,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #chia  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,july #bc1 #bjai,mr4 
,harder of ,california 7for himself and 
,mr4 ,reed7 introduced the following    
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,education and ,labor  ,a 
,,bill  ,to amend the ,higher ,education
 ,act of #aife to make college          
affordable and accessible4  #a4 ,short  
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,making ,education ,affordable and      
,accessible ,act4  #b4 ,credit-based    
academic transition programs ,part ,b of
 title ,,vii of the ,higher ,education  
,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #aach et   
seq47 is amended--  7#a7 by             
redesignating section #gde as section   
#gdf2  7#b7 in section #gdf1 as         
redesignated by paragraph 7#a71 by      
striking fiscal year #bjji and inserting
 fiscal year #bjbj2 and  7#c7 by        
inserting after section #gdd the        
following3  #gde4 ,credit-based academic
 transition programs  7a7 ,purpose ,the 

purpose of this section is to expand    
access for high school students to the  
opportunities offered in credit-based   
academic transition programs established
 through partnerships between high      
schools and institutions of higher      
education utilizing dual or concurrent  
enrollment programs or early college    
high school programs that enable such   
students to earn postsecondary credits  
while in high school4  7b7 ,eligible    
institution ,in this section1 the term  
eligible institution means an           
institution of higher education that    
carries out a dual or concurrent        
enrollment program or an early college  
high school program that enables high   
school students to earn postsecondary   
credits while in high school4  7c7      
,grants authorized ,the ,secretary may  
award grants to eligible institutions to
 carry out credit-based academic        
transition programs described in        
subsection 7a74  7d7 ,application ,an   
eligible institution that desires to    

receive a grant under this section shall
 submit to the ,secretary an application
 at such time1 in such manner1 and      
containing such information as the      
,secretary may require4  7e7 ,priority  
,in awarding grants under this section1 
the ,secretary shall give priority to   
eligible institutions that serve        
students from low-income families1      
students from rural communities1 or     
students who are the first in their     
family to receive postsecondary         
education4  7f7 ,use of funds ,an       
eligible institution that receives a    
grant under this section shall use the  
grant funds-- 7#a7 to carry out a dual  
or concurrent enrollment program or an  
early college high school program for   
high school students1 through which such
 students while enrolled in high school 
are enrolled in postsecondary courses at
 the eligible institution1 through which
 such students can earn postsecondary   
credits that can be transferred to      
#b-year and #d-year institutions of     

higher education in the ,state2  7#b7 to
 provide teachers1 principals1 and other
 school leaders with professional       
development activities that enhance or  
enable the provision of postsecondary   
coursework through a dual or concurrent 
enrollment program or an early college  
high school program2 and  7#c7 to       
support activities such as-- 7,a7       
designing the curriculum and sequence of
 courses in collaboration with teachers 
from the local educational agency and   
faculty from the eligible institution2  
7,b7 establishing a course articulation 
process for defining and approving      
courses for high school and             
postsecondary credit or credentials for 
both #b-year and #d-year institutions of
 higher education in the ,state2  7,c7  
outreach programs to provide elementary 
school and secondary school students1   
especially those in middle grades1 and  
their parents1 teachers1 school         
counselors1 and principals information  
about and academic preparation for the  

credit-based academic transition        
programs described in subsection 7a72   
7,d7 helping students meet eligibility  
criteria for postsecondary courses and  
ensuring that students understand how   
credits earned will transfer to         
institutions of higher education in the 
,state2 and  7,e7 coordinating secondary
 and postsecondary support services and 
academic calendars4  7g7 ,flexibility of
 funds ,an eligible institution that    
receives a grant under this section may 
use grant funds for any of the costs    
associated with carrying out            
credit-based academic transition        
programs described in subsection 7a71   
including the costs of--  7#a7 tuition  
and fees1 books1 and required           
instructional materials for such program
 so that students will not be required  
to pay tuition or fees for postsecondary
 courses2 and  7#b7 transportation to   
and from such program4  7h7 ,evaluation 
and report ,each eligible institution   
receiving a grant under this section    

shall--  7#a7 conduct an independent    
evaluation of the effectiveness of the  
activities carried out by such eligible 
institution under this section2 and     
7#b7 prepare and submit to the          
,secretary a report containing the      
results of the evaluation described in  
paragraph 7#a74  7i7 ,rule of           
construction ,nothing in this section   
shall be construed to impose on any     
,state or public institution of higher  
education any requirement or rule       
regarding credit-based academic         
transition programs described in        
subsection 7a7 that is inconsistent with
 ,state law4  4