I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7811 
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to create evidence- 
based student success programs designed to increase participation, reten-
tion, and completion rates of high-need students. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 22, 2024 
Ms. STANSBURY (for herself, Mrs. CHAVEZ-DEREMER, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, 
Ms. NORTON, and Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants 
to create evidence-based student success programs de-
signed to increase participation, retention, and comple-
tion rates of high-need students. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Postsecondary Student 
Success Act of 2024’’. 
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(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a public institution of higher edu-
cation; 
(B) a partnership between a nonprofit edu-
cational organization and an institution of high-
er education; or 
(C) a consortium of institutions of higher 
education. 
(5) ELIGIBLE INDIAN ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eli-
gible Indian entity’’ means the entity responsible for 
the governance, operation, or control of a Tribal Col-
lege or University. 
(6) EVIDENCE-BASED.—The term ‘‘evidence- 
based’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
8101(21)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A)). 
(7) EVIDENCE TIERS.— 
(A) EVIDENCE TIER 1 REFORM OR PRAC-
TICE.—The term ‘‘evidence tier 1 reform or 
practice’’ means a reform or practice that prior 
research suggests has promise for the purpose 
of successfully improving student achievement 
or attainment for high-need students. 
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(B) EVIDENCE TIER 2 REFORM OR PRAC-
TICE.—The term ‘‘evidence tier 2 reform or 
practice’’ means a reform or practice described 
in subparagraph (A), or other reform or prac-
tice meeting similar criteria, that measures im-
pact and cost effectiveness of student success 
activities, and, through rigorous evaluation (in-
cluding through the use of existing administra-
tive data, as applicable), has been found to be 
successfully implemented. 
(C) EVIDENCE TIER 3 REFORM OR PRAC-
TICE.—The term ‘‘evidence tier 3 reform or 
practice’’ means a reform or practice described 
in subparagraph (B), or other reform or prac-
tice meeting similar criteria, that has been 
found to produce sizable, important impacts on 
student success and— 
(i) determining whether such impacts 
can be successfully reproduced and sus-
tained over time; and 
(ii) identifying the conditions in which 
such reform or practice is most effective. 
(8) FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT.— 
The term ‘‘first generation college student’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 402A(h) of the 
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Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a– 
11(h)). 
(9) HIGH-NEED
STUDENT.—The term ‘‘high- 
need student’’ means— 
(A) a student from low-income back-
ground; 
(B) a first generation college student; 
(C) a caregiver student; 
(D) a student with a disability; 
(E) a student who stopped out before com-
pleting; 
(F) a reentering justice-impacted student; 
or 
(G) a military-connected student. 
(10) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
(11) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Education. 
(12) TRIBAL COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.—The 
term ‘‘Tribal College or University’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 316(b)(3) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3)). 
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SEC. 4. RESERVATION OF FUNDS FOR ELIGIBLE INDIAN EN-
TITIES. 
From the total amount appropriated to carry out this 
Act for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 2 percent 
for grants to eligible Indian entities to increase participa-
tion, retention, and completion rates of high-need stu-
dents. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF POSTSECONDARY STUDENT 
SUCCESS COMPETITIVE GRANTS. 
(a) GRANT AUTHORIZATION.—For each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2030, the Secretary shall award, on 
a competitive basis, grants to eligible entities to provide 
student services to increase participation, retention, and 
completion rates of high-need students. 
(b) NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION.—An eligible 
entity or eligible Indian entity desiring a grant under this 
Act shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing the information re-
quired under subsection (c). 
(c) CONTENT OF APPLICATION.—An application sub-
mitted under this section shall include the following: 
(1) A plan to increase, with respect to all stu-
dents enrolled at the eligible entity or Tribal College 
or University, attainment and completion rates or 
graduation rates, including— 
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(A) a description of the evidence-based re-
form or practice that would be used and wheth-
er the reform or practice would be an evidence 
tier 1 reform or practice, evidence tier 2 reform 
or practice, or evidence tier 3 reform or prac-
tice; and 
(B) a particular focus on serving high-need 
students through student services and collabo-
ration among 2-year programs, 4-year pro-
grams, and workforce systems. 
(2) Annual benchmarks for student outcomes 
with respect to the evidence-based reform or practice 
that would be used. 
(3) A plan to evaluate the evidence-based re-
form or practice that would be used. 
