‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each State receiving 
an allotment under this section shall annually 
notify low-income students, such as students 
who are eligible to receive a free lunch under 
the school lunch program established under the 
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), in grade 7 through 
grade 12 in the State of their potential eligi-
bility for student financial assistance, including 
an access and persistence grant, to attend an 
institution of higher education. 
‘‘(B) CONTENT OF NOTICE.—The notifica-
tion under subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) shall include— 
‘‘(I) information about early in-
formation 
and 
intervention, 
men-
toring, or outreach programs available 
to the student; 
‘‘(II) information that a stu-
dent’s candidacy for an access and 
persistence grant is enhanced through 
participation in an early information 
and intervention, mentoring, or out-
reach program; 
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‘‘(III) an explanation that stu-
dent and family eligibility and partici-
pation in other Federal means-tested 
programs may indicate eligibility for 
an access and persistence grant and 
other student aid programs; 
‘‘(IV) a nonbinding estimation of 
the total amount of financial aid a 
low-income student with a similar in-
come level may expect to receive, in-
cluding an estimation of the amount 
of an access and persistence grant 
and an estimation of the amount of 
grants, loans, and all other available 
types of aid from the major Federal 
and State financial aid programs; 
‘‘(V) an explanation that in order 
to be eligible for an access and per-
sistence grant, at a minimum, a stu-
dent shall meet the requirement under 
paragraph (3), graduate from sec-
ondary school, and enroll at an insti-
tution of higher education that is a 
partner in the partnership; 
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‘‘(VI) information on any addi-
tional requirements (such as a student 
pledge detailing student responsibil-
ities) that the State may impose for 
receipt of an access and persistence 
grant under this section; and 
‘‘(VII) instructions on how to 
apply for an access and persistence 
grant and an explanation that a stu-
dent is required to file a Free Applica-
tion for Federal Student Aid author-
ized under section 483(a) to be eligi-
ble for such grant and assistance from 
other Federal and State financial aid 
programs; and 
‘‘(ii) may include a disclaimer that ac-
cess and persistence grant awards are con-
tingent upon— 
‘‘(I) a determination of the stu-
dent’s financial eligibility at the time 
of the student’s enrollment at an in-
stitution of higher education that is a 
partner in the partnership; 
‘‘(II) annual Federal and State 
appropriations; and 
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‘‘(III) other aid received by the 
student at the time of the student’s 
enrollment at an institution of higher 
education that is a partner in the 
partnership. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBILITY.—In determining which stu-
dents are eligible to receive access and persistence 
grants, the State shall ensure that each such student 
meets not less than one of the following: 
‘‘(A) Meets not less than 2 of the following 
criteria, with priority given to students meeting 
all of the following criteria: 
‘‘(i) Has an expected family contribu-
tion equal to zero (as described in section 
479) or a comparable alternative based 
upon the State’s approved criteria in sec-
tion 415C(b)(4). 
‘‘(ii) Has qualified for a free lunch, or 
at the State’s discretion a reduced price 
lunch, under the school lunch program es-
tablished under the Richard B. Russell Na-
tional School Lunch Act. 
‘‘(iii) Qualifies for the State’s max-
imum undergraduate award, as authorized 
under section 415C(b). 
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‘‘(iv) Is participating in, or has par-
ticipated in, a Federal, State, institutional, 
or community early information and inter-
vention, mentoring, or outreach program, 
as recognized by the State agency admin-
istering activities under this section. 
‘‘(B) Is receiving, or has received, an ac-
cess and persistence grant under this section, in 
accordance with paragraph (5). 
‘‘(4) GRANT AWARD.—Once a student, includ-
ing a student who has received early notification 
under paragraph (2) from the State, applies for ad-
mission to an institution that is a partner in the 
partnership, files a Free Application for Federal 
Student Aid and any related State form, and is de-
termined to be eligible by the State under paragraph 
(3), the State shall— 
‘‘(A) issue the student a preliminary access 
and persistence grant award certificate with 
tentative award amounts; and 
‘‘(B) inform the student that payment of 
the 
access 
and 
persistence 
grant 
award 
amounts is subject to certification of enrollment 
and award eligibility by the institution of higher 
education. 
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‘‘(5) DURATION OF AWARD.—An eligible stu-
dent that receives an access and persistence grant 
under this section shall receive such grant award for 
each year of such student’s undergraduate education 
in which the student remains eligible for assistance 
under this title, including pursuant to section 
484(c), and remains financially eligible as deter-
mined by the State, except that the State may im-
pose reasonable time limits for baccalaureate degree 
completion. 
‘‘(e) ADMINISTRATIVE COST ALLOWANCE.—A State 
that receives an allotment under this section may reserve 
not more than 3.5 percent of the funds made available 
annually through the allotment for State administrative 
functions required to carry out this section. 
‘‘(f) STATUTORY AND REGULATORY RELIEF FOR IN-
STITUTIONS
OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The Secretary 
may grant, upon the request of an institution of higher 
education that is in a partnership described in subsection 
(b)(2)(B)(ii) and that receives an allotment under this sec-
tion, a waiver for such institution from statutory or regu-
latory requirements that inhibit the ability of the institu-
tion to successfully and efficiently participate in the activi-
ties of the partnership. 
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‘‘(g) APPLICABILITY RULE.—The provisions of this 
subpart which are not inconsistent with this section shall 
apply to the program authorized by this section. 
‘‘(h) MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT REQUIREMENT.— 
Each State receiving an allotment under this section for 
a fiscal year shall provide the Secretary an assurance that 
the aggregate amount expended per student or the aggre-
gate expenditures by the State, from funds derived from 
non-Federal sources, for the authorized activities de-
scribed in subsection (d) for the preceding fiscal year were 
not less than the amount expended per student or the ag-
gregate expenditure by the State for the activities for the 
second preceding fiscal year. 
‘‘(i) SPECIAL RULE.—Notwithstanding subsection 
(h), for purposes of determining a State’s share of the cost 
of the authorized activities described in subsection (d), the 
State shall consider only those expenditures from non- 
Federal sources that exceed its total expenditures for 
need-based grants, scholarships, and work-study assist-
ance for fiscal year 1999 (including any such assistance 
provided under this subpart). 
‘‘(j) REPORTS.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of the Accessing College through Com-
prehensive Early Outreach and State Partnerships Act, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a re-
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port describing the activities and the impact of the part-
nerships under this section to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Rep-
resentatives.’’. 
(d) CONTINUATION AND TRANSITION.—During the 
2-year period commencing on the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall continue to award grants under 
section 415E of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1070c–3a), as such section existed on the day be-
fore the date of enactment of this Act, to States that 
choose to apply for grants under such predecessor section. 
(e) IMPLEMENTATION
AND EVALUATION.—Section 
491(j) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1098(j)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (5) as para-
graph (6); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of the Accessing College through Com-
prehensive Early Outreach and State Partnerships 
Act, advise the Secretary on means to implement the 
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activities under section 415E, and the Advisory 
Committee shall continue to monitor, evaluate, and 
make recommendations on the progress of partner-
ships that receive allotments under such section; 
and’’. 
Æ 
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