ty and community partner goals, activities, 
and training; and 
‘‘(ii) with the involvement of one or 
more intermediary organizations that will 
assist such eligible entity by training staff, 
providing technical assistance that is de-
signed to ensure continuous improvement, 
helping to ensure accountability for results, 
and helping to ensure that the grant or 
contract funds flow quickly and effectively 
to effective service providers and activi-
ties.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)(6), by adding at the end 
the following: ‘‘The Secretary shall encourage enti-
ties receiving grants or entering into contracts under 
this chapter to enter into data-sharing agreements 
with other agencies and organizations so as to pro-
vide for shared access to information on student 
progress and success (consistent with the require-
ments of subpart 4 of part C of the General Edu-
cation Provisions Act), integrated planning and re-
view of the data, and coordinated adjustments in 
program strategies and activities in response to 
changes in student needs or to new challenges.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (f)(3)— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:47 Mar 06, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00029
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1118.IH
H1118
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by redesignating clauses (v) and 
(vi) as clauses (vi) and (vii), respectively; 
and 
(ii) by inserting after clause (iv) the 
following new clause: 
‘‘(v) student acquisition of 21st cen-
tury skills (such as critical thinking, prob-
lem-solving, communication, and collabora-
tion);’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by redesignating clauses (v), (vi), 
and (vii) as clauses (vi), (vii), and (viii), 
respectively; and 
(ii) by inserting after clause (iv) the 
following new clause: 
‘‘(v) student acquisition of 21st cen-
tury skills (such as critical thinking, prob-
lem-solving, communication, and collabora-
tion);’’. 
SEC. 403. GEAR UP. 
(a) DEFINITION
OF ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—Section 
404A(c)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1070a–21(c)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:47 Mar 06, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00030
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1118.IH
H1118
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause 
(i); and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) one or more community part-
ners; and’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘inter-
mediary organizations,’’ after ‘‘subpart 4,’’. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Section 404B(b) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–22(b)) is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; 
(2) by striking ‘‘Each eligible entity’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible entity’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) DATA SHARING.—Each eligible entity re-
ceiving a grant under this chapter shall, to the ex-
tent feasible, enter into data-sharing agreements 
with other organizations or agencies so as to provide 
for shared access to information on student progress 
and success (consistent with the requirements of 
subpart 4 of part C of the General Education Provi-
sions Act), integrated planning and joint review of 
the data, and coordinated adjustments in program 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:47 Mar 06, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00031
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1118.IH
H1118
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
strategies and activities in response to changes in 
student needs or to new challenges.’’. 
(c) APPLICATIONS.—Section 404C(a)(2) of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–23(a)(2)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (I); 
(2) by striking the period and inserting ‘‘; and’’ 
at the end of subparagraph (J); and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(K) describe, in the case of an eligible en-
tity described in section 404A(c)(2), how the 
entities included in the partnership will engage 
in— 
‘‘(i) joint planning and implementa-
tion; 
‘‘(ii) shared professional development 
designed to improve the effectiveness of 
school, community partner, and other 
staff; 
‘‘(iii) development and implementation 
of shared data systems that support pro-
gram improvement and the improvement of 
program outcomes; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:47 Mar 06, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1118.IH
H1118
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(iv) the alignment and coordination 
of local educational agency, school, commu-
nity partner, and other partnership mem-
ber goals, activities, and training.’’. 
(d) ACTIVITIES.—Section 404D(a)(3) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–24(a)(3)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (A); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (B) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) at the discretion of the eligible entity, 
acquire 21st century skills (such as critical 
thinking, problem-solving, communication, and 
collaboration).’’. 
SEC. 404. MAINTENANCE AND EXPANSION OF EXISTING 
PROGRAMS. 
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.—Section 418A(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070d–2(a)) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary shall’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:47 Mar 06, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1118.IH
H1118
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) 
COMMUNITY
PARTNERS
AND
INTER-
MEDIARY
ORGANIZATIONS.—Each such program 
shall be implemented— 
‘‘(A) in partnership with one or more com-
munity partners, including through joint plan-
ning and implementation, shared professional 
development designed to improve the effective-
ness of, as applicable, school, institution of 
higher education, nonprofit organization, and 
community partner staff, development and im-
plementation of shared data systems that sup-
port program improvement and the improve-
ment of program outcomes, and the alignment 
and coordination of, as applicable, school, insti-
tution of higher education, nonprofit organiza-
tion, and community partner goals, activities, 
and training; and 
‘‘(B) with the involvement of one or more 
intermediary organizations that assist the 
grantee by training staff, providing technical 
assistance that is designed to ensure continuous 
improvement, helping to ensure accountability 
for results, and helping to ensure that program 
funds flow quickly and effectively to effective 
service providers and activities. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:47 Mar 06, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00034
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1118.IH
H1118
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(3) DATA SHARING.—Each such program shall 
include the implementation of one or more data- 
sharing agreements that between the grantee and 
other organizations or agencies that provide for 
shared access to information on student progress 
and success (consistent with the requirements of 
subpart 4 of part C of the General Education Provi-
sions Act), integrated planning and joint review of 
the data, and coordinated adjustments in program 
strategies and activities in response to changes in 
student needs or to new challenges.’’. 
(b) SERVICES PROVIDED.—Section 418A(b) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070d–2(b)) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(8); 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (9) as para-
graph (10); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(9) activities designed to ensure that partici-
pants acquire 21st century skills (such as critical 
thinking, problem-solving, communication, and col-
laboration); and’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:47 Mar 06, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00035
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H1118.IH
H1118
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS