I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5460 

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the 

Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education 

to establish grant programs to help pregnant and parenting students 

stay in school, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 28, 2010 

Ms. CHU introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 

of 1965 and the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to establish grant programs to help pregnant and parenting students stay in 

school, and for other purposes. 

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 referred to as the ‘‘Teen Parent 

5 Graduation and College Achievement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

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1 (1) Each year, nearly 750,000 American teen2 agers ages 15 through 19 become pregnant, giving 

3 the United States the highest teenage pregnancy 

4 rate of all industrialized nations. 

5 (2) Overall, there has been an impressive de6 cline in teen pregnancy and birth rates since the 

7 early 1990s. Between 2005 and 2006, however, teen 

8 pregnancy rates increased for the first time in 14 

9 years. 

10 (3) Seventy percent of teenagers who become 

11 pregnant drop out of high school, and teenage fa12 thers tend to complete, on average, one semester of 

13 high school fewer than men who delay fatherhood 

14 until they are 21 years or older. Fewer economic op15 portunities are available to these teenage parents. 

16 (4) Some teenagers drop out of school as a re17 sult of subsequent pregnancies. In 2006, subsequent 

18 pregnancies accounted for 85,000, or almost 20 per19 cent, of all teenage pregnancies. 

20 (5) Marginalized racial or ethnic minority and 

21 immigrant communities generally have less access to 

22 the education, support, and services needed for 

23 healthy growth and development, and are at high 

24 risk for teenage pregnancy. 

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1 (6) The high rate of teenage pregnancy in ra2 cial or ethnic minority and immigrant communities 

3 can lead to a disproportionate dropout rate in those 

4 communities. School systems in many such commu5 nities lack the funding and expertise to effectively 

6 counter high school teenage pregnancy dropout 

7 rates. 

8 (7) Fifty-two percent of Latina teens and 50 

9 percent of African-American teen girls will become 

10 pregnant at least once before they are 20 years old. 

11 Birth rates among Latina and African-American 

12 youth ages 15 through 17 are more than twice the 

13 birth rates of Caucasian youth in the same age 

14 range. 

15 (8) The 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey con16 tained the surprising finding that sexually active les17 bian, gay, and bisexual youth are three times as like18 ly to face an unwanted pregnancy as their hetero19 sexual peers. 

20 (9) Only 51 percent of all teenage mothers, and 

21 38 percent of teenage mothers who have a child be22 fore they turn 18, have a high school diploma, com23 pared to 89 percent of all other women. 

24 (10) Parenthood is a leading cause of school 

25 dropout among teenage women. Of all teenage 

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1 women who have dropped out of high school, 30 per2 cent cited pregnancy or parenthood as a reason they 

3 dropped out, including 36 percent of Latina women 

4 and 38 percent of African-American women. 

5 (11) Two-thirds of all teenage births occur 

6 among teenagers ages 18 and 19. Birth rates among 

7 women of those ages have declined less significantly 

8 than among teenage women of other ages. These 

9 older teenage parents would benefit from the in10 creased availability of services at institutions of 

11 higher education, particularly at community colleges. 

12 (12) The responsibilities of pregnancy and par13 enting can interfere with the attainment of a college 

14 degree. Sixty-one percent of women who have chil15 dren after enrolling in community college do not 

16 graduate. Women who do not have children after en17 rollment graduate at a 65 percent higher rate than 

18 women who do. 

19 (13) Comprehensive support through schools, 

20 public agencies, and community-based organizations 

21 can reduce high school dropout rates and ensure 

22 that more pregnant and parenting teenagers com23 plete high school and enroll in institutions of higher 

24 education. 

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1 (14) More data on the prevalence of pregnant 

2 and parenting teenagers is needed so that Federal 

3 assistance reaches the communities in which it is 

4 most needed. 

