II 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3326 

To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local educational 

agencies to improve college access. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 24 (legislative day, JULY 23), 2008 

Mr. DURBIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants 

to local educational agencies to improve college access. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pathways to College 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) An educated workforce is crucial to the suc9 cess of the United States economy. Access to higher 

10 education for all students is critical to maintaining 


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1 an educated workforce. More than 80 percent of the 

2 23,000,000 jobs that will be created in the next 10 

3 years will require postsecondary education. Only 36 

4 percent of all 18- to 24-year olds are currently en5 rolled in postsecondary education. 

6 (2) Workers with bachelor’s degrees earn on av7 erage $17,000 more annually than workers with only 

8 high school diplomas. Workers who earn bachelor’s 

9 degrees can be expected to earn $1,000,000 more 

10 over a lifetime than those who only finished high 

11 school. 

12 (3) The ACT recommends that schools— 

13 (A) provide student guidance to engage 

14 students in college and career awareness; and 

15 (B) ensure that students enroll in a rig16 orous curriculum to prepare for postsecondary 

17 education. 

18 (4) The Department of Education reports that 

19 the average student-to-counselor ratio in high 

20 schools is 315:1. This falls far above the ratio rec21 ommended by the American School Counselor Asso22 ciation, which is 250:1. While school counselors at 

23 private schools spend an average of 58 percent of 

24 their time on postsecondary education counseling, 

25 counselors in public schools spend an average of 25 


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1 percent of their time on postsecondary education 

2 counseling. 

3 (5) While just 57 percent of students from the 

4 lowest income quartile enroll in college, 87 percent 

5 of students from the top income quartile enroll. Of 

6 students who were in eighth grade in 2000, only 20 

7 percent of the lowest-income students are projected 

8 to attain a bachelor’s degree by 2012, compared to 

9 68 percent of the highest income group, according to 

10 the Advisory Committee on Student Financial As11 sistance in 2006. 

12 (6) A recent report by the Consortium on Chi13 cago School Research found that only 41 percent of 

14 Chicago public school students who aspire to go to 

15 college took the steps necessary to apply to and en16 roll in a 4-year institution of higher education. The 

report also reveals that only 1 17 ⁄3 of Chicago students 

18 who want to attend a 4-year institution of higher 

19 education enroll in a school that matches their quali20 fications. Even among students qualified to attend a 

21 selective college, 29 percent enrolled in a community 

22 college or did not enroll at all. 

23 (7) The Consortium found that many Chicago 

24 public school students do not complete the Free Ap25 plication for Federal Student Aid, even though stuVerDate Aug 31 2005 22:55 Jul 25, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3326.IS S3326

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1 dents who apply for Federal financial aid are 50 

2 percent more likely to enroll in college. Sixty-five 

3 percent of public secondary school counselors at low4 income schools believe that students and parents are 

5 discouraged from considering college as an option 

6 due to lack of knowledge about financial aid. 

7 (8) Low-income and first-generation families 

8 often overestimate the cost of tuition and underesti9 mate available aid; students from these backgrounds 

10 have access to fewer college application resources 

11 and financial aid resources than other groups, and 

12 are less likely to fulfill their postsecondary plans as 

13 a result. 

14 (9) College preparation intervention programs 

15 can double the college-going rates for at-risk youth, 

16 can expand students’ educational aspirations, and 

17 can boost college enrollment and graduation rates. 

18 SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM. 

19 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

20 (1) ESEA DEFINITIONS.—The terms ‘‘local 

21 educational agency’’ and ‘‘Secretary’’ have the 

22 meanings given the terms in section 9101 of the Ele23 mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 

24 U.S.C. 7801). 


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1 (2) ELIGIBLE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.— 

2 The term ‘‘eligible local educational agency’’ means 

3 a local educational agency in which a majority of the 

4 secondary schools served by the agency are high5 need secondary schools. 

6 (3) HIGH-NEED SECONDARY SCHOOL.—The 

7 term ‘‘high-need secondary school’’ means a sec8 ondary school in which not less than 50 percent of 

9 the students enrolled in the school are— 

10 (A) eligible for a school lunch program 

11 under the Richard B. Russell National School 

12 Lunch Act; 

13 (B) eligible to be counted under section 

14 1124(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Edu15 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)); or 

16 (C) in families eligible for assistance under 

17 the State program funded under part A of title 

18 IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 

19 seq.). 

20 (b) COMPETITIVE GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE LOCAL

21 EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.—The Secretary is authorized 

22 to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible local 

23 educational agencies to carry out the activities described 

24 in this section. 


