Supporting College Success Through Dual Enrollment Act

Bill: 113-s-2349
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2014-05-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Higher education
Rural conditions and development
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2014-05-15
text: 
Supporting College Success Through Dual Enrollment Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make matching grants to states to promote moderate- to low-income student participation in dual-enrollment programs.
 
Defines a &quot;dual enrollment program&quot; as a program through which a secondary school student takes courses offered through an institution of higher education (IHE) while enrolled in secondary school for which the student earns both secondary and postsecondary school credit.
 
Allots the grant funds to states based on each participating state's share of residents: (1) aged 5 through 17 who are living below the poverty line, and (2) aged 15 through 44 who are living below the poverty line.
 
Requires grant applicants to assure the Secretary that every local educational agency (LEA) in the state will form a partnership with one or more two-year or four-year degree granting IHEs to coordinate dual enrollment programs under which the IHE: (1) is responsible for administering the dual enrollment program, with the LEA's cooperation; and (2) determines the curriculum, standards, and instructors to be used in the dual enrollment program.
 
Requires states to use the grants to: 
 
 
cover the costs for moderate- to low-income secondary student participation in dual enrollment programs,
 
provide counseling and support services for students and families regarding dual enrollment programs,
 
create credit-bearing or noncredit-bearing courses to ensure that low-income and first generation college students have the skills to succeed in postsecondary education,
 
encourage students and schools in small communities to participate in dual-enrollment programs, or
 
engage in other activities that are approved by the Secretary and promote moderate- to low-income student participation in dual-enrollment programs.
 
 
Requires states to focus such activities on dual enrollment programs offered through secondary schools that:
 
 
are in high poverty areas,
 
serve a large number or percentage of students from populations underrepresented in higher education,
 
have a high dropout rate,
 
have a low percentage of graduates who enter postsecondary education, 
 
are in an area of the state with low postsecondary education aspiration and attainment rates, or 
 
are small schools whose academic offerings are limited by scale.
 
 
Directs the Secretary to ensure that a student's participation in dual enrollment programs has no negative effect on their eligibility for financial aid under the Higher Education Act of 1965.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2014-05-15
text: Introduced in Senate