(A) a description of the institution’s qual-
ity assurances for the programs to be offered; 
(B) a description of the statutory and reg-
ulatory requirements for which a waiver is 
sought under subsection (e) and the reasons for 
which the waiver is sought; 
(C) a description of the programs to be of-
fered; 
(D) a description of the students eligible 
for the programs offered, including any eligi-
bility limitations; 
(E) an assurance that the institution will 
fully cooperate with the ongoing evaluations of 
the programs provided for in this section; 
(F) a description of how the proposed pro-
gram will improve the quality of its postsec-
ondary certificates or degrees, reduce tuition 
and other costs to students, and reduce enroll-
ment time; 
(G) a description of the data (or any other 
evidence) that indicate that the programs to be 
offered will likely lead to the outcomes de-
scribed in subparagraph (F); 
(H) a complete listing of the institution’s 
performance goals and measures regarding as-
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sessments of the quality of its postsecondary 
certificates or degrees, amount of tuition and 
costs charged to students, and the amount of 
enrollment time needed by students to complete 
the postsecondary certificates or degrees; and 
(I) any other information as the Secretary 
may require. 
(d) AWARDING OF GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants under this section to institutions of higher 
education for new or existing programs. 
(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to an insti-
tution of higher education that the Secretary deter-
mines— 
(A) is financially responsible, as described 
in section 498(c)(1) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1099c(c)(1)); 
(B) has a proven record of graduating stu-
dents from the other programs of the institu-
tion; 
(C) has a proven record of graduates from 
the other programs of the institution securing 
full-time employment; 
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(D) simultaneously addresses income-re-
lated inequalities in remedial education, college 
access, persistence rates, and graduation rates; 
(E) has support services in place, such as 
counseling, coaching, mentoring, and outreach, 
that are designed to assist all students in ob-
taining information and making decisions re-
garding financial aid, and degree or certificate 
likelihood of persistence and completion; 
(F) will serve low-income students, adult 
students aged 25 years and older, and part-time 
students; 
(G) will support programs that are 
replicable at a range of institutions of higher 
education if they are demonstrated to be suc-
cessful; and 
(H) has presented the strongest evidence 
in support of their likely outcomes, as required 
under subsection (c)(2)(G). 
(3) 
DIVERSE
POPULATIONS.—In 
awarding 
grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure 
the participation of diverse student populations, in-
cluding rural and urban populations, and of a di-
verse range of institutions. 
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(4) PUBLICATION
OF
GRANTEES.—The Sec-
retary shall make available to the public and to the 
authorizing committees a list of the institutions of 
higher education awarded a grant under this section, 
including a listing of the specific statutory and regu-
latory requirements being waived for each institution 
and a description of the programs and courses to be 
offered. 
(e) WAIVERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under 
paragraph (2), with respect to institutions of higher 
education awarded grants under this section, the 
Secretary may waive— 
(A) subsection (a) or (b) of section 481 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1088(a) and (b)), as such subsections relate to 
requirements for a minimum number of weeks 
of instruction; 
(B) subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 
102(a)(3) 
of 
such 
Act 
(20 
U.S.C. 
1002(a)(3)(A) and (B)); 
(C) one or more of the regulations promul-
gated to carry out part F or G of title IV of 
such Act (20 U.S.C. 1087kk et seq. and 1088 
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emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
et seq.), which inhibit the operation of innova-
tive education programs; and 
(D) any other requirement under title IV 
of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.) that will 
bias the results of the program, including a re-
quirement related to the award process and dis-
bursement of student financial aid (such as in-
novative delivery systems for modular or com-
pressed courses or other innovative systems), or 
other management procedures or processes as 
determined in the negotiated rulemaking proc-
ess under section 492 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
1098a), or regulations prescribed under such 
title. 
(2) PROHIBITION OF WAIVER.—The Secretary 
shall not waive, pursuant to paragraph (1), any pro-
vision under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) or a regulation promulgated to 
carry out such Act with respect to award rules 
(other than an award rule related to an experiment 
in modular or compressed schedules), grant and loan 
maximum award amounts, and need analysis re-
quirements, unless the waiver of such provision is 
authorized by another provision under such Act. 
(f) EVALUATION AND REPORTS.— 
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(1) EVALUATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROC-
ESS.—The Secretary shall establish an evaluation 
and accountability process for the programs author-
ized under this section and shall administer such 
process on an annual basis. Such evaluations shall 
include— 
(A) the extent to which the institution of 
higher education has met the goals set forth in 
its application to the Secretary, including the 
quality of education provided by participating 
programs; 
(B) the number and types of students par-
ticipating in the programs offered, including the 
progress of participating students toward recog-
nized certificates or degrees; 
(C) issues related to student financial as-
sistance; 
(D) the extent to which any statutory or 
regulatory requirements present difficulties for 
students or institutions in the participating pro-
grams; and 
(E) an analysis of the program’s progress 
with each of its objectives, including the num-
ber and rate of completion of participating stu-
dents toward recognized certificates or degrees, 
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