zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Every Student Counts Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require, beginning by the 2011-2012 school year, states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and secondary schools annually to include on the report cards required under title I of the Act: (1) their four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate; (2) the final number of students in their four-year adjusted cohort and their total number of four-year graduates; (3) their cumulative graduation rate; (4) the number and percentage of students graduating in more than four years with a regular secondary school diploma; (5) the number and percentage of students who have been removed from the adjusted cohort; (6) the number and percentage of students from each previous adjusted cohort who remain in secondary school after four years; and (7) the percentage of secondary school students in each grade, except the graduating grade, prepared to advance to the next grade. Requires such data, except for data on students who remain in secondary school after four years, to be disaggregated and cross tabulated by race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, migrant status, English proficiency, and status as economically disadvantaged. Directs states, LEAs, and secondary schools in states that lack a statewide longitudinal data system with individual student identifiers to make certain annual interim graduation rate calculations; but prohibits the use of such interim calculations after the 2012-2013 school year. Requires the use of aggregate and disaggregated four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates or cumulative graduation rates in determining the success of each secondary school and LEA in making adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward state academic performance standards under the Act. Requires states, LEAs, and schools that do not have a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate or a cumulative graduation rate above 90% overall and for all of the student subgroups, to make specified yearly progress in improving such rate or be deemed as failing to make AYP.

Date: 2011-04-07
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act or Campus SaVE Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require each institution of higher education (IHE) participating in a title IV program to include in its annual security report on campus security policy and crime statistics a statement of current policies for reporting crimes or other emergencies in or on noncampus buildings or property (currently, only reporting of crimes on campus is required). Requires such report to include statistics concerning the occurrence of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking incidents reported to campus security authorities or local police. Requires schools to protect victim confidentiality when reporting criminal threats to the campus community. Directs IHEs to include in their annual security report a statement of policy regarding its programs to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and the procedures it follows when such an offense is reported. Requires such procedures to include: (1) the provision, in writing, to students or employees that report that they have been the victim of such an offense certain information regarding their rights, disciplinary processes, victim services, and safety planning; (2) a description of how the IHE will help enforce any protective order; and (3) information about how the IHE will protect victim confidentiality. Requires an IHE's policy regarding such offenses to include: (1) education that promotes awareness of the offenses; (2) possible sanctions or protective measures imposed following disciplinary action; (3) procedures victims should follow after such an offense occurs; (4) information about to whom the alleged offense should be reported; (5) institutional disciplinary procedures; and (6) the notification of victims regarding their options for, and assistance in, changing academic, living, transportation, and working situations. Directs the Secretary of Education to seek the Attorney General's counsel regarding the development, and dissemination to IHEs, of best practices for preventing and responding to incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Date: 2011-04-14
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Engineering Education for Innovation Act or E 2 for Innovation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award planning grants and matching implementation grants to states to integrate engineering education into kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) instruction and curricula. Requires each state that desires an implementation grant to develop quantifiable benchmarks for activities supported by such grants and submit them to the Secretary for approval. Requires states to use implementation grants to: (1) establish assessment tools and challenging academic content and achievement standards for engineering education, (2) develop or obtain effective engineering education curricula, (3) develop or improve engineering teacher training programs, and (4) recruit qualified engineering teachers for needy schools. Authorizes states to use such grants to: (1) facilitate distance learning and online education in engineering, and (2) invest in after-school engineering education programs. Directs the Institute of Education Sciences to support engineering education research and an evaluation of this Act's grant programs. Requires the Secretary to use the evaluation's findings to provide information to the public and technical assistance to states on best practices and promising innovations in K-12 engineering education.

Date: 2011-05-12
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Student Loan Simplification and Opportunity Act of 2011 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to repeal the Secretary of Education's authority, under the Direct Loan (DL) program, to purchase or enter into forward commitments to purchase: (1) Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) from lenders, upon the determination that there is an inadequate availability of loan capital to meet the demand for such loans; and (2) rehabilitated loans that eligible lenders purchased under the FFEL default reduction program. (Currently, the Secretary's authority to purchase or enter into forward commitments to purchase such loans is set to expire in July 2010, as is the FFEL program.) Authorizes the Secretary to offer borrowers FFEL Debt Conversion Loans, until October 2012, that cover FFELs that have not been purchased under the program this Act repeals, provided such borrowers: (1) are not in default or delinquent for 270 days or more on such loans, and (2) have an outstanding DL or an outstanding FFEL that was purchased pursuant to the program this Act repeals. (FFEL Debt Conversion Loans pay the holder of the FFEL the outstanding principal and interest on the loan, which the borrower is then obligated to repay to the Secretary under the terms of the converted FFEL.) Authorizes the Secretary to offer benefits to borrowers of FFEL Debt Conversion Loans in an amount up to 2% of the amount advanced on the FFEL Debt Conversion Loan. Requires federal proceeds from this Act's temporary authorization of FFEL Debt Conversion Loans to be used for the Pell grant program.

Date: 2011-05-25
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Servicemember Student Loan Interest Relief Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty in hostile areas to benefit from the provision barring the accrual of interest on their student loans under the Federal Direct Loan program regardless of the date their loan was first disbursed. (Currently, their loan must be disbursed on or after October 1, 2008, to qualify for such treatment.) Eliminates the restriction of such benefit on direct consolidation loans to that portion of the loan which is used to repay direct loans.

Date: 2011-05-26
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
21st Century Readiness Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to support 21st century readiness initiatives that fuse core academic subject knowledge and higher-order thinking skills (such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation) to ensure that students are prepared for postsecondary education and careers, upon graduation from secondary school. Amends title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the ESEA to require the Secretary of Education, as part of the national assessment of title I programs, to examine the extent to which such initiatives improve student readiness for postsecondary education and careers. Includes 21st century readiness initiatives in comprehensive school reform programs and school dropout prevention and reentry programs under title I. Amends title II (Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals) of the ESEA to require high-quality professional development programs to incorporate an aligned system of teaching and learning that includes 21st century skills (such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation), standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessments. Requires LEAs to use title II subgrants to enable educators to deliver instruction on higher-order thinking skills and use the latest available technology in doing so. Amends title IV (21st Century Schools) of the ESEA to include 21st century readiness initiatives in 21st Century Community Learning Center activities. (21st Century Community Learning Centers provide students with before and after school programs to improve their academic performance.) Amends title VI (Flexibility and Accountability) of the ESEA to allow assessment grants to be used by states to develop or improve assessments that use technology to measure core academic subject knowledge and higher-order thinking skills to ensure that students can apply a range of skill competencies alongside core academic subject knowledge, and do so in real-world contexts.

Date: 2011-06-09
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Growing Education Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals Act or GREAT Teachers and Principals Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states to: (1) create or approve teacher or principal preparation academies and create or designate authorizers of those academies; (2) support the creation and operation of such academies; and (3) award subgrants to nonprofit entities to establish or expand such academies, measure their effectiveness, or recruit enrollees who have demonstrated strong potential to be effective teachers or principals. Requires each academy to enter into a charter with an authorizer that specifies the goals and outcomes expected of the academy and the obligations of the authorizer. Prohibits authorizers from renewing an academy's charter if it fails to produce the minimum number or percentage of effective teachers or principals specified in its charter. Requires each academy to provide: (1) enrollees with a significant portion of their training through clinical preparation that partners them with successful teacher or principal mentors, and (2) certificates of completion only to graduates who demonstrate a track record of success in preparing students for college and careers. Requires state grantees to recognize a certificate of completion from an academy as at least the equivalent of a master's degree in education for the purposes of teacher or principal hiring, retention, compensation, and promotion in the state. Directs the Secretary to enter into an interagency agreement with the Corporation for National and Community Service under which the Corporation approves national service positions for candidates at each teacher or principal preparation academy receiving financial assistance under this Act.

Date: 2011-06-22
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Repeals certain Department of Education regulations that for purposes of determining whether a school is eligible to participate in programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA): (1) require institutions of higher education and postsecondary vocational institutions (except religious schools) to be legally authorized by the state in which they are situated, (2) delineate what such legal authorization requires of states and schools, and (3) define "credit hour." Prohibits the Secretary of Education from promulgating or enforcing any regulation or rule that defines "credit hour" for any purpose under the HEA.

Date: 2011-06-29
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Measuring and Evaluating Trends for Reliability, Integrity, and Continued Success (METRICS) Act of 2011 or METRICS Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states, high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), or consortia of high-need LEAs that partner with external entities to improve access to, and the sharing and use of, education data to improve student outcomes. Requires states to use such grants to: (1) implement aligned statewide education longitudinal data systems; (2) define policies and procedures for the collection of, access to, and use of education data; (3) protect the privacy, security, and confidentiality of student and educator data; (4) link education data with workforce data; (5) match teachers with teacher preparation and certification information; (6) standardize education data through the use of openly developed common education data standards; and (7) meet federal reporting requirements. Requires high-need LEAs to use such grants to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to: (1) provide interested parties and the public with access to student education data in a manner that ensures its integrity and respects student and educator privacy; (2) improve the ability of school leaders to use student data to improve schools and classroom instruction; and (3) improve the ability of teachers effectively to use student data through on-going, sustainable, and high-quality training. Defines "aligned statewide education longitudinal data systems" as statewide data systems that house and link the longitudinal data of individual students, including their early childhood, elementary and secondary school, postsecondary education, and workforce data. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out specified national activities to improve the collection, quality, and use of education data. Directs the Secretary to make publicly available, within one year of this Act's enactment, a comprehensive and searchable description of all Department of Education reporting requirements that apply to states, LEAs, or schools.

Date: 2011-08-01
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
State Innovation Pilot Act of 2011 - Amends part D (Waivers) of title IX (General Provisions) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to revise the process by which states, LEAs, and Indian tribes obtain waivers of the Act's statutory and regulatory requirements. Requires waiver requests by states, LEAs, or Indian tribes to include a plan that describes how: (1) the waiver will improve instruction and student achievement in accordance with the state's college and career ready academic content and achievement standards; (2) the plan will be evaluated regularly and improved continuously; (3) they will review implementation of the college and career readiness standards; (4) they will identify, support, and intervene in underperforming schools; and (5) they will maintain and improve transparency in reporting to parents and the public on student achievement and school performance. Requires the Secretary of Education to approve requests that meet such requirements and do not involve certain specified statutory or regulatory requirements. Directs the Secretary to establish a multidisciplinary peer review team to review a waiver request if the Secretary requests their input or intends to disapprove the request. Requires peer reviewers to review waiver requests in their totality, in deference to state and local judgment, and with the goal of promoting state and local innovation. Gives the Secretary a limited amount of time to decide on a waiver request. Gives requesters opportunities to revise their requests. Prohibits the Secretary from imposing conditions on a waiver that require the state, LEA, or Indian tribe to adopt or drop specific standards or assessment systems.

Date: 2011-09-15
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Selected Reserve Education Enhancement Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD), each fiscal year, to provide an increase in the rates of educational assistance payable to certain members of the Selected Reserve which is not less than the percentage by which the average cost of undergraduate tuition in the United States for the last academic year exceeds the average cost of such tuition for the year before that academic year. (Currently, such percentage increase is based on increases in the Consumer Price Index over such period.)

Date: 2011-09-26
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Amends federal provisions concerning the approval of state programs of education for purposes of the use of veterans' educational assistance provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to repeal the constructive approval of: (1) an accredited standard college degree program offered at a public or not-for-profit educational institution that is accredited by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary of Education, or (2) a program leading to a secondary school diploma offered by a secondary school approved in that state. Repeals the authority of the VA Secretary to: (1) approve accredited programs offered by proprietary for-profit educational institutions, or (2) disapprove courses which fail to meet state approving agency requirements.

Date: 2011-09-26
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Christopher Bryski Student Loan Protection Act or Christopher's Law - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require lenders of private educational loans for which cosigners are held jointly liable to describe clearly and conspicuously, in writing, the cosigners' obligations regarding such loans, including the effect a borrower's or cosigner's death, disability, or inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity would have on such obligations. Directs the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to publish a model form for describing those obligations. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to provide borrowers of federal educational loans information at their entrance counseling on the effect their death, disability, or inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity would have on their federal and private educational loans.

Date: 2011-10-20
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Center to Advance, Monitor, and Preserve University Security Safety Act of 2011 or CAMPUS Safety Act of 2011 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to establish and operate a National Center for Campus Public Safety. Tasks the Center with strengthening the safety and security of institutions of higher education (IHEs) by: (1) training IHE public safety agencies and their collaborative partners; (2) fostering relevant research; (3) collecting, coordinating, and disseminating information and best practices regarding campus safety; (4) developing protocols to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made emergencies that threaten the campus community; and (5) increasing cooperation between IHEs and the law enforcement, mental health, and other agencies and jurisdictions that serve them. Authorizes the Director to award grants to IHEs and other nonprofit organizations for activities that will assist the Center in performing its functions. Transfers the Office of Dispute Resolution in the Department of Justice to the Office of Legal Policy. Directs the Attorney General to save $1 million by consolidating ineffective or duplicative programs through FY2016.

Date: 2011-10-20
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), fraternities, and sororities for up to half the cost of installing approved fire suppression systems in student housing and dormitories owned or controlled by such entities. Gives grant priority to applicants that demonstrate the greatest financial need. Reserves the following portions of grant funds made available for each fiscal year: (1) at least 10% for historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and IHEs that are eligible for Institutional Aid under the Higher Education Act of 1965; and (2) at least 10% for social fraternities and sororities. Provides that any application for assistance under this Act, any negative determination on the part of the Secretary with respect to such application, or any statement of reasons for the determination, shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding of any court, agency, board, or other entity (except a proceeding to enforce an agreement entered into between the Secretary and a grantee under this Act).

Date: 2011-10-31
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Spouses of Heroes Education Act - Entitles to post-9/11 veterans' educational assistance the spouse (under current law, only the child) of a person who, on or after September 11, 2001, dies in the line of duty while serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces. Terminates such spouse's entitlement on the earlier of: (1) 15 years after the date on which the member died, and (2) the date of the spouse's remarriage. Requires an individual entitled to such assistance and also to veterans' educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill to elect a single coverage.

Date: 2011-11-10
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Requires, in accordance with guidance issued by the Secretary of Defense (DOD), that assistance be available under the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship program for pursuit of a master's and doctoral degree in the disciplines of physical and occupational therapy. Terminates the availability of assistance for either such discipline when the Secretary certifies that there no longer exists a current or projected shortfall in qualified personnel in that discipline in either the military departments or any major military medical treatment facility specializing in the rehabilitation of wounded Armed Forces members. Declares that assistance under this Act, if not already terminated, shall expire two years after enactment of this Act, provided that such expiration is not construed to terminate ongoing assistance to persons provided assistance before or as of such date.

Date: 2011-12-08
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers Act or POST Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require proprietary institutions of higher education to derive at least 15% of their revenue from sources other than federal funds or become ineligible for title IV funding. (Currently, the 90/10 rule requires these schools to derive at least 10% of their revenue from sources other than title IV or become ineligible for title IV funding.) Defines "federal funds" as federal financial assistance provided through a grant, contract, subsidy, loan, guarantee, insurance, or other means to a proprietary institution, including federal financial assistance that is provided to an institution on behalf of a student or to a student to attend the institution. Excludes monthly housing stipends provided under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance program from consideration as federal funds. Limits what a proprietary institution may treat as revenue to the school in calculating whether it derives at least 15% of its revenue from non-federal funds.

Date: 2012-01-23
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make the 3.4% interest rate on Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012, applicable to Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students on or after July 1, 2012.

Date: 2012-01-31
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Student Right to Know Before You Go Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education (IHEs) participating in title IV (Student Assistance) programs to participate in, and provide all the data required for, an individual-level integrated postsecondary education data system administered by a state, a multi-state compact, or the Secretary of Education. Allows system administrators to include, in addition to data from IHEs, data from certain other postsecondary education and training programs. Requires the systems to be certified by the Secretary as meeting certain data inclusion, quality, governance, and privacy requirements. Requires the systems to include: (1) all student components of reporting required for the Integrated Postsecondary Data System (IPEDS), and submit such data to IPEDS; (2) rates of remedial enrollment, credit accumulation, and postsecondary completion by high school completion status; and (3) earnings data, disaggregated by educational program, institution, degree, employment sector, and state to create an interoperable employment and learning exchange. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to educational institutions and system administrators to assist them in complying with, developing, and implementing individual-level integrated postsecondary education data systems.

Date: 2012-02-09
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
GI Educational Freedom Act of 2012 - Requires any individual eligible for veterans' educational assistance through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be provided educational and vocational counseling services before the receipt of such educational assistance, unless the individual specifically declines such counseling. Outlines information to be included in such counseling. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make such information available to the public. Repeals the $6 million fiscal year limit for VA contracting for such counseling services. Directs the Secretary to establish a system to collect, process, and track complaints submitted by individuals enrolled in VA programs of education to report instances of fraud, waste, and abuse with respect to benefits and services provided by educational institutions. Requires a state approving agency, when considering whether to approve a course of education at an educational institution, to review and take into consideration the complaints processed and tracked by such system. Provides for the confidentiality of such complaints.

Date: 2012-03-20
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
GI Bill Consumer Awareness Act of 2012 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary), on an ongoing basis, to make available to veterans, members of the Armed Forces (members), and spouses and dependents eligible to receive, or who are receiving, educational assistance through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or the Department of Defense (DOD) specified information about educational institutions and the programs of education available to such veterans and members. Directs the Secretary of Defense, on an ongoing basis, to make available to individuals eligible to receive, or who are receiving, assistance under the DOD Military Spouse Career Advancement Account program specified information about the types of accreditation available to educational institutions and programs of education, a general overview of federal student aid programs and the implications of incurring student loan debt, and educational program results. Provides additional requirements for institutions providing programs of education under VA and DOD educational assistance programs, including employee training about benefits and assistance available to veterans and members, and special advising and support services for such veterans and members. Prohibits the approval of a course of education if the institution: (1) requires a student enrolled to waive the right to legal recourse or submit to arbitration, or (2) imposes onerous legal notice provisions in the case of a dispute with the institution. Directs the Secretary to enter into a memorandum of understanding with each institution to carry out requirements protecting individuals receiving VA or DOD educational assistance. Requires the VA and DOD Secretaries to jointly develop policies to curb the aggressive recruiting (for enrollment) of veterans and members by educational institutions. Directs the Secretaries to establish a working group to: (1) coordinate consumer protection efforts of VA and DOD with respect to educational assistance provided, and (2) develop policies related to postsecondary education marketing and recruitment of veterans and members. Directs the Secretaries to assess, and report to Congress on, the quality and delivery of career information and counseling provided to veterans and members enrolled in programs of VA or DOD educational assistance. Makes eligible for VA educational and vocational counseling an individual serving on active duty in any state who has served in the Armed Forces on active duty for at least 180 days. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish procedures for the submission of complaints by students pursuing programs of VA or DOD educational assistance, (2) collect and disseminate information about best practices for the provision of educational assistance to veterans and members, and (3) report to Congress on the receipt of VA educational assistance. Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish and report on metrics for tracking the successful completion of DOD education and workforce training programs.

Date: 2012-03-27
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Know Before You Owe Private Student Loan Act of 2012 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require a lender, before issuing a private education loan for a student attending an institution of higher education (IHE), to obtain the IHE's certification of: (1) the student's enrollment status, (2) the student's cost of attendance, and (3) the difference between that cost and the student's estimated financial assistance. Eliminates the requirement that such lenders obtain a self-certification form from the private education loan applicant. Allows a lender to issue such loan without a certification if there is no response from the relevant IHE within 15 business days of the lender's request for the certification. Requires private educational lenders to: (1) send loan statements to borrowers at least once every month a student is enrolled at an IHE; (2) notify the relevant IHE, in writing, of the loan amount and the student to whom it applies no later than the date funds are issued; and (3) submit an annual report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) containing information the CFPB requires concerning private student loans. Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require IHEs, before providing lenders with certifications, to determine whether students have exhausted their options for title IV assistance and notify borrowers of: (1) the availability of such assistance; (2) their ability to choose their own private educational lender; (3) the impact of the proposed private education loan on their eligibility for other financial assistance; and (4) their right to accept or reject a private education loan within 30 days of the lender's approval of their application, and to cancel the loan within 3 business days of its consummation.

Date: 2012-03-29
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act - Amends the Higher Education Opportunity Act to prohibit postsecondary educational institutions from using revenues derived from federal educational assistance funds for: (1) advertising and promotion; (2) identifying and attracting prospective students; or (3) other activities the Secretary of Education may proscribe, such as paying for the promotion or sponsorship of education or military-related associations. Excepts from that prohibition activities that are required as a condition of receiving funds under title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, specifically authorized under title IV, or otherwise specified by the Secretary.

Date: 2012-04-18
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act of 2012 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make the 3.4% interest rate on Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012, applicable to Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2013. Amends the Internal Revenue Code and title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to require certain shareholders of a subchapter S corporation engaged as a partner in a professional service business to include income or loss attributable to such business in their net earnings from self-employment for employment tax purposes. Restricts such tax treatment to shareholders whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds a specified amount that varies based on their tax filing status. Defines a "professional service business" as any trade or business providing services in the fields of health, law, lobbying, engineering, architecture, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, consulting, athletics, investment advice or management, or brokerage services.

Date: 2012-04-24
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend the temporary suspension of duty on certain educational toys or devices.

