Title: Go to High School, Go to College Act of 2019
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Go to High School, Go to College Act of 2019
This bill requires the Department of Education to carry out a pilot program that awards College in High School Federal Pell Grants to high school students for enrollment in and completion of postsecondary courses offered through dual or concurrent enrollment programs or early college high schools.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1888 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1888

  To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow the Secretary of 
  Education to create a pilot program to award College in High School 
                              Pell Grants.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 18, 2019

Mr. Portman (for himself and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow the Secretary of 
  Education to create a pilot program to award College in High School 
                              Pell Grants.

    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 ``Go to High School, Go to College Act 
of 2019''.

SEC. 2. COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL FEDERAL PELL GRANT PILOT PROGRAM.

    Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(k) College in High School Federal Pell Grant Pilot Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--For the award years beginning on July 1, 
        2020, and ending on June 30, 2026, the Secretary shall carry 
        out a pilot program to award College in High School Federal 
        Pell Grants to eligible students to support enrollment in, and 
        completion of, postsecondary courses offered through a dual or 
        concurrent enrollment program or an early college high school.
            ``(2) Size of program.--The Secretary is authorized to 
        enroll not more than 250 eligible institutions into the College 
        in High School Federal Pell Grant Pilot Program under this 
        subsection, with the intent of serving approximately 50,000 
        students.
            ``(3) Possibility of extension.--The Secretary is 
        authorized to extend the period of the pilot program under this 
        subsection at the discretion of the Secretary.
            ``(4) Application.--An eligible institution that desires to 
        participate in the College in High School Federal Pell Grant 
        Pilot Program under this subsection shall submit an application 
        to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
        by such information as the Secretary may require. As part of 
        the application, the eligible institution shall--
                    ``(A) provide an assurance that such institution 
                will offer eligible students enrolled in the pilot 
                program the opportunity to earn not less than 12 
                credits on a pathway towards a degree or credential;
                    ``(B) describe how the college course sequences 
                offered to such eligible students are part of a pathway 
                towards a degree or credential;
                    ``(C) provide an assurance that such institution 
                will provide all students enrolled in dual or 
                concurrent enrollment programs and early college high 
                school programs, alongside students receiving College 
                in High School Federal Pell Grants under this 
                subsection, necessary support services to such eligible 
                students, such as academic tutoring, high school to 
                college transition support, guidance counseling, or 
                other comparable services designed to increase student 
                participation for and success in postsecondary 
                education;
                    ``(D) describe how such institution will--
                            ``(i) ensure that all students enrolled in 
                        dual or concurrent enrollment programs and 
                        early college high school programs, alongside 
                        students receiving College in High School 
                        Federal Pell Grants under this subsection, 
                        complete the Free Application for Federal 
                        Student Financial Aid (FAFSA);
                            ``(ii) assist all such students with 
                        completion of the FAFSA; and
                            ``(iii) commit to advising students 
                        receiving College in High School Federal Pell 
                        Grants under this subsection about how receipt 
                        of a College in High School Federal Pell Grant 
                        will impact their future financial aid 
                        eligibility;
                    ``(E) describe the criteria for admission to the 
                pilot program that are used;
                    ``(F) describe the instructors that the pilot 
                program will be using to teach the courses, and what 
                procedures the institution has in place to ensure that 
                the pilot program is using qualified instructors 
                compliant with State laws and accreditation standards;
                    ``(G) describe how such institution will conduct 
                outreach to such eligible students, their parents or 
                caregivers, first-generation college students, and 
                historically underrepresented students, to encourage 
                enrollment in the pilot program;
                    ``(H) commit to being a participant in a statewide 
                articulation agreement, have an articulation agreement 
                with at least one public institution of higher 
                education, or be able to document in another way 
                successful history of credit transfer of dual or 
                concurrent enrollment program coursework to other 
                public institutions of higher education;
                    ``(I) provide an assurance that such institution 
                will inform such eligible students of their transfer 
                options before they enroll, including which other 
                institutions of higher education are likely to accept 
                credits accrued through participation in the pilot 
                program and under what conditions;
                    ``(J) provide an assurance that such institution 
                will provide such eligible students with financial 
                counseling regarding how to use any refund checks they 
                receive for Federal Pell Grant funds in excess of the 
                costs of tuition and fees for students accumulating 
