,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #beac ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bc1 #bjad,mr4 ,bennet 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,isakson1 ,mrs4 ,hagan1 ,mr4 ,enzi1 ,mr4 ,hatch1 and ,mr4 ,murphy7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to establish a demonstration project for competency-based education4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,advancing ,competency-,based ,education ,demonstration ,project ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,competency-based education demonstration project ,part ,g of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhh et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #dhf;,a the following3 #dhf;,b4 ,competency-based education demonstration project 7a7 ,purposes ,the purposes of this section are-- 7#a7 to allow a demonstration project that is monitored by the ,secretary to explore ways of delivering education and disbursing student financial aid that are based on learning rather than time2 7#b7 to potentially lower cost and reduce the time to attainment of high-quality postsecondary degrees and credentials through competency-based education programs2 and 7#c7 to help determine-- 7,a7 the specific statutory and regulatory requirements that should be altered to provide greater access to competency-based education programs1 which may be independent of1 or combined with1 traditional credit hour or clock hour programs2 7,b7 the most effective means of delivering competency-based education through degree and credential programs2 and 7,c7 the appropriate level and distribution methodology of ,federal assistance for students enrolled in competency-based education4 7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,competency-based education ,the term competency-based education means an educational process that-- 7,a7 is characterized by the measurement of learning as opposed to the measurement of instructional and learning time2 and 7,b7 includes direct measures of learning1 which may include projects1 papers1 examinations1 presentations1 performances1 and portfolios1 and direct measures by others of student learning1 in place of1 or in addition to1 using credit hours or clock hours to measure learning4 7#b7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means any of the following3 7,a7 ,an institution of higher education that-- 7i7 is eligible to participate in programs under this title2 and 7ii7 is not an institution described in subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,c7 of section #ajb7;a77#a74 7,b7 ,a system of institutions described in subparagraph 7,a74 7,c7 ,a consortium of institutions described in subparagraph 7,a74 7c7 ,demonstration project authorized 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out a competency-based education demonstration project under which the ,secretary selects1 in accordance with subsection 7e71 eligible entities to participate and receive waivers described in paragraph 7#b71 in order to enable the eligible entities to offer competency-based education4 7#b7 ,waivers 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may waive1 for an eligible entity participating in the demonstration project under this section1 any requirements1 including any regulations promulgated under such provisions1 of-- 7i7 subsections 7a7 and 7b7 of section #dha1 as such subsections relate to requirements under this ,act for a minimum number of weeks of instruction2 and 7ii7 section #ffh4cb7;a77#a77;iii7 of title #cd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 as such section relates to courses leading to teacher certification4 7,b7 ,additional requirements eligible for waiver 7i7 ,in general ,in addition to any waiver authorized under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary may waive any requirements described in clause 7ii7 for an eligible entity participating in the demonstration project under this section that requests such a waiver in the application submitted under subsection 7d71 if the ,secretary determines that the eligible entity has proposed a rational and defensible plan for competency-based education that requires such waiver4 7ii7 ,description of additional requirements ,a requirement described in this clause is any requirement under this part1 part ,f1 or title ,i 7including any regulations promulgated under title ,i7 that inhibits the operation of competency-based education1 including any requirement that relates to-- 7,i7 documenting attendance2 7,,ii7 weekly academic activity2 7,,iii7 minimum weeks of instructional time2 7,,iv7 credit hour or clock hour equivalencies2 7,v7 substantive interaction with faculty2 and 7,,vi7 the definitions of the terms academic year1 full-time student1 standard term1 non-term1 non-standard term1 term1 satisfactory academic progress1 educational activity1 program of study1 and payment period4 7d7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,each eligible entity desiring to participate in the demonstration project under this section shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary shall require4 7#b7 ,contents ,each application submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall include-- 7,a7 a description of the competency-based education to be offered by the eligible entity through the demonstration project1 including the portion of the degree or credential to be provided by competency-based education and the amount of time needed for a student participating in the competency-based education program to attain the degree or credential2 7,b7 a brief description of the proposed academic delivery1 business1 and financial models to be used by the eligible entity in the project1 including brief explanations of how the entity's approach would result in the achievement and assessment of competencies and how the approach would differ from standard credit hour approaches2 7,c7 a description of the statutory and regulatory requirements described in subsection 7c77#b7 for which a waiver is sought1 and the reasons for which each such waiver is sought2 7,d7 a description of the entity's proposal for determining a student's ,federal student aid eligibility under this title and awarding and distributing such aid1 including safeguards to ensure that students are making satisfactory progress that warrants disbursement of such aid1 and an explanation of how the proposal ensures that the competency-based education program does not require the expenditure of additional ,federal funding beyond what the students are otherwise eligible for under this title2 7,e7 a description of the students to whom competency-based education will be offered1 including an assurance that the eligible entity will include1 by the end of the first calendar year1 a minimum of #ajj and a maximum of #b1jjj eligible students as part of the project2 7,f7 a description of the goals the entity hopes to achieve through the use of competency-based education2 7,g7 a description of how the entity plans to maintain program integrity1 and prevent fraud1 waste1 and abuse1 in the student assistance programs under this title2 7,h7 an