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1 (c) DURATION.—Grants awarded under this section 

2 shall be 5 years in duration. 

3 (d) DISTRIBUTION.—In awarding grants under this 

4 section, the Secretary shall ensure that the grants are dis5 tributed among the different geographic regions of the 

6 United States, and among eligible local educational agen7 cies serving urban and rural areas. 

8 (e) APPLICATIONS.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible local edu10 cational agency desiring a grant under this section 

11 shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 

12 time, in such manner, and accompanied by such in13 formation as the Secretary may reasonably require. 

14 (2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted 

15 under paragraph (1) shall include a description of 

16 the program to be carried out with grant funds 

17 and— 

18 (A) a description of the secondary school 

19 population to be targeted by the program, the 

20 particular college-access needs of such popu21 lation, and the resources available for meeting 

22 such needs; 

23 (B) an outline of the objectives of the pro24 gram, including goals for increasing the number 

25 of college applications submitted by each stuVerDate Aug 31 2005 22:55 Jul 25, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3326.IS S3326

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1 dent, increasing Free Application for Federal 

2 Student Aid completion rates, and increasing 

3 school-wide college enrollment rates across the 

4 local educational agency; 

5 (C) a description of the local educational 

6 agency’s plan to work cooperatively with pro7 grams funded under chapters 1 and 2 of sub8 part 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Edu9 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 et seq. 

10 and 1070a–21 et seq.), including the extent to 

11 which the agency commits to sharing facilities, 

12 providing access to students, and developing 

13 compatible record-keeping systems; 

14 (D) a description of the activities, services, 

15 and training to be provided by the program, in16 cluding a plan to provide structure and support 

17 for all students in the college search, planning, 

18 and application process; 

19 (E) a description of the methods to be 

20 used to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness 

21 of the program; 

22 (F) an assurance that grant funds will be 

23 used to supplement, and not supplant, any 

24 other Federal, State, or local funds available to 


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1 carry out activities of the type carried out 

2 under the grant; 

3 (G) an explanation of the method used for 

4 calculating college enrollment rates for each 

5 secondary school served by the eligible local 

6 educational agency that is based on externally 

7 verified data, and, when possible, aligned with 

8 existing State or local methods; and 

9 (H) a plan to make the program sustain10 able over time, including the use of matching 

11 funds from non-Federal sources. 

12 (3) METHOD OF CALCULATING ENROLLMENT

13 RATES.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—A method included in 

15 an application under paragraph (2)(G)— 

16 (i) shall, at a minimum, track stu17 dents’ first-time enrollment in institutions 

18 of higher education; and 

19 (ii) may track progress toward com20 pletion of a postsecondary degree. 

21 (B) DEVELOPMENT IN CONJUNCTION.—An 

22 eligible local educational agency may develop a 

23 method pursuant to paragraph (2)(G) in con24 junction with an existing public or private enti25 ty that currently maintains such a method. 


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1 (f) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.—In awarding grants 

2 under this section, the Secretary shall give special consid3 eration to applications from eligible local educational 

4 agencies serving schools with the highest percentages of 

5 poverty. 

6 (g) USE OF FUNDS.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible local educational 

8 agency that receives a grant under this section shall 

9 develop and implement, or expand, a program to in10 crease the number of low-income students who enroll 

11 in postsecondary educational institutions, including 

12 institutions with competitive admissions criteria. 

13 (2) REQUIRED USE OF FUNDS.—Each program 

14 funded under this section shall— 

15 (A) provide professional development to 

16 secondary school teachers and counselors in 

17 postsecondary education advising; 

18 (B) ensure that each student has not less 

19 than 1 meeting, not later than the first semes20 ter of the first year of secondary school, with a 

21 school counselor, college access personnel (in22 cluding personnel involved in programs funded 

23 under chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2 of part A 

24 of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

25 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 et seq. and 1070a–21 et 


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1 seq.)), trained teacher, or other professional or 

2 organization, such as a community-based orga3 nization, approved by the school, to discuss 

4 postsecondary options, outline postsecondary 

5 goals, and create a plan to achieve those goals; 

6 (C) provide information to all students en7 rolled in the secondary schools served by the eli8 gible local educational agency and parents be9 ginning in the first year of secondary school 

10 on— 

11 (i) the economic and social benefits of 

12 higher education; 

13 (ii) college expenses, including infor14 mation about expenses by institutional 

15 type, differences between sticker price and 

16 net price, and expenses beyond tuition; 

17 (iii) paying for college, including the 

18 availability, eligibility, and variety of finan19 cial aid; and 

20 (iv) the forms and processes associ21 ated with applying for financial aid; and 

22 (D) ensure that each secondary school 

23 served by the eligible local educational agency 

24 develops a comprehensive, school-wide plan of 


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1 action to strengthen the college-going culture 

2 within the school. 

