I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3988
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 by strengthening and expanding 
the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Pro-
grams (GEAR UP) in order to facilitate the transition of low-income 
high school students into post-secondary education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 17, 2004
Mr. FATTAH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 by strength-
ening and expanding the Gaining Early Awareness and 
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) in 
order to facilitate the transition of low-income high 
school students into post-secondary education.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘GEAR UP & GO Act’’. 
(b) REFERENCES.—Except as otherwise expressly 
provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal
is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, 
a section or other provision, the reference shall be consid-
ered to be made to a section or other provision of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.). 
SEC. 2. CONTINUUM OF SERVICES. 
(a) AWARDS.—Section 404A(b)(2)(B) (20 U.S.C. 
1070a–21(b)(2)(B)) is amended by inserting after 
‘‘through the completion of secondary school’’ the fol-
lowing: ‘‘or through the first year of attendance at a post-
secondary education institution’’. 
(b) COHORT
APPROACH.—Section 404B(g)(1)(B) 
(20 U.S.C. 1070a–22(g)(1)(B)) is amended by inserting 
after ‘‘through the 12th grade’’ the following ‘‘or through 
the first year of attendance at a postsecondary education 
institution to students in the participating grade level’’. 
(c) EARLY INTERVENTION.—
(1) USES OF FUNDS.—Section 404D(b)(2) (20 
U.S.C. 1070a–24(b)(2)) is amended by inserting 
after ‘‘through grade 12’’ the following: ‘‘or through 
the first year of attendance at a postsecondary edu-
cation institution’’. 
(2) PRIORITY STUDENTS.—Section 404D(c) is 
amended by inserting after ‘‘through grade 12’’ the 
following ‘‘or through the first year of attendance at 
a postsecondary education institution’’.
SEC. 3. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY. 
Section 404A (20 U.S.C. 1070a–21) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY.—An eligible entity 
shall not cease to be an eligible entity upon the expiration 
of any grant under this chapter (including a continuation 
award). The Secretary shall require any such entity seek-
ing a new grant to demonstrate the effectiveness of the 
prior programs under this chapter in its plan submitted 
under section 404C.’’. 
SEC. 4. FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND COUNSELING. 
Section 404D (20 U.S.C. 1070a–24) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1)(B)(i), by inserting be-
fore the semicolon at the end the following: ‘‘, and 
counseling and education regarding financial cost re-
quirements for college’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)(2)(A)(ii), by striking ‘‘ca-
reer mentoring’’ inserting ‘‘career planning and 
mentoring, academic counseling, and financial lit-
eracy, education, or counseling pertaining to the 
process of going to college’’. 
SEC. 5. SCHOLARSHIP COMPONENT. 
Section 404E(b)(2) (20 U.S.C. 1070a–25(b)(2)) is 
amended by inserting after ‘‘section 401 for such fiscal 
year’’ the following ‘‘, or $5,800, whichever is less’’.
SEC. 6. DUAL/CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 2 of part A of title IV 
is amended—
(1) by redesignating section 404G and 404H 
(20 U.S.C. 1070a–27) as sections 404H and 404I, 
respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after section 404F the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 404G. DUAL/CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—The Secretary is au-
thorized to carry out a program to be known as ‘GEAR 
UP & GO’, to provide growing opportunities for dual/con-
current enrollment, which shall be designed to provide low-
income high school students participating in GEAR UP 
partnerships or State programs the opportunity to enroll 
in college courses while still enrolled in high school. In 
such program, students shall not be required to apply for 
admission to the institution of higher education in order 
to participate, but may receive college credit. 
‘‘(b) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY.—Except as provided in 
subsection (e)(2), a student shall be eligible for the pur-
pose of this section, if the student—
‘‘(1) is enrolled in GEAR UP partnerships or 
State programs; 
‘‘(2) is enrolled in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade; 
and