                more than 2 semesters of College in High School Federal 
                Pell Grants;
                    ``(K) commit to supplement, not supplant, the use 
                of recurring public funding already received from 
                Federal or State sources; and
                    ``(L) commit not to charge such eligible students 
                any additional costs above that covered by the 
                student's College in High School Federal Pell Grant.
            ``(5) Competitive priority.--The Secretary shall award 
        priority for participation in the College in High School 
        Federal Pell Grant Pilot Program under this subsection to--
                    ``(A) an eligible institution that is partnered 
                with a high-need local educational agency that serves 
                one or more high-need high schools that serve a high 
                concentration of high-need students; and
                    ``(B) with respect to eligible institutions that 
                offer a dual or concurrent enrollment program for which 
                certified high school instructors will be used to teach 
                the college classes, an eligible institution that has 
                received accreditation by the National Alliance of 
                Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships.
            ``(6) Distribution of awards.--The Secretary shall ensure 
        that eligible institutions awarded participation in the College 
        in High School Federal Pell Grant Pilot Program reflect a 
        diverse array of eligible institutions, including by geography, 
        program focus, and institution type.
            ``(7) Applicability of provisions.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as otherwise provided 
                under this subsection, the provisions of this section 
                shall apply to College in High School Federal Pell 
                Grants awarded under this subsection.
                    ``(B) Waivers from existing statute.--For the 
                purposes of carrying out the College in High School 
                Federal Pell Grant Pilot Program under this subsection, 
                for students enrolled at eligible institutions who have 
                been accepted into the pilot program, the Secretary 
                shall--
                            ``(i) waive the requirement under section 
                        484(a)(1) that a student not be enrolled in an 
                        elementary or secondary school to be eligible 
                        to receive a Federal Pell Grant; and
                            ``(ii) waive the requirement under section 
                        484(d) that a student be a high school graduate 
                        to be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.
                    ``(C) Two semester cap waiver.--Notwithstanding 
                subsection (c)(5), an eligible student may receive not 
                more than 2 semesters, or the equivalent of 2 
                semesters, of College in High School Federal Pell 
                Grants, prior to drawing down from the student's 12 
                semester eligibility period for Federal Pell Grants.
                    ``(D) Limitation on award amount.--For College in 
                High School Federal Pell Grants that do not apply 
                towards a student's 12 semester eligibility period for 
                Federal Pell Grants, the size of the College in High 
                School Federal Pell Grant shall be not more than the 
                smaller of--
                            ``(i) the amount determined under 
                        subsection (b); and
                            ``(ii) the costs of tuition, fees, 
                        transportation, and instructional materials at 
                        the eligible institution at which the student 
                        is enrolled.
            ``(8) Limitation on use of funding.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An eligible student who receives 
                a College in High School Federal Pell Grant under this 
                subsection may use the grant only for--
                            ``(i) credit-bearing college coursework; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) co-requisite courses.
                    ``(B) Prohibition.--The use of a College in High 
                School Federal Pell Grant for non-credit bearing 
                developmental coursework is prohibited.
            ``(9) Evaluation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall perform an 
                evaluation, or contract with an appropriate nonprofit 
                entity to conduct an evaluation, on the success of the 
                College in High School Federal Pell Grant Pilot Program 
                under this subsection. In addition, the Secretary shall 
                provide updates to Congress and the public not less 
                often than every 6 months on current participation in 
                the College in High School Federal Pell Grant Pilot 
                Program, and any barriers that are potentially 
                affecting its success. The evaluation shall consider, 
                to the extent practicable, for students receiving a 
                College in High School Federal Pell Grant, 
                disaggregated by student subgroup, the following:
                            ``(i) Student participation in the pilot 
                        program.
                            ``(ii) College credit accumulation.
                            ``(iii) High school graduation rates.
                            ``(iv) Postsecondary enrollment after high 
                        school graduation.
                            ``(v) Postsecondary enrollment without 
                        remediation.
                            ``(vi) Postsecondary persistence.
                            ``(vii) Postsecondary completion.
                            ``(viii) Differences in outcomes under 
                        clauses (i) through (vii) based upon type of 
                        institution, program model, and method of 
                        instruction.
                    ``(B) Reporting.--Each eligible institution that 
                participates in the College in High School Federal Pell 
                Grant Pilot Program under this subsection shall report 
                data to the Department for the purposes of completing 
                the evaluation under subparagraph (A).
            ``(10) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Co-requisite course.--The term `co-requisite 
                courses' means courses designed for college students in 
