I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6926 
To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to support early 
college high schools and other dual enrollment programs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 
Mr. KILDEE (for himself and Mr. EMANUEL) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants 
to support early college high schools and other dual 
enrollment programs. 
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 ‘‘Fast Track to College 
Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to increase high school 
graduation rates and the percentage of students who com-
plete a recognized postsecondary credential by the age of 
26, including among low-income students and students 
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from other populations underrepresented in higher edu-
cation. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM.—The term 
‘‘dual enrollment program’’ means an academic pro-
gram through which a high school student is able si-
multaneously to earn credit toward a high school di-
ploma and a postsecondary degree or certificate. 
(2) EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.—The term 
‘‘early college high school’’ means a high school that 
provides a course of study that enables a student to 
earn a high school diploma and either an associate’s 
degree or one to two years of college credit toward 
a postsecondary degree or credential. 
(3) 
EDUCATIONAL
SERVICE
AGENCY.—The 
term ‘‘educational service agency’’ means an edu-
cational service agency as defined by section 
9101(17) of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a local educational agency, which may be 
an educational service agency, in a collaborative 
partnership with an institution of higher education. 
Such partnership also may include other entities, 
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such as a nonprofit organization with experience in 
youth development. 
(5) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ means an in-
stitution of higher education as defined by section 
102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
(6) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘local educational agency’’ means a local educational 
agency as defined by section 9101(26) of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS.—To support 
early college high schools under this Act, there are author-
ized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2010 through 2014. 
(b) OTHER DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS.—To 
support other dual enrollment programs under this Act, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014. 
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(c) FUNDS RESERVED.—The Secretary shall reserve 
3 percent of funds appropriated pursuant to subsection 
(b) for grants to States under section 9. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZED PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to 
award six-year grants to eligible entities seeking to estab-
lish a new or support an existing early college high school 
or other dual enrollment program. 
(b) GRANT AMOUNT.—A grant under this Act shall 
not exceed $2,000,000. 
(c) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity shall con-
tribute matching funds toward the costs of the early 
college high school or other dual enrollment program 
to be supported under this Act, of which not less 
than half shall be from non-Federal sources, which 
funds shall represent not less than the following: 
(A) 20 percent of the grant amount in the 
first and second years of the grant. 
(B) 30 percent in the third and fourth 
years. 
(C) 40 percent in the fifth year. 
(D) 50 percent in the sixth year. 
(2) DETERMINATION
OF
AMOUNT
CONTRIB-
UTED.—The Secretary shall allow an eligible entity 
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to satisfy the requirement of this subsection through 
in-kind contributions. 
(d) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—An eligible enti-
ty shall use a grant received under this Act only to supple-
ment funds that would, in the absence of such grant, be 
made available from non-Federal funds for support of the 
activities described in the eligible entity’s application 
under section 7, and not to supplant such funds. 
(e) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this Act, 
the Secretary shall give priority to applicants— 
(1) that propose to establish or support an 
early college high school or other dual enrollment 
program that will serve a student population of 
which 40 percent or more are students counted 
under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965; and 
(2) from States that provide assistance to early 
college high schools or other dual enrollment pro-
grams, such as assistance to defray the costs of 
higher education, such as tuition, fees, and text-
books. 
(f) GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION.—The Secretary 
shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that 
grantees are from a representative cross-section of urban, 
suburban, and rural areas. 
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SEC. 6. USES OF FUNDS. 
(a) MANDATORY
ACTIVITIES.—An eligible entity 
shall use grant funds received under section 7 to support 
the activities described in its application, including for the 
following: 
(1) PLANNING YEAR.—In the case of a new 
early college high school or dual enrollment program, 
during the first year of the grant— 
(A) hiring a principal and staff, as appro-
priate; 
(B) designing the curriculum and sequence 
of courses in collaboration with at a minimum, 
teachers from the local educational agency and 
faculty from the partner institution of higher 
education; 
(C) educating parents and the community 
about the school; 
(D) recruiting students; 
(E) liaison activities among partners in the 
eligible entity; and 
(F) coordinating secondary and postsec-
ondary support services, academic calendars, 
and transportation. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD.—During the re-
mainder of the grant period— 
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(A) academic and social support services, 
including counseling; 
(B) student recruitment and community 
education and engagement; 
(C) professional development, including 
joint professional development for secondary 
school and faculty from the institution of higher 
education; and 
(D) school design and planning team ac-
tivities, including curriculum development. 
(b) ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES.—An eligible entity may 
also use grant funds received under this Act to otherwise 
support the activities described in its application, includ-
ing, but not limited to— 
(1) purchasing textbooks and equipment that 
support academic programs; 
(2) learning opportunities for students that 
complement classroom experiences, such as intern-
ships, career-based capstone projects, and opportuni-
ties provided under title IV, part A, subpart 2, and 
chapters 1 and 2 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965; 
(3) transportation; 
(4) planning time for high school and college 
educators to collaborate; and 
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(5) data collection, sharing, reporting, and eval-
uation. 
SEC. 7. APPLICATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To receive a grant under section 
4(a) or (b), an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary 
an application at such time, in such manner, and including 
such information as the Secretary determines to be appro-
priate. 
