This bill creates a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Secretary of Education for fiscal years 2027 through 2032. Grants go to public colleges, partnerships with nonprofit education groups, consortia of colleges, and Tribal Colleges or Universities. The goal is to fund evidence-based programs that increase participation, retention, and completion for "high-need" students. The bill defines "high-need" students to include low-income students, first-generation students, caregiver students, students with disabilities, students who previously dropped out, reentering justice-impacted students, and military-connected students.
Applications must describe the planned evidence-based reforms or practices (labeled as evidence tier 1, 2, or 3), set annual benchmarks, include an evaluation plan, and report Pell Grant rates and student demographics. Eligible uses include academic and career services (mentoring, advising, case management), accelerated learning (dual enrollment, early college high schools), course scheduling and credit policy reform, improved transfer pathways, tutoring and emergency financial aid, career coaching and work-based learning, and efforts to recruit and keep faculty. The bill requires a 2 percent reservation of funds for eligible Indian entities (Tribal Colleges and Universities) and reserves at least 20 percent of non-Indian-entity funds for projects that include at least one evidence tier 3 reform. The Secretary may set aside up to 5 percent for administration, capacity building, research, and reporting, and up to 2 percent for technical assistance. The Secretary must fund evaluations of grantees and submit a final report to relevant congressional committees within 18 months after enactment. An institution with branch campuses may receive a grant for only one campus at a time.
If you are a college or Tribal College, this bill would let eligible institutions apply for competitive grant money to expand student services and programs aimed at helping high-need students enroll, stay in school, and finish. If you are a high-need student, your college could use grant funds for tutoring, advising, emergency aid, career services, transfer supports, or accelerated learning options like dual enrollment.
No publicly available information on total or annual appropriation amounts is included in the bill text. The bill authorizes grants for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 and specifies percentage set-asides (2 percent for eligible Indian entities; at least 20 percent for projects with a tier 3 reform; up to 5 percent for administration and research; up to 2 percent for technical assistance), but it does not specify dollar totals.
The bill’s stated purpose is to support evidence-based participation, retention, and completion activities designed to ensure postsecondary success for high-need students. Provisions require evidence descriptions, benchmarks, and evaluations, and include targeted supports such as advising, tutoring, career services, and transfer pathway improvements.
No publicly available information.