students, and identified campus community leaders.
            (3) Implementation.--During the third, fourth, and fifth 
        years of the grant program, the eligible institution shall use 
        such grant to fully implement the skills-for-success course, 
        which--
                    (A) incorporates the improvements identified during 
                the pilot skills-for-success course during the second 
                year of the grant period; and
                    (B) is made available for each first-year student 
                enrolled at the institution, at the beginning of such 
                students' first term of enrollment at such institution, 
                to the extent practicable.
    (c) Report.--Each eligible institution that receives a grant under 
this Act shall submit to the Secretary a report upon the completion of 
the 5-year grant period, which shall include--
            (1) an evaluation of the pilot skills-for-success course, 
        and the skills-for-success course implemented during the third 
        through fifth years of the grant period; and
            (2) a description of how such grant was used during each 
        year of the grant period.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Eligible institution.--The term ``eligible 
        institution'' has the meaning given the term ``institution of 
        higher education'' in section 101(a) of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) and section 102(a)(1)(B) of 
        such Act (20 U.S.C.1002(a)(1)(B)).
            (2) Historically black colleges and universities.--The term 
        ``historically Black colleges and universities'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061)).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (4) Skills-for-success course.--The term ``skills-for-
        success course'' means a course offered by an eligible 
        institution for first-year students (including transfer 
        students) at the beginning of such students' first term of 
        enrollment at such institution that--
                    (A) has a low student-to-teacher ratio;
                    (B) is not graded or is pass-fail; and
                    (C) provides skills for success in college, and 
                includes each of the following topics:
                            (i) Development of connections with campus 
                        partners (academic advisors) or engagement with 
                        campus resources (campus mental health 
                        counselors).
                            (ii) Mental well-being.
                            (iii) Time management skills.
                            (iv) Planning and organization skills.
                            (v) Coping with stress and setbacks.
                            (vi) Managing conflict and difference.
                            (vii) Goal setting.
                            (viii) Building and maintaining healthy 
                        interpersonal relationships.
                            (ix) Self-care and compassion.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated 50,000,000 to carry out 
this Act, which shall remain available until expended.
                                 <all>
```