Date: 2012-05-07
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Subsidized Stafford Loan Reduced Interest Rate Extension Act of 2012 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make the 3.4% interest rate on Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012, applicable to Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2013. Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012 - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) identify, on an annual basis, a list of high-priority federal programs for greater levels of oversight and review of improper payments; (2) coordinate with agencies responsible for administering high-priority programs to establish semi-annual or quarterly targets and actions for reducing improper payments; and  (3) provide guidance to agencies for improving estimates of improper payments. Requires federal agencies to: (1) make quarterly reports to their Inspectors General on any high-dollar improper payments identified by such agencies, and (2) review prepayment and preaward procedures and available databases to determine program or award eligibility and prevent improper payments before releasing any federal funds.  Establishes a Do Not Pay List based on information from databases maintained by the federal government, including the database of the Social Security Administration (SSA) reporting deaths of Social Security recipients. Requires the Director to: (1) determine the current and historical rates and amounts of recovery of improper payments and targets for recovering improper payments, and (2) establish a plan for at least 10 Recovery Audit Contracting programs to identify and recover overpayments and underpayments in 10 agencies.

Date: 2012-05-07
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Increased Transparency in Higher Education Act of 2012 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require each nonprofit institution of higher education that receives federal financial assistance to post its tax return on its website.

Date: 2012-05-07
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Helping Schools Protect Our Children Act of 2012 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include training of school personnel to recognize child sexual abuse among the uses of grants to states and subgrants to local educational agencies and partnerships under part A (Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund) of title II.

Date: 2012-05-14
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2012 - Amends the Higher Education Opportunity Act to refer to the Secretary of Education's model institution of higher eduction (IHE) financial aid offer form as the standard form. Requires the standard form to include certain additional items, such as: (1) information concerning work study assistance, including its dependence on the availability of employment opportunities; (2) the disclosure that federal student loans offer generally more favorable terms and repayment options than private education loans; (3) the deadline for and a summary of the financial aid acceptance process; (4) the academic period covered by the offer and whether the aid is based on full-time or part-time enrollment; and (5) the IHE's most recent cohort default rate compared to the national average cohort default rate, if more than 30% of the school's students take out student loans. Requires more detailed information to be included on the form. Includes among those details, with respect to federal education loans, information: (1) identifying the type and amount of loan recommended for the applicable student; (2) clearly indicating that such loans need to be repaid; (3) disclosing the student's right to borrow less than the recommended amount; and (4) detailing the interest rates, fees, expected monthly repayment amounts, and sums to be paid over the life of such loans. Requires that certain steps be taken to improve the clarity of the form and provide recipients with access to additional information. Directs the Secretary, before finalizing the standard form, to submit it to consumer testing among students, their families, IHEs, secondary school and postsecondary counselors, and nonprofit consumer groups. Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require each IHE receiving federal financial assistance under the Act to use the standard form in providing written or electronic financial aid offers to students enrolled in, or accepted for enrollment in, the IHE.

Date: 2012-05-24
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to set the interest rate on Direct Loans, for any 12 month period beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30, at the bond equivalent rate of 10-year Treasury bills auctioned at the final auction held prior to such June 1, plus 3%. Makes: (1) that formula applicable to Direct Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2012; and (2) the rate set on such loans applicable for the life of the loans. Requires any savings to the federal government that result from this Act's amendment to be used for deficit reduction.

Date: 2012-06-06
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Extends through 2014 (under current law, through 2013) the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education. Requires the Committee, to the maximum extent possible, to include: (1) veterans who served on active duty and were deployed in connection with a contingency operation; (2) at least one veteran currently enrolled in and receiving assistance under a veterans' educational assistance program; and (3) at least one representative each from the American Council on Education, an organization that represents veterans, and a state approving agency. Requires the Committee, at least semiannually, to report to Congress on the administration of veterans' educational assistance benefits.

Date: 2012-06-11
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
GI Bill Protection Act of 2012 - Prohibits any person, except with written permission from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), from using the phrases "GI Bill" and "Post-9/11 GI Bill" in connection with any promotion, goods, services, or commercial activity in a manner reasonably tending to suggest that such use is approved, endorsed, or authorized by the VA or any component thereof. Provides that any violation determination shall be made without regard to any inclusion of a disclaimer of affiliation. Provides for violation enforcement through the Attorney General.

