Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2021
Bill: S.2198 | Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. (D-IL)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Education to award grants to entities such as educational agencies, schools, and local governments to establish, expand, or support school-based mentoring programs that assist at-risk students in developing cognitive skills and promoting social-emotional learning to prepare them for success in high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce.

To amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 
to give the Department of Education the authority to award competitive 
  grants to eligible entities to establish, expand, or support school-
 based mentoring programs to assist at-risk students in middle school 
and high school in developing cognitive and social-emotional skills to 
 prepare them for success in high school, postsecondary education, and 
                             the workforce.

    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 ``Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to make assistance available for school-
based mentoring programs for at-risk students in order to--
            (1) establish, expand, or support school-based mentoring 
        programs;
            (2) assist at-risk students in middle school and high 
        school in developing cognitive and social-emotional skills; and
            (3) prepare such at-risk students for success in high 
        school, postsecondary education, and the workforce.

SEC. 3. SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING PROGRAM.

    Part C of title I of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2351 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``SEC. 136. DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS FOR SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) At-risk student.--The term `at-risk student' means a 
        student who--
                    ``(A) is failing academically or at risk of 
                dropping out of school;
                    ``(B) is pregnant or a parent;
                    ``(C) is a gang member;
                    ``(D) is a child or youth in foster care or a youth 
                who has been emancipated from foster care, but is still 
                enrolled in high school;
                    ``(E) is or has recently been a homeless child or 
                youth;
                    ``(F) is chronically absent;
                    ``(G) has changed schools 3 or more times in the 
                past 6 months;
                    ``(H) has come in contact with the juvenile justice 
                system in the past;
                    ``(I) has a history of multiple suspensions or 
                disciplinary actions;
                    ``(J) is an English learner;
                    ``(K) has one or both parents incarcerated;
                    ``(L) has experienced one or more adverse childhood 
                experiences, traumatic events, or toxic stressors, as 
                assessed through an evidence-based screening;
                    ``(M) lives in a high-poverty area with a high rate 
                of community violence;
                    ``(N) has a disability; or
                    ``(O) shows signs of alcohol or drug misuse or 
                abuse or has a parent or guardian who is struggling 
                with substance abuse.
            ``(2) Disability.--The term `disability' has the meaning 
        given the term for purposes of section 602(3) of the 
        Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
        1401(3)).
            ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity'--
                    ``(A) means a high-need local educational agency, 
                high-need school, or local government entity; and
                    ``(B) may include a partnership between an entity 
                described in subparagraph (A) and a nonprofit, 
                community-based, or faith-based organization, or 
                institution of higher education.
            ``(4) English learner.--The term `English learner' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            ``(5) Foster care.--The term `foster care' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 1355.20 of title 45, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.
            ``(6) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
        need local educational agency' means a local educational agency 
        that serves at least one high-need school.
            ``(7) High-need school.--The term `high-need school' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 2211(b) of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6631(b)).
            ``(8) Homeless children and youths.--The term `homeless 
        children and youths' has the meaning given the term in section 
        725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
        11434a).
            ``(9) School-based mentoring.--The term `school-based 
        mentoring' means a structured, managed, evidenced-based program 
        conducted in partnership with teachers, administrators, school 
        psychologists, school social workers or counselors, and other 
        school staff, in which at-risk students are appropriately 
        matched with screened and trained professional or volunteer 
        mentors who provide guidance, support, and encouragement, 
        involving meetings, group-based sessions, and educational and 
        workforce-related activities on a regular basis to prepare at-
        risk students for success in high school, postsecondary 
        education, and the workforce.
    ``(b) School-Based Mentoring Competitive Grant Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants on a 
        competitive basis to eligible entities to establish, expand, or 
        support school-based mentoring programs that--
                    ``(A) are designed to assist at-risk students in 
                high-need schools in developing cognitive skills and 
                promoting social-emotional learning to prepare them for 
                success in high school, postsecondary education, and 
                the workforce by linking them with mentors who--
                            ``(i) have received mentor training, 
                        including on trauma-informed practices, youth 
                        engagement, cultural competency, and social-
                        emotional learning; and
                            ``(ii) have been screened using appropriate 
                        reference checks and criminal background 
                        checks;
                    ``(B) provide coaching and technical assistance to 
                mentors in each such mentoring program;
                    ``(C) seek to--
                            ``(i) improve the academic achievement of 
                        at-risk students;
                            ``(ii) reduce dropout rates and absenteeism 
                        and improve school engagement of at-risk 
                        students and their families;
                            ``(iii) reduce juvenile justice involvement 
                        of at-risk students;
                            ``(iv) foster positive relationships 
                        between at-risk students and their peers, 
                        teachers, other adults, and family members;
                            ``(v) develop the workforce readiness 
                        skills of at-risk students by exploring paths 
                        to employment, including encouraging students 
                        with disabilities to explore transition 
                        services; and
                            ``(vi) increase the participation of at-
                        risk students in community service activities; 
                        and
                    ``(D) encourage at-risk students to set goals and 
                plan for their futures, including making plans and 
                identifying goals for postsecondary education and the 
                workforce.
            ``(2) Duration.--The Secretary shall award grants under 
        this section for a period not to exceed 5 years.
            ``(3) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, 
        an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application 
        that includes--
                    ``(A) a needs assessment that includes baseline 
                data on the measures described in paragraph (6)(A)(ii); 
                and
                    ``(B) a plan to meet the requirements of paragraph 
                (1).
            ``(4) Priority.--In selecting grant recipients, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to applicants that--
