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Title IV — Amendments to Higher Education Act of 1965

S. 2968 · 113th Congress · Dec 2, 2014 · Lineage

IV Amendments to Higher Education Act of 1965

Sec. 401 Definitions

Section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1003) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (10) and paragraphs (11) through (24) as paragraphs (4) through (11) and paragraphs (13) through (25), respectively;
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

“(3) Community Partner—The term community partner means a nonprofit or public organization that has expertise in the planning and delivery of education and related programs, in forging coordination and cooperation between educators and educational institutions with other members of the community, or in training educators and other deliverers of educational services.”

(3)
by inserting after paragraph (11), as redesignated by paragraph (1), the following:

“(12) Intermediary Organization—The term intermediary organization means a nonprofit organization that has expertise in training, forging public-private partnerships, systems development, capacity-building, improving scalability, evaluation, and development and implementation of data systems that measure the progress of students, schools and other educational institutions, and programs.”

Sec. 402 TRIO programs

Section 402A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)(1)—
(A)
by striking “For the purposes described” and inserting the following:

“(A) In general—For the purposes described”

(B)
by adding at the end the following:

“(B) Community partners and intermediary organizations—An eligible entity described in subparagraph (A) of a grant or contract under this chapter shall, to the extent feasible, carry out the grant or contract—

“(i) with one or more community partners, including through joint planning and implementation, shared professional development designed to improve the effectiveness of such eligible entity and community partner staff, development and implementation of shared data systems that support the improvement of the operations and outcomes of the program carried out with such grant or contract, and the alignment and coordination of such eligible entity and community partner goals, activities, and training; and

“(ii) with the involvement of one or more intermediary organizations that will assist such eligible entity by training staff, providing technical assistance that is designed to ensure continuous improvement, helping to ensure accountability for results, and helping to ensure that the grant or contract funds flow quickly and effectively to effective service providers and activities.”

(2)
in subsection (c)(6), by adding at the end the following: “The Secretary shall also encourage recipients of grants and contracts under this chapter to enter into data-sharing agreements with other agencies and organizations so as to provide for shared access to information on student progress and success (consistent with the requirements of subpart 4 of part C of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232f et seq.)), integrated planning and review of the data, and coordinated adjustments in program strategies and activities in response to changes in student needs or to new challenges.”; and
(3)
in subsection (f)(3)—
(A)
in subparagraph (A)—
(i)
by redesignating clauses (v) and (vi), as clauses (vi) and (vii), respectively; and
(ii)
by inserting after clause (iv) the following new clause:

“(v) student acquisition of 21st century skills (such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration);”

(B)
in subparagraph (B)—
(i)
by redesignating clauses (v), (vi), and (vii), as clauses (vi), (vii), and (viii), respectively; and
(ii)
by inserting after clause (iv) the following new clause:

“(v) student acquisition of 21st century skills (such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration);”

Sec. 403 Gear Up

(a)
Definition of eligible entity— Section 404A(c)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–21(c)(2)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A)—
(A)
by striking “and” at the end of clause (i); and
(B)
by adding at the end the following:

“(iii) one or more community partners; and”

(2)
in subparagraph (B), by inserting “intermediary organizations,” after “subpart 4,”.
(b)
Requirements— Section 404B(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–22(b)) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;
(2)
by striking “Each eligible entity” and inserting the following:

“(1) In general—Each eligible entity”

(3)
by adding at the end the following:

“(2) Data sharing—Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this chapter shall, to the extent feasible, enter into data-sharing agreements with other organizations or agencies so as to provide for shared access to information on student progress and success (consistent with the requirements of subpart 4 of part C of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232f et seq.)), integrated planning and joint review of the data, and coordinated adjustments in program strategies and activities in response to changes in student needs or to new challenges.”

(c)
Applications— Section 404C(a)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–23(a)(2)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (I), by striking “and” at the end;
(2)
in subparagraph (J), by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:

“(K) describe, in the case of an eligible entity described in section 404A(c)(2), how the entities included in the partnership will engage in—

“(i) joint planning and implementation;

“(ii) shared professional development designed to improve the effectiveness of school, community partner, and other staff;

“(iii) development and implementation of shared data systems that support program improvement and the improvement of program outcomes; and

“(iv) the alignment and coordination of local educational agency, school, community partner, and other partnership members’ goals, activities, and training.”

(4)
Activities— Section 404D(a)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–24(a)(3)) is amended—
(A)
in subparagraph (A), by striking “and” at the end;
(B)
in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:

“(C) at the discretion of the eligible entity, acquire 21st century skills (such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration).”

Sec. 404 Maintenance and expansion of existing programs

(a)
Program authority— Section 418A(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070d–2(a)) is amended—
(1)
by striking “The Secretary shall” and inserting the following:

“(1) In general—The Secretary shall”

(2)
by adding at the end the following:

“(2) Community partners and intermediary organizations—Each such program shall be implemented—

“(A) in partnership with one or more community partners, including through joint planning and implementation, shared professional development designed to improve the effectiveness of, as applicable, school, institution of higher education, nonprofit organization, and community partner staff, development and implementation of shared data systems that support program improvement and the improvement of program outcomes, and the alignment and coordination of, as applicable, school, institution of higher education, nonprofit organization, and community partner goals, activities, and training; and

“(B) with the involvement of one or more intermediary organizations that assist the grantee by training staff, providing technical assistance that is designed to ensure continuous improvement, helping to ensure accountability for results, and helping to ensure that program funds flow quickly and effectively to effective service providers and activities.

“(3) Data sharing—Each such program shall include the implementation of one or more data-sharing agreements between the grantee and other organizations or agencies that provide for shared access to information on student progress and success (consistent with the requirements of subpart 4 of part C of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232f et seq.)), integrated planning and joint review of the data, and coordinated adjustments in program strategies and activities in response to changes in student needs or to new challenges.”

(b)
Services provided— Section 418A(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070d–2(b)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (8), by striking “and” at the end;
(2)
by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (10); and
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:

“(9) activities designed to ensure that participants acquire 21st century skills (such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration); and”