Date: 2012-06-20
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to pay to each individual entitled to post 9/11 educational assistance who is pursuing a program of education with a focus on science, technology, engineering, or math a lump-sum payment of $2,000 per academic year, or fraction thereof for enrollment lasting less than a year. Makes such amount in addition to any other educational assistance to which the individual is entitled.

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Revises the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a work-study allowance for certain activities of individuals receiving educational assistance through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to direct the Secretary to utilize the services of at least one such individual at each educational institution that has an office established to provide assistance to veterans enrolled in an approved program of education at the institution. Includes as a qualifying work-study activity: (1) any activity of a local government veterans agency related to providing assistance in obtaining benefits under the VA or the laws of that state; and (2) any federal, state, or local government entity, as the Secretary considers appropriate.

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Advancing College Choice and Ethics to Protect Taxpayers Act of 2012 - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to bar the Secretary of Education from issuing new regulations related to the prohibition against provision of incentive compensation by institutions of higher education (IHEs) to certain school employees based on their success in securing student enrollments or financial aid. Prohibits IHEs from engaging in deceptive practices likely to mislead consumers or affect their decisions. Requires IHEs with a Student Default Risk Index for a year of 0.1 or greater to: (1) give individuals whose enrollment has been accepted at least two weeks to confirm their enrollment decision without the school's making benefit decisions contingent on an earlier decision; and (2) notify those individuals of financial aid determinations at least one week before the enrollment confirmation deadline, if they have submitted the requested application forms. Penalizes IHEs that substantially misrepresent: (1) the space available in a program for which an individual is considering enrollment, (2) admission requirements, (3) the transferability of credits, (4) whether a program qualifies students to sit for licensing examinations or obtain employment certifications, and (5) the success of their students in obtaining those licenses or certifications. (This is in addition to prohibiting a school from misrepresenting its educational program, financial charges, or graduates' employability.) Increases, and alters the formula for determining, the penalties imposed on IHEs that violate title IV provisions. Directs the Secretary annually to produce and make available to IHEs and the public standardized disclosure sheets with IHE data, and state, IHE category, and national averages. Requires IHEs to provide their students and individuals accepted for enrollment with that disclosure sheet which includes specified information regarding student costs, financial aid, debt and default rates, transfer and dropout rates, and the school's obligations under title IV. Requires IHEs to provide students and prospective students with the process for registering a complaint with the school's accreditor. Requires IHEs to provide individuals that have been accepted for enrollment with certain information about financial aid, the school, its procedures, and its graduates in a manner that allows them to take that information into account before making a final enrollment decision.

Date: 2012-09-13
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Arbitration Fairness for Students Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of higher education that participate in title IV (Student Assistance) programs from including predispute arbitration agreements in student enrollment contracts.

Date: 2012-09-19
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Foster Youth Higher Education Opportunities Act - Amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to inform students who indicate on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form that they are or were in the foster care system of their potential eligibility for federal student aid, including the specific federal programs under which they may be eligible for assistance. Requires the Secretary to provide foster youth with that same information on the Department of Education's website.

Date: 2012-12-06
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Center to Advance, Monitor, and Preserve University Security Safety Act of 2012 or the CAMPUS Safety Act of 2012 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to establish and operate a National Center for Campus Public Safety. Tasks the Center with strengthening the safety and security of institutions of higher education (IHEs) by: (1) training IHE public safety personnel and their collaborative partners; (2) fostering relevant research; (3) collecting and disseminating information and best practices regarding campus safety; (4) developing protocols and best practices to prevent, protect against, and respond to dangerous and violent situations that threaten the campus community; and (5) promoting cooperation among public safety and emergency management personnel of IHEs and their collaborative partners, including law enforcement, emergency management, and mental health agencies. Authorizes the Director to award grants to IHEs and other nonprofit organizations for activities that will assist the Center in performing its functions.

Date: 2012-12-13
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education
Cybersecurity Education Enhancement Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Cybersecurity, to establish, in conjunction with the National Science Foundation, a program to award grants to institutions of higher education for: (1) cybersecurity professional development programs, (2) associate degree programs in cybersecurity, and (3) the purchase of equipment to provide training in cybersecurity for either professional development or degree programs.

Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to operate the program.

Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary to establish an E-Security Fellows program to bring state, local, tribal, and private sector officials to participate in the work of the National Cybersecurity Division in order to become familiar with Department of Homeland Security cybersecurity missions and capabilities.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Education (Higher)
Subject: Education