Dual Credit Innovation Act
Bill: H.R.5990 | Sponsor: Rep. Taylor, Van (R-TX)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Dual Credit Innovation Act
This bill directs the Department of Education to annually recognize with a Dual Credit Innovation Award eligible partnerships between an institution of higher education (IHE) that provides a dual credit program and a local educational agency or high school.
The bill defines dual credit program as a program offered by such a partnership through which a secondary school student who has not graduated from high school with a regular high school diploma is able to enroll in one or more postsecondary courses and earn postsecondary credit that (1) is transferable to the IHE in the partnership, and (2) applies toward completion of a degree or recognized educational credential.

To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a program to 
  recognize high schools and local educational agencies for expanding 
                   high-quality dual credit programs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dual Credit Innovation Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS DUAL CREDIT INNOVATION AWARD.

    (a) Dual Credit Priority.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
shall, on a competitive basis, recognize eligible partnerships with 
high-quality dual credit programs with a ``Dual Credit Innovation 
Award'' which shall be an award under the National Blue Ribbon Schools 
program of the Department of Education.
    (b) Application and Selection Process.--To be eligible to be 
recognized under subsection (a), an eligible partnership shall submit 
an application under the National Blue Ribbon Schools program of the 
Department of Education.
    (c) Non-Monetary Value.--The award and recognition established 
under this Act may not have monetary value.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Dual credit program.--The term ``dual credit program'' 
        means a program offered by an eligible partnership through 
        which a secondary school student who has not graduated from 
        high school with a regular high school diploma is able to 
        enroll in one or more postsecondary courses and earn 
        postsecondary credit that--
                    (A) is transferable to the institutions of higher 
                education in the partnership; and
                    (B) applies toward completion of a degree or 
                recognized educational credential as described in the 
                Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.).
            (2) Eligible partnership.--The term ``eligible 
        partnership'' means a partnership between--
                    (A) at least one institution of higher education 
                (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act 
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that provides a dual credit 
                program; and
                    (B) at least one--
                            (i) local educational agency (as defined in 
                        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)); or
                            (ii) high school.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
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