5 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR ASSISTANCE TO PREGNANT AND PAR6 ENTING STUDENTS AT ELEMENTARY AND 

7 SECONDARY SCHOOLS. 

8 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.—Part H 

9 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 

10 of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended— 

11 (1) in section 1803 (20 U.S.C. 6553)— 

12 (A) by striking ‘‘this part’’ and inserting 

13 ‘‘subparts 1 and 2’’; 

14 (B) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before the first sen15 tence; and 

16 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

17 subsection: 

18 ‘‘(b) For the purpose of carrying out subpart 3, there 

19 are authorized to be appropriated $75,000,000 for each 

20 of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.’’; 

21 (2) in section 1822(a) (20 U.S.C. 6561a(a)), by 

22 striking ‘‘1803’’ each place it appears and inserting 

23 ‘‘1803(a)’’; and 

24 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub25 part: 

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1 ‘‘Subpart 3—Grants for Assistance to Pregnant and 

2 Parenting Students 

3 ‘‘SEC. 1840. GRANTS FOR ASSISTANCE TO PREGNANT AND 

4 PARENTING STUDENTS. 

5 ‘‘(a) GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary 

6 shall establish a program to award grants to local edu7 cational agencies to help pregnant and parenting students 

8 stay in school by expanding their access to services, includ9 ing— 

10 ‘‘(1) tutoring; 

11 ‘‘(2) pregnancy-related healthcare; 

12 ‘‘(3) child care; 

13 ‘‘(4) transportation; 

14 ‘‘(5) after-school support; 

15 ‘‘(6) academic counseling; 

16 ‘‘(7) school social work services; or 

17 ‘‘(8) family planning services, including services 

18 for subsequent pregnancy prevention. 

19 ‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under sub20 section (a), the Secretary shall give priority to a local edu21 cational agency that, in the determination of the Sec22 retary— 

23 ‘‘(1) is eligible for assistance under part A; 

24 ‘‘(2) serves a school that will have a significant 

25 percentage of pregnant and parenting students in 

26 the period for which the grant is awarded; and 

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1 ‘‘(3) will expand the access of pregnant and 

2 parenting students to each service described in sub3 section (a). 

4 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The 

5 amount of a grant awarded under subsection (a) shall not 

6 exceed $500,000. 

7 ‘‘(d) GRANT CONDITIONS.—As a condition of receiv8 ing a grant under subsection (a), a local educational agen9 cy— 

10 ‘‘(1) shall agree to enter into partnerships and 

11 share grant funds, when appropriate, with public 

12 agencies or with community-based organizations to 

13 carry out the purpose for which the grant is award14 ed; and 

15 ‘‘(2) shall not use more than 10 percent of the 

16 amount of the grant for administrative costs. 

17 ‘‘(e) USE OF FUNDS.—Uses of funds from a grant 

18 awarded under subsection (a) may include— 

19 ‘‘(1) compensating teachers and other employ20 ees for performing additional services in carrying out 

21 the purpose of the grant; and 

22 ‘‘(2) encouraging training practicums for grad23 uate students in social work to carry out the purpose 

24 of the grant. 

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1 ‘‘(f) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

2 under subsection (a), a local educational agency shall sub3 mit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 

4 manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 

5 may require. 

6 ‘‘(g) REPORTING.— 

7 ‘‘(1) SUBMISSION.—The Secretary shall submit 

8 to Congress a report on the program established 

9 under subsection (a), including the information spec10 ified in paragraph (2), on the following dates: 

11 ‘‘(A) A date that is not later than Sep12 tember 30, 2013. 

13 ‘‘(B) A date that is not later than January 

14 1, 2016. 

15 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—A report submitted under 

16 paragraph (1) shall include the following informa17 tion, as determined by the Secretary: 

18 ‘‘(A) The number and graduation rate of 

19 pregnant and parenting students who benefit 

20 from the program, and their rate of enrollment 

21 in institutions of higher education. 

22 ‘‘(B) The effectiveness of the program, in 

23 the long term, in reducing costs to the Federal 

24 government, including the costs of providing, to 

25 individuals affected by the program, benefits 

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1 under the Medicaid program under title XIX of 

2 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et 

3 seq.), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

4 Program established under the Food and Nutri5 tion Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), and 

6 Federal foster care programs, and other in7 come-tested or need-based benefits.’’. 

8 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

9 in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 

10 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 note) is amended by insert11 ing after the item relating to section 1830 the following: 

‘‘SUBPART 3—GRANTS FOR ASSISTANCE TO PREGNANT AND PARENTING

STUDENTS

‘‘Sec. 1840. Grants for assistance to pregnant and parenting students.’’. 