                    ``(A) serve children and youth with the greatest 
                need living in high-poverty, high-crime areas, or rural 
                areas, or who attend schools with high rates of 
                community violence;
                    ``(B) provide at-risk students with opportunities 
                for postsecondary education preparation and career 
                development, including--
                            ``(i) job training, professional 
                        development, work shadowing, internships, 
                        networking, resume writing and review, 
                        interview preparation, transition services for 
                        students with disabilities, application 
                        assistance and visits to institutions of higher 
                        education, and leadership development through 
                        community service; and
                            ``(ii) partnerships with the private sector 
                        and local businesses to provide internship and 
                        career exploration activities and resources; 
                        and
                    ``(C) seek to provide match lengths between at-risk 
                students and mentors for at least 1 academic year.
            ``(5) Use of funds.--An eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under this section may use such funds to--
                    ``(A) develop and carry out regular training for 
                mentors, including on--
                            ``(i) the impact of adverse childhood 
                        experiences;
                            ``(ii) trauma-informed practices and 
                        interventions;
                            ``(iii) supporting homeless children and 
                        youths;
                            ``(iv) supporting children and youth in 
                        foster care or youth who have been emancipated 
                        from foster care, but are still enrolled in 
                        high school;
                            ``(v) cultural competency;
                            ``(vi) meeting all appropriate privacy and 
                        confidentiality requirements for students, 
                        including students in foster care;
                            ``(vii) working in coordination with a 
                        public school system;
                            ``(viii) positive youth development and 
                        engagement practices; and
                            ``(ix) disability inclusion practices to 
                        ensure access and participation by students 
                        with disabilities;
                    ``(B) recruit, screen, match, and train mentors;
                    ``(C) hire staff to perform or support the 
                objectives of the school-based mentoring program;
                    ``(D) provide inclusive and accessible youth 
                engagement activities, such as--
                            ``(i) enrichment field trips to cultural 
                        destinations;
                            ``(ii) career awareness activities, 
                        including job site visits, informational 
                        interviews, resume writing, interview 
                        preparation, and networking; and
                            ``(iii) academic or postsecondary education 
                        preparation activities, including trade or 
                        vocational school visits, visits to 
                        institutions of higher education, and 
                        assistance in applying to institutions of 
                        higher education; and
                    ``(E) conduct program evaluation, including by 
                acquiring and analyzing the data described under 
                paragraph (6).
            ``(6) Reporting requirements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 6 months after 
                the end of each academic year during the grant period, 
                an eligible entity receiving a grant under this section 
                shall submit to the Secretary a report that includes--
                            ``(i) the number of students who 
                        participated in the school-based mentoring 
                        program that was funded in whole or in part 
                        with the grant funds;
                            ``(ii) data on the academic achievement, 
                        dropout rates, truancy, absenteeism, outcomes 
                        of arrests for violent crime, summer 
                        employment, and postsecondary education 
                        enrollment of students in the program;
                            ``(iii) the number of group sessions and 
                        number of one-to-one contacts between students 
                        in the program and their mentors;
                            ``(iv) the average attendance of students 
                        enrolled in the program;
                            ``(v) the number of students with 
                        disabilities connected to transition services;
                            ``(vi) data on social-emotional development 
                        of students as assessed with a validated 
                        social-emotional assessment tool; and
                            ``(vii) any other information that the 
                        Secretary may require to evaluate the success 
                        of the school-based mentoring program.
                    ``(B) Student privacy.--An eligible entity shall 
                ensure that the report submitted under subparagraph (A) 
                is prepared in a manner that protects the privacy 
                rights of each student in accordance with section 444 
                of the General Education Provisions Act (commonly 
                referred to as the `Family Educational Rights and 
                Privacy Act of 1974') (20 U.S.C. 1232g).
            ``(7) Mentoring resources and community service 
        coordination.--
                    ``(A) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall 
                work with the Office of Juvenile Justice and 
                Delinquency Prevention to--
                            ``(i) refer grantees under this section to 
                        the National Mentoring Resource Center to 
                        obtain resources on best practices and research 
                        related to mentoring and to request no-cost 
                        training and technical assistance; and
                            ``(ii) provide grantees under this section 
                        with information regarding transitional 
                        services for at-risk students returning from 
                        correctional facilities and transition services 
                        for students with disabilities.
                    ``(B) Coordination.--The Secretary shall, to the 
                extent possible, coordinate with the Corporation for 
                National and Community Service, including through 
                entering into an interagency agreement or a memorandum 
                of understanding, to support mentoring and community 
                service-related activities for at-risk students.
    ``(c) Authorization of Funds.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027.''.

SEC. 4. INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES STUDY ON SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING 
              PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education, acting through the 
Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, shall conduct a study 
to--
            (1) identify successful school-based mentoring programs and 
        effective strategies for administering and monitoring such 
        programs;
            (2) evaluate the role of mentors in promoting cognitive 
        development and social-emotional learning to enhance academic 
        achievement and to improve workforce readiness; and
            (3) evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program under 
        section 136 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
        Education Act of 2006, as added by section 3, on student 
        academic outcomes and youth career development.
    (b) Timing.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Education, acting through the Director of 
the Institute of Education Sciences, shall submit the results of the 
study to the appropriate congressional committees.
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