3 (3) ALLOWABLE USE OF FUNDS.—Each pro4 gram funded under this section may— 

5 (A) establish mandatory postsecondary 

6 planning classes for secondary school seniors to 

7 assist the seniors in the college preparation and 

8 application process; 

9 (B) hire and train postsecondary coaches 

10 with expertise in the college-going process; 

11 (C) increase the number of counselors who 

12 specialize in the college-going process serving 

13 students; 

14 (D) train student leaders to assist in the 

15 creation of a college-going culture in their 

16 schools; 

17 (E) provide opportunities for students to 

18 explore postsecondary opportunities outside of 

19 the school setting, such as college fairs, career 

20 fairs, college tours, workplace visits, or other 

21 similar activities; 

22 (F) assist students with test preparation, 

23 college applications, Federal financial aid appli24 cations, and scholarship applications; 


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1 (G) establish partnerships with programs 

2 funded under chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2 of 

3 part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act 

4 of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 et seq. and 

5 1070a–21 et seq.)), and with community and 

6 nonprofit organizations to increase college-going 

7 rates at secondary schools served by the eligible 

8 local educational agency; 

9 (H) provide long-term postsecondary follow 

10 up with graduates of the secondary schools 

11 served by the eligible local educational agencies, 

12 including increasing alumni involvement in 

13 mentoring and advising roles within the sec14 ondary school; 

15 (I) create and maintain a postsecondary 

16 access center in the school setting that provides 

17 information on colleges and universities, career 

18 opportunities, and financial aid options and 

19 provide a setting in which professionals working 

20 in programs funded under chapters 1 and 2 of 

21 subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher 

22 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 et 

23 seq. and 1070a–21 et seq.)), can meet with stu24 dents; 


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1 (J) deliver college and career planning cur2 riculum as a stand-alone course, or embedded 

3 in other classes, for all students in secondary 

4 school; and 

5 (K) increase parent involvement in pre6 paring for postsecondary opportunities. 

7 (h) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds made 

8 available under this section shall be used to supplement, 

9 and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds 

10 available to carry out the activities described in this sec11 tion. 

12 (i) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary, di13 rectly or through contracting through a full and open 

14 process with 1 or more organizations that have dem15 onstrated experience providing technical assistance to 

16 raise school-wide college enrollment rates in local edu17 cational agencies in not less than 3 States, shall provide 

18 technical assistance to grantees in carrying out this sec19 tion. The technical assistance shall— 

20 (1) provide assistance in the calculation and 

21 analysis of college-going rates for all grant recipi22 ents; 

23 (2) provide semi-annual analysis to each grant 

24 recipient recommending best practices based on a 


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1 comparison of the recipient’s data with that of sec2 ondary schools with similar demographics; and 

3 (3) provide annual best practices conferences 

4 for all grant recipients. 

5 (j) EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 

6 (1) MEASURE ENROLLMENT AND TRACK

7 DATA.—Each eligible local educational agency that 

8 receives a grant under this section shall— 

9 (A) measure externally verified school-wide 

10 college enrollment; and 

11 (B) track data that leads to increased col12 lege going, including college applications sent 

13 and Free Application for Federal Student Aid 

14 forms filed. 

15 (2) EVALUATIONS BY GRANTEES.—Each eligi16 ble local educational agency that receives a grant 

17 under this section shall— 

18 (A) conduct periodic evaluations of the ef19 fectiveness of the activities carried out under 

20 the grant toward increasing school-wide college21 going rates; 

22 (B) use such evaluations to refine and im23 prove activities conducted with the grant and 

24 the performance measures for such activities; 

25 and 


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1 (C) make the results of such evaluations 

2 publicly available, including by providing public 

3 notice of such availability. 

4 (3) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the 

5 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

6 submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 

7 report concerning the results of— 

8 (A) the evaluations conducted under para9 graph (2); and 

10 (B) an evaluation conducted by the Sec11 retary to analyze the effectiveness and efficacy 

12 of the activities conducted with grants under 

13 this section. 

Æ 


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