                need or remediation that combines credit-bearing 
                college-level coursework with supplemental instruction.
                    ``(B) Dual or concurrent enrollment program.--The 
                term `dual or concurrent enrollment program' has the 
                meaning given the term in section 8101 of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
                    ``(C) Early college high school.--The term `early 
                college high school' has the meaning given the term in 
                section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965.
                    ``(D) First-generation college student.--The term 
                `first-generation college student' means--
                            ``(i) an individual both of whose parents 
                        did not complete a baccalaureate degree; or
                            ``(ii) in the case of any individual who 
                        regularly resided with and received support 
                        from only 1 parent, an individual whose only 
                        such parent did not complete a baccalaureate 
                        degree.
                    ``(E) High-need high school.--The term `high-need 
                high school' means a secondary school that meets any of 
                the following:
                            ``(i) Serves students not less than 50 
                        percent of whom are students who meet either of 
                        the following:
                                    ``(I) Meet a measure of poverty as 
                                described in section 1113(a)(5) of the 
                                Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
                                of 1965.
                                    ``(II) Are students described in 
                                any of the following items:
                                            ``(aa) Racial or ethnic 
                                        groups that are historically 
                                        underserved.
                                            ``(bb) Children with 
                                        disabilities, as defined in 
                                        section 602 of the Individuals 
                                        with Disabilities Education 
                                        Act.
                                            ``(cc) English learners, as 
                                        defined in section 8101 of the 
                                        Elementary and Secondary 
                                        Education Act of 1965.
                                            ``(dd) Migratory children, 
                                        as defined in section 1309 of 
                                        the Elementary and Secondary 
                                        Education Act of 1965.
                                            ``(ee) Homeless children 
                                        and youths.
                                            ``(ff) Students who are in 
                                        foster care or are aging out of 
                                        the foster care system.
                                            ``(gg) Students with a 
                                        parent who is a member of the 
                                        Armed Forces (as defined in 
                                        section 101(a)(4) of title 10, 
                                        United States Code) on active 
                                        duty (as defined in section 
                                        101(d) of such title).
                            ``(ii) Is identified for comprehensive 
                        support and improvement under section 
                        1111(c)(4)(D)(i) of the Elementary and 
                        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
                            ``(iii) Is implementing a targeted support 
                        and improvement plan as described in section 
                        1111(d)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary 
                        Education Act of 1965.
                    ``(F) High-need local educational agency.--The term 
                `high-need local educational agency' means a local 
                educational agency--
                            ``(i) that serves not fewer than 10,000 
                        children from families with incomes below the 
                        poverty line;
                            ``(ii) for which not less than 20 percent 
                        of the children served by the agency are from 
                        families with incomes below the poverty line; 
                        or
                            ``(iii) that is in the highest quartile of 
                        local educational agencies in the State, based 
                        on student poverty.
                    ``(G) Historically underrepresented student.--The 
                term `historically underrepresented student' means--
                            ``(i) a student, or prospective student, at 
                        an institution of higher education who is at 
                        risk of educational failure or otherwise in 
                        need of special assistance and support; and
                            ``(ii) may include an adult learner, 
                        working student, part-time student, student 
                        from a low-income background, student of color, 
                        Native youth, single parent (including a single 
                        pregnant woman), student who is a homeless 
                        child or youth, youth who is in, or has aged 
                        out of, the foster care system, first-
                        generation college student, and student with a 
                        disability.
                    ``(H) Student subgroup.--The term `student 
                subgroup' means--
                            ``(i) economically disadvantaged students;
                            ``(ii) students from major racial and 
                        ethnic groups;
                            ``(iii) children with disabilities, as 
                        defined in section 602 of the Individuals with 
                        Disabilities Education Act; and
                            ``(iv) English learners, as defined in 
                        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                        Education Act of 1965.''.
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