(b) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.—At a minimum, 
the application described in subsection (a) shall include 
a description of— 
(1) the early college high school’s or other dual 
enrollment program’s budget; 
(2) each partner in the eligible entity and its 
experience with early college high schools or other 
dual enrollment programs, key personnel from each 
partner and their responsibilities for the early col-
lege high school or dual enrollment program, and 
how the eligible entity will work with secondary and 
postsecondary teachers, other public and private en-
tities, community-based organizations, businesses, 
and labor organizations to ensure that students will 
be prepared to succeed in postsecondary education 
and employment, which may include the development 
of an advisory board; 
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(3) how the eligible entity will target and re-
cruit at-risk youth, including those at risk of drop-
ping out of school, first generation college students, 
and students from populations described in section 
1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965; 
(4) a system of student supports including, but 
not limited to, small group activities, tutoring, lit-
eracy and numeracy skill development in all aca-
demic disciplines, parental outreach, extended learn-
ing time, and college readiness activities, such as 
early college academic seminars and counseling; 
(5) in the case of an early college high school, 
how a graduation and career plan will be developed, 
consistent with State graduation requirements, for 
each student and reviewed each semester; 
(6) how parents or guardians of dually enrolled 
students will be informed of their academic perform-
ance and progress and, subject to paragraph (5), in-
volved in the development of their career and grad-
uation plan; 
(7) coordination between the institution of high-
er education and the local educational agency, in-
cluding regarding academic calendars, provision of 
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student services, curriculum development, and pro-
fessional development; 
(8) how the eligible entity will ensure that 
teachers in the early college high school or other 
dual enrollment program receive appropriate profes-
sional development and other supports, including to 
enable them to help English-language learners, stu-
dents with disabilities, and students from diverse 
cultural backgrounds to succeed; 
(9) learning opportunities for students that 
complement classroom experiences, such as intern-
ships, career-based capstone projects, and opportuni-
ties provided under title IV, part A, subpart 2, and 
chapters 1 and 2 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965; 
(10) a plan to ensure that postsecondary credits 
earned will be transferable to, at a minimum, public 
institutions of higher education within the State, 
consistent with existing statewide articulation agree-
ment; 
(11) student assessments and other measure-
ments of students achievement including bench-
marks for student achievement; 
(12) outreach programs to provide elementary 
and secondary school students, especially those in 
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middle grades, and their parents, teachers, school 
counselors, and principals information about and 
academic preparation for the early college high 
school or other dual enrollment program; 
(13) how the eligible entity will help students 
meet eligibility criteria for postsecondary courses; 
and 
(14) how the eligible entity will sustain the 
early college high school or other dual enrollment 
program after the grant expires. 
(c) ASSURANCES.—An eligible entity’s application 
under subsection (a) shall include assurances that— 
(1) in the case of an early college high school, 
the majority of courses offered, including of postsec-
ondary courses, will be offered at facilities of the in-
stitution of higher education; 
(2) students will not be required to pay tuition 
or fees for postsecondary courses; 
(3) postsecondary credits earned will be tran-
scribed upon completion of the requisite coursework; 
and 
(4) faculty teaching postsecondary courses meet 
the normal standards for faculty established by the 
institution of higher education. 
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(d) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the require-
ment of subsection (c)(1) upon a showing that it is im-
practical to apply due to geographic considerations. 
SEC. 8. PEER REVIEW. 
(a) PEER REVIEW
OF APPLICATIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall establish peer review panels to review applica-
tions submitted pursuant to section 7 to advise the Sec-
retary regarding such applications. 
(b) COMPOSITION OF PEER REVIEW PANELS.—The 
Secretary shall ensure that each peer review panel is not 
comprised wholly of full-time officers or employees of the 
Federal Government and includes, at a minimum— 
(1) experts in the establishment and adminis-
tration of early college high schools or other dual en-
rollment programs from the high school and college 
perspective; 
(2) faculty at institutions of higher education 
and secondary school teachers with expertise in dual 
enrollment; and 
(3) experts in the education of at-risk students. 
SEC. 9. GRANTS TO STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to 
award six-year grants to State agencies responsible for 
secondary or postsecondary education for efforts to sup-
port or establish statewide dual enrollment programs. 
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SEC. 10. REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT. 
(a) REPORTING BY GRANTEES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
uniform guidelines for all grantees concerning infor-
mation such grantees annually shall report to the 
Secretary to demonstrate a grantee’s progress to-
ward achieving the goals of this Act. 
(2) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—At a minimum, 
the report described in paragraph (1) shall include, 
for eligible entities receiving funds under section 7, 
for each category of students described in section 
1111(h)(1)(C)(i) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965: 
(A) The number of students. 
(B) The percentage of students scoring ad-
vanced, proficient, basic, and below basic on the 
assessments described in section 1111(b)(3) of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965. 
(C) The performance of students on other 
assessments or measurements of achievement. 
(D) The number of secondary school cred-
its earned. 
(E) The number of postsecondary credits 
earned. 
(F) Attendance rate. 
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