12 SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR ASSISTANCE TO PREGNANT AND PAR13 ENTING STUDENTS AT INSTITUTIONS OF 

14 HIGHER EDUCATION. 

15 Part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 

16 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is amended by adding at 

17 the end the following new subpart: 

18 ‘‘Subpart 11—Grants for Assistance to Pregnant and 

19 Parenting Students 

20 ‘‘SEC. 420S. GRANTS FOR ASSISTANCE TO PREGNANT AND 

21 PARENTING STUDENTS. 

22 ‘‘(a) GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary 

23 shall establish a program to award grants to institutions 

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1 of higher education to help pregnant and parenting stu2 dents stay in school by expanding their access to services, 

3 including— 

4 ‘‘(1) tutoring; 

5 ‘‘(2) pregnancy-related healthcare; 

6 ‘‘(3) child care; 

7 ‘‘(4) transportation; 

8 ‘‘(5) after-school support; 

9 ‘‘(6) academic counseling; 

10 ‘‘(7) school social work services; or 

11 ‘‘(8) family planning services, including services 

12 for subsequent pregnancy prevention. 

13 ‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under sub14 section (a), the Secretary shall give priority to an institu15 tion of higher education that, in the determination of the 

16 Secretary— 

17 ‘‘(1) will have a significant percentage of preg18 nant and parenting students in the period for which 

19 the grant is awarded; and 

20 ‘‘(2) will expand the access of pregnant and 

21 parenting students to each service described in sub22 section (a). 

23 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The 

24 amount of a grant awarded under subsection (a) shall not 

25 exceed $500,000. 

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1 ‘‘(d) GRANT CONDITIONS.—As a condition of receiv2 ing a grant under subsection (a), an institution of higher 

3 education— 

4 ‘‘(1) shall agree to enter into partnerships and 

5 share grant funds, when appropriate, with public 

6 agencies or with community-based organizations to 

7 carry out the purpose for which the grant is award8 ed; and 

9 ‘‘(2) may use no more than 10 percent of the 

10 amount of the grant for administrative costs. 

11 ‘‘(e) USE OF FUNDS.—Uses of funds from a grant 

12 awarded under subsection (a) may include— 

13 ‘‘(1) compensating teachers and other employ14 ees for performing additional services in carrying out 

15 the purpose of the grant; and 

16 ‘‘(2) encouraging training practicums for grad17 uate students in social work to carry out the purpose 

18 of the grant. 

19 ‘‘(f) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

20 under subsection (a), an institution of higher education 

21 shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 

22 in such manner, and containing such information as the 

23 Secretary may require. 

24 ‘‘(g) REPORTING.— 

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1 ‘‘(1) SUBMISSION.—The Secretary shall submit 

2 to Congress a report on the program established 

3 under subsection (a), including the information spec4 ified in paragraph (2), on the following dates: 

5 ‘‘(A) A date that is not later than Sep6 tember 30, 2013. 

7 ‘‘(B) A date that is not later than January 

8 1, 2016. 

9 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—A report submitted under 

10 paragraph (1) shall include the following informa11 tion, as determined by the Secretary: 

12 ‘‘(A) The number and graduation rate of 

13 pregnant and parenting students who benefit 

14 from the program. 

15 ‘‘(B) The effectiveness of the program, in 

16 the long term, in reducing costs to the Federal 

17 government, including the costs of providing, to 

18 individuals affected by the program, benefits 

19 under the Medicaid program under title XIX of 

20 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et 

21 seq.), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

22 Program established under the Food and Nutri23 tion Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), and 

24 Federal foster care programs, and other in25 come-tested or need-based benefits. 

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1 ‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

2 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

3 $75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.’’. 

Æ 

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