Graduate on Your Own Schedule Act
Bill: H.R.9428 | Sponsor: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. (D-MA)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Graduate on Your Own Schedule Act
This bill requires the Department of Education to make grants to local educational agencies for assisting eligible secondary school dropouts in reentering a secondary school or entering a general educational development program and providing these individuals with support services. Eligible secondary school dropout refers to an individual who is between the ages of 16 and 24 and who is not enrolled in a secondary school or general educational development program.

To authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to local 
  educational agencies to assist certain individuals in reentering a 
secondary school or a general educational development program, and for 
                            other purposes.

    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 ``Graduate on Your Own Schedule Act''.

SEC. 2. SECONDARY SCHOOL DROPOUT REENGAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall make grants, on a 
competitive basis, to local educational agencies to--
            (1) assist eligible secondary school dropouts in reentering 
        a secondary school or entering a general educational 
        development program;
            (2) provide life and career workshops for such dropouts, 
        including--
                    (A) resume support services; and
                    (B) interview assistance; and
            (3) provide support services for such dropouts, including--
                    (A) childcare;
                    (B) unemployment assistance;
                    (C) housing assistance; and
                    (D) transit assistance.
    (b) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, the local 
educational agency shall submit to the Secretary an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require.
    (c) Preference.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall give preference to local educational agencies operating 
in a low-income community.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which a grant 
is awarded under subsection (a) and annually thereafter for 10 years, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation 
of this section.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible secondary school dropout.--The term ``eligible 
        secondary school dropout'' means an individual who is--
                    (A) between the ages of 16 and 24; and
                    (B) not enrolled in a secondary school or general 
                educational development program.
            (2) ESEA terms.--The terms ``local educational agency'' and 
        ``secondary school'' have the meanings given such terms in 
        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (3) Low-income community.--The term ``low-income 
        community'' means any census block group in which 30 percent or 
        more of the population are individuals with an annual household 
        equal to, or less than, the greater of--
                    (A) an amount equal to 80 percent of the median 
                income of the area in which the household is located, 
                as reported by the Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development; and
                    (B) an amount equal to 200 percent of the Federal 
                poverty line.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $5,520,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2034.
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