Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Students Working for Communities Act”.
Students Working for Communities Act
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a community service technical assistance reservation and to increase the percentage of funds used for compensation of students participating in Federal work-study programs who are employed in community service, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Amendments to Federal work-study programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965
Allocation of funds— Section 442 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087–52) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
in paragraph (1), by striking “From the amount appropriated pursuant to section 441(b) for each fiscal year” and inserting “From the remainder of the amount appropriated pursuant to section 441(b) for each fiscal year after making the reservation under subsection (f)”;
in paragraph (2), by striking “From the amount” and inserting “From the remainder of the amount” in each place it appears; and
in paragraph (3), by striking “the amount appropriated for any fiscal year” and inserting “the remainder of the amount appropriated for any fiscal year”;
in subsection (b)(1), by striking “pursuant to section 441(b) after making the allocations required by subsection (a)” and inserting “pursuant to section 441(b) after making the reservation under subsection (f) and the allocations required by subsection (a)”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(f) Reservation for community service technical assistance grants
“(1) In general—For each fiscal year for which the amount appropriated to carry out this part is not less than $1,300,000,000, the Secretary shall, prior to making the allocations required by subsections (a) and (b), reserve 1 percent from such amount to make 1 or more grants to public or private entities that have demonstrated success in working with partnerships of institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations on work-study and community service programs.
“(2) Grant uses—An entity awarded a grant under paragraph (1) shall use such grant to provide technical assistance to eligible institutions with respect to carrying out the activities under this part in order to promote best practices and ensure the success of such activities, with a particular focus on—
“(A) meeting the needs of historically underserved student populations, such as first-generation college students (as defined in section 402A(h)) and students of color; and
“(B) community service programs, including—
“(i) the compensation of students employed in community service under section 443(b)(2)(A); and
“(ii) the implementation of community service work-study programs under section 447.”
Grants for Federal work-Study programs— Section 443 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087–53) is amended—
in subsection (b)—
in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting “except as provided under subsection (f),” after “for fiscal year 2000 and succeeding fiscal years,”; and
in paragraph (5)(A)(ii), by inserting “, except that for any academic year for which paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (f) is applicable, the maximum percentage of students who may be so employed shall not exceed the percentage of an institution’s grant under this part that is used to compensate such student during such academic year” after “75 percent”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(f) Additional support for community service—Beginning with fiscal year 2025—
“(1) for each fiscal year for which the amount appropriated under section 441(b) is not less than $1,300,000,000 and less than $1,450,000,000, subsection (b)(2)(A) shall be applied by substituting “9 percent” for “7 percent”;
“(2) for each fiscal year for which the amount appropriated under section 441(b) is not less than $1,450,000,000 and less than $1,650,000,000, subsection (b)(2)(A) shall be applied by substituting “12 percent” for “7 percent”;
“(3) for each fiscal year for which the amount appropriated under section 441(b) is not less than $1,650,000,000 and less than $1,900,000,000, subsection (b)(2)(A) shall be applied by substituting “15 percent” for “7 percent”;
“(4) for each fiscal year for which the amount appropriated under section 441(b) is not less than $1,900,000,000 and less than $2,200,000,000, subsection (b)(2)(A) shall be applied by substituting “18 percent” for “7 percent”;
“(5) for each fiscal year for which the amount appropriated under section 441(b) is not less than $2,200,000,000 and less than $2,550,000,000, subsection (b)(2)(A) shall be applied by substituting “21 percent” for “7 percent”; and
“(6) for each fiscal year for which the amount appropriated under section 441(b) is not less than $2,550,000,000, subsection (b)(2)(A) shall be applied by substituting “24 percent” for “7 percent”.”