assurance that the entity will fully cooperate with the ongoing evaluations of the demonstration project under subsection 7f77#c72 7,i7 an assurance that the entity will not require the expenditure of additional ,federal funding to implement the project2 and 7,j7 such other information as the ,secretary may require4 7e7 ,selection 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of the ,advancing ,competency-,based ,education ,demonstration ,project ,act of #bjad1 the ,secretary shall select not more than #ae eligible entities to participate in the demonstration project under this section4 7#b7 ,considerations ,in selecting eligible entities to participate in the demonstration project under this section1 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 consider the number and quality of applications received2 7,b7 consider the eligible entity's-- 7i7 demonstrated quality1 as measured through outcome-based metrics of student success2 7ii7 ability to successfully execute the project as described2 7iii7 commitment and ability to effectively finance a demonstration site as proposed2 7iv7 demonstrated administrative capability and expertise to evaluate learning based on measures other than credit hours or clock hours2 7v7 commitment to allow random assignment and collection of school records of eligible project applicants1 if necessary in order to allow for the evaluation of the impact of the competency-based education programs supported under the project1 as described in subsection 7f77#b77;,b72 and 7vi7 commitment to share the defined competencies and metrics for assessment developed for the competency-based education program with the ,secretary2 and 7,c7 ensure the participation of a diverse group of institutions of higher education 7including institutions within eligible entities described in subparagraph 7,b7 or 7,c7 of subsection 7b77#b77 with respect to size1 mission1 and geographic distribution of the institutions4 7#c7 ,notification ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of the ,advancing ,competency-,based ,education ,demonstration ,project ,act of #bjad1 the ,secretary shall make available to the authorizing committees and the public a list of the eligible entities selected to participate in the demonstration project under this section4 ,such list shall include1 for each such eligible entity1 the specific statutory and regulatory requirements that the ,secretary is waiving for the project and a description of the competency-based education courses to be offered4 7f7 ,evaluations and reports 7#a7 ,eligible entity report ,each eligible entity that participates in the demonstration project under this section shall prepare and submit to the ,secretary an annual report that includes-- 7,a7 for each student participating in the competency-based education program offered by the eligible entity-- 7i7 the number of postsecondary credit hours the student had earned prior to enrollment in the program2 7ii7 an identification of whether the student is participating in the program and only receiving competency-based education or participating in the program while also taking courses offered in credit or clock hours1 and identification of student status as a first-year1 second-year1 third-year1 or fourth-year student2 7iii7 the period of time between the admission of the student in the program and the first assessment of student learning2 7iv7 the percentage of assessments of student learning that the student passed on the first attempt1 during the period of the student's participation in the program2 7v7 the percentage of assessments of student learning that the student passed on the second attempt1 and overall and the average period of time between the student's first and second attempts1 during the period of the student's participation in the program2 and 7vi7 the number of credits that the student acquired through the program and the period of time during which the student acquired such credits2 7,b7 the information reported under subparagraph 7,a7 aggregated for the program2 7,c7 the rates of retention in the program for participating students1 for each #f-month period of the program2 and 7,d7 such other information as the ,secretary may reasonably require4 7#b7 ,evaluation ,the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 acting through the ,director of the ,institute of ,education ,sciences-- 7i7 develop performance measures1 including the measures described in paragraph 7#a77;,a71 to be used by eligible entities participating in the demonstration project under this section to ascertain outcome and progress2 7ii7 evaluate the implementation and impact of the activities supported under this section2 and 7iii7 identify promising practices regarding competency-based education and disseminate research on such practices2 and 7,b7 annually evaluate the competency-based education program offered by each eligible entity participating in the demonstration project under this section to review-- 7i7 the extent to which the eligible entity has met the goals set forth in its application under subsection 7d71 including the measures of program quality assurance2 7ii7 the number and types of students participating in the competency-based education programs offered1 including the progress of participating students toward recognized degrees and credentials and the extent to which participation1 postsecondary education retention1 postsecondary education completion1 employment after graduation1 and debt repayment increased or decreased for participating students as compared to the general postsecondary education student population2 7iii7 obstacles related to student financial assistance for competency-based education2 and 7iv7 the extent to which statutory or regulatory requirements not waived under the demonstration project present difficulties for students or institutions of higher education4 7#c7 ,annual reports ,the ,secretary shall annually prepare and submit to the authorizing committees a report that includes-- 7,a7 the evaluations of the competency-based education programs required under paragraph 7#b72 7,b7 the number and types of students receiving assistance under this title who participate in competency-based education programs supported under this section2 7,c7 the postsecondary education retention and completion rates of students participating in such programs2 7,d7 any statutory changes the ,secretary would recommend that are designed to support and enhance the expansion of competency-based education2 and 7,e7 other such measures as determined by the ,secretary4 7g7 ,oversight ,in conducting the demonstration project under this section1 the ,secretary shall1 on a continuing basis-- 7#a7 ensure that eligible entities participating in the project comply with the requirements of this title 7other than the requirements that are waived under subsection 7c77#b772 7#b7 provide technical assistance2 7#c7 monitor fluctuations in the student population enrolled in the participating eligible entities2 and 7#d7 consult with appropriate accrediting agencies or associations and appropriate ,state regulatory authorities regarding the project4 4