(4) Rates of enrolled students who received a 
Federal Pell Grant under subpart 1 of part A of 
title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1070a et seq.). 
(5) Demographics of enrolled students, includ-
ing high-need students. 
(6) A description of how the eligible entity or 
eligible Indian entity will, directly or in collaboration 
with other institutions of higher education or non-
profit organizations, use the grant funds to imple-
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ment one or more of the following evidence-based re-
forms and practices: 
(A) Providing comprehensive academic, ca-
reer, and student services, which may include 
mentoring, advising, or case management serv-
ices. 
(B) Providing accelerated learning oppor-
tunities, which may include dual or concurrent 
enrollment programs and early college high 
school programs. 
(C) Reforming course scheduling, or credit- 
awarding policies. 
(D) Improving transfer pathways between 
the eligible entity, or Tribal College or Univer-
sity, and other institutions of higher education. 
(7) A description of how the evidence-based re-
form or practice will be sustained once the grant ex-
pires. 
(d) EVIDENCE-BASED
STUDENT
SUCCESS
PRO-
GRAMS.—From the total amount appropriated to carry out 
this Act for a fiscal year and not reserved under section 
4, the Secretary shall reserve not less than 20 percent to 
award grants to eligible entities with applications that pro-
pose to include evidence-based reforms and practices— 
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(1) at least 1 of which is an evidence tier 3 re-
form or practice; and 
(2) the rest of which are evidence tier 1 reforms 
or practices or evidence tier 2 reforms or practices. 
(e) REQUIRED USES OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity 
or eligible Indian entity that receives a grant under this 
Act shall use the grant funds to carry out the plans sub-
mitted under subsection (c) and for evidence-based re-
forms and practices for improving participation, retention, 
and completion rates of students that may include the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Student services to support retention, com-
pletion, and success, which may include— 
(A) faculty and peer counseling; 
(B) use of real-time data on student 
progress; 
(C) improving transfer student success; 
and 
(D) incentives for students to re-enroll or 
stay on track. 
(2) Direct student support services, including a 
combination of— 
(A) tutoring, academic supports, and en-
richment services; and 
(B) emergency financial assistance. 
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(3) Efforts to prepare students for a career, 
which may include— 
(A) career coaching, career counseling and 
planning services, and efforts to lower student 
to advisor ratios; 
(B) networking and work-based learning 
opportunities to support the development of 
skills and professional relationships; 
(C) utilizing career pathways; and 
(D) boosting experiences necessary to ob-
tain and succeed in high-skill, high-wage, or in- 
demand industry sectors or occupations, as de-
scribed in section 135(b)(3) of the Carl D. Per-
kins Career and Technical Education Act of 
2006 (20 U.S.C. 2355(b)(3)). 
(4) Efforts to recruit and retain faculty and 
other instructional staff. 
(f) PERMISSIVE USE OF FUNDS.—From the total 
amount appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year 
and not reserved under section 4 or subsection (d), the 
Secretary may set aside— 
(1) not more than 5 percent for administration, 
capacity building, research, evaluation, and report-
ing; and 
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(2) not more than 2 percent for technical as-
sistance to eligible entities and eligible Indian enti-
ties. 
(g) EVALUATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of improv-
ing the effectiveness of the evidence-based reforms 
and practices carried out by eligible entities and eli-
gible Indian entities pursuant to a grant under this 
Act, the Secretary shall make grants to or enter into 
contracts with 1 or more organizations to— 
(A) evaluate the effectiveness of such evi-
dence-based reforms and practices; and 
(B) disseminate information on the impact 
of such evidence-based reforms and practices in 
increasing completion and retention activities of 
students, as well as other appropriate measures. 
(2) ISSUES TO BE EVALUATED.—The evalua-
tions required under paragraph (1) shall measure 
the effectiveness of the evidence-based reforms and 
practices carried out by eligible entities and eligible 
Indian entities pursuant to a grant under this sub-
section in— 
(A) whether such entity implemented the 
plans, and carried out the activities, described 
in subsection (c); and 
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(B) comparing the completion and reten-
tion rates of students who participated in such 
reforms and practices with the rates of students 
of similar backgrounds who did not participate 
in such reforms and practices. 
(3) RESULTS.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit a final report to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Education and the Work-
force of the House of Representatives. 
(h) GRANT LIMIT.—An eligible entity that has 
branch campuses may only receive a grant under this Act 
for 1 campus of the entity at a time. 
Æ 
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