---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 1161h"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "1161h"
heading: "Improving college enrollment by secondary schools"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/1161h"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance"
  - "Subchapter IX — Additional Programs"
  - "Part H — Improving College Enrollment By Secondary Schools"
---

# §1161h. Improving college enrollment by secondary schools

- (a) **In general—** From the amounts appropriated under [subsection (c)](#c), the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall award a grant to one [nonprofit](/usc/20/1003.md?p=13) organization described in [subsection (b)](#b) to enable the [nonprofit](/usc/20/1003.md?p=13) organization—
  - (1) to make publicly available the year-to-year postsecondary education enrollment rate trends of [secondary school](/usc/20/1003.md?p=16) students, disaggregated by [secondary school](/usc/20/1003.md?p=16), in compliance with [section 1232g of this title](/usc/20/1232g.md) (commonly known as the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974”);
  - (2) to identify not less than 50 urban [local educational agencies](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11) and five [States](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) with significant rural populations, each serving a significant population of low-income students, and to carry out a comprehensive assessment in the agencies and [States](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) of the factors known to contribute to improved postsecondary education enrollment rates, which factors shall include—
    - (A) the [local educational agency](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11)’s and [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A)’s leadership strategies and capacities;
    - (B) the [secondary school](/usc/20/1003.md?p=16) curriculum and class offerings of the [local educational agency](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11) and [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A);
    - (C) the professional development used by the [local educational agency](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11) and the [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) to assist teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators in supporting the transition of secondary students to postsecondary education;
    - (D) [secondary school](/usc/20/1003.md?p=16) student attendance and other factors demonstrated to be associated with enrollment into postsecondary education;
    - (E) the use of data systems by the [local educational agency](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11) and the [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) to measure postsecondary education enrollment rates and the incentives in place to motivate the efforts of faculty and students to improve student and schoolwide outcomes; and
    - (F) strategies to mobilize student leaders to build a college-bound culture; and
  - (3) to provide comprehensive services to improve the schoolwide postsecondary education enrollment rates of each of not less than ten [local educational agencies](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11) and [States](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A), with the federally funded portion of each project declining by not less than 20 percent each year beginning in the second year of the comprehensive services, that—
    - (A) participated in the needs assessment described in [paragraph (2)](#a-2); and
    - (B) demonstrated a willingness and commitment to improving the postsecondary education enrollment rates of the [local educational agency](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11) or [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A), respectively.
- (b) **Grant recipient criteria—** The recipient of the grant awarded under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be a [nonprofit](/usc/20/1003.md?p=13) organization with demonstrated expertise—
  - (1) in increasing schoolwide postsecondary enrollment rates in [low-income communities](/usc/20/1087ii.md?p=a) nationwide by providing curriculum, training, and technical assistance to [secondary school](/usc/20/1003.md?p=16) staff and student peer influencers; and
  - (2) in a postsecondary education transition data management system.
- (c) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–329, title VIII, § 808, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title VIII, § 801, Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3396; amended Pub. L. 111–39, title VIII, § 801(3), July 1, 2009, 123 Stat. 1955.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2009—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–39 substituted “section 1232g of this title (commonly known as the ‘Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974’)” for “the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2009 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 111–39 effective as if enacted on the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–315 (Aug. 14, 2008), see section 3 of Pub. L. 111–39, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title.