,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #cjc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #ca1 #bjai,mr4 ,cornyn 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,manchin1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,ms4 ,collins1 and ,ms4 ,rosen7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to reform the ,,gear ,,up program4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,gear ,,up for ,success ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,gaining ,early ,awareness and ,readiness for ,undergraduate ,programs amendments ,chapter #b of part ,a of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a-#ba et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #djd;,a 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a-#ba7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a7 of subsection 7a77#a71 by inserting for college readiness after academic support2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7i7 by striking paragraph 7#c7 and inserting the following3 7#c7 ,priority ,in making awards to eligible entities described in subsection 7c71 the ,secretary-- 7,a7 may give a competitive priority-- 7i7 to eligible entities that-- 7,i7 on the day before the date of enactment of the ,,gear ,,up for ,success ,act of #bjai1 carried out successful educational opportunity programs under this chapter 7as this chapter was in effect on such day72 and 7,,ii7 have a prior1 demonstrated commitment to early intervention leading to college access and readiness through collaboration and replication of successful strategies2 7ii7 to eligible entities that ensure that students served under this chapter on the day before the date of enactment of the ,,gear ,,up for ,success ,act of #bjai continue to receive assistance through the completion of secondary school2 or 7iii7 to eligible entities that meet the requirements of clauses 7i7 and 7ii72 and 7,b7 shall not give a competitive or absolute priority on any other basis4 2 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,multiple award prohibition 7,a7 ,in ,general ,an eligible entity described in subsection 7c77#a7 that receives a grant under this chapter shall not be eligible to receive an additional grant under this chapter until after the date on which the initial grant period expires4 7,b7 ,exception for no-cost extension ,notwithstanding subparagraph 7,a71 an eligible entity shall be eligible to receive an additional grant under this chapter during the time that eligible entity is receiving a customary no-cost extension of a grant under this chapter4 2 7#b7 in section #djd;,b 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a-#bb7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a71 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by inserting that are in the first award year after grants2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7d77#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting and after the semicolon2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking 2 and and inserting a period2 and 7iii7 by striking subparagraph 7,c72 7#c7 in section #djd;,c 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a-#bc7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b77#a77;,a7-- 7i7 by inserting matching funds after will provide2 7ii7 by inserting equaling after private funds12 and 7iii7 by striking the cost of the program1 which matching funds and inserting total ,federal grant award1 which2 7,b7 in subsection 7c77#a71 by inserting at any point during the grant award period after obligated to students2 and 7,c7 by striking subsection 7d7 and inserting the following3 7d7 ,peer review panels and competitions ,the ,secretary-- 7#a7 shall convene peer review panels to assist in making determinations regarding the awarding of grants under this chapter2 and 7#b7 shall host a grant competition to make new awards under this chapter in any year in which there are funds available to make new awards4 2 7#d7 in section #djd;,d 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a-#bd7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking or former participants of a program under this chapter and inserting 1 former participants of a program under this chapter1 or peers and near peers after adults2 7ii7 in paragraph 7#c71 by inserting academic1 social1 and postsecondary planning after supportive2 7iii7 in paragraph 7#aj7-- 7,i7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,e7 through 7,k7 as subparagraphs 7,f7 through 7,l71 respectively2 7,,ii7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,d7 the following3 7,e7 counseling or referral services to address the behavioral1 social-emotional1 and mental health needs of at-risk students2 2 7,,iii7 in subparagraph 7,i71 as redesignated by subclause 7,i71 by inserting 1 cognitive1 non-cognitive1 and credit-by-examination after skills2 7,,iv7 in subparagraph 7,k71 as redesignated by subclause 7,i71 by striking and after the semicolon2 7,v7 in subparagraph 7,l71 as redesignated by subclause 7,i71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,,vi7 by adding at the end the following3 7,m7 capacity building activities that create college-going cultures in participating schools and local educational agencies4 2 and 7iv7 by adding at the end the following3 7#af7 ,creating or expanding secondary school drop-out recovery programs that allow students who have dropped out of secondary school to complete a regular secondary school diploma and begin college-level work4 7#ag7 ,establishing data collection and data sharing agreements to obtain1 analyze1 and report postsecondary outcome data for eligible students for a period of not more than #gb months after the end of the grant award period1 which may include postsecondary enrollment1 persistence1 and completion data4 7#ah7 ,establishing or maintaining an agreement with a consortium of eligible entities described in section #djd;,a7c7 to-- 7,a7 foster collaborative approaches to research and evaluation2 7,b7 improve the quality of data collection1 data sharing1 analysis and reporting2 and 7,c7 apply evidence to improve programs and evaluation under this chapter4 7#ai7 ,providing services under this chapter to students who have received services under a previous grant award under this chapter but have not yet completed grade #ab4 2 7,b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#c71 by inserting and technical assistance after support2 and 7ii7 by striking paragraph 7#i72 and 7,c7 in subsection 7d7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking or2 7ii7 by redesignating paragraph 7#d7 as paragraph 7#e72 and 7iii7 by inserting after paragraph 7#c7 the following3 7#d7 eligible for free or reduced-price lunch under the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act2 or 2 7#e7 in section #djd;,e 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a-#be7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7i7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 as paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 respectively2 7ii7 by inserting before paragraph 7#b71 as redesignated by clause 7i71 the following3 7#a7 ,application ,requirements 7,a7 ,plan for maintenance of financial assistance ,an eligible entity proposing to establish or maintain a financial assistance program providing scholarships for students assisted by the program of the eligible entity under this chapter shall include a plan regarding the financial application program with the application submitted under section #djd;,c4 7,b7 ,scholarship details ,under a plan described in subparagraph 7,a71 an eligible entity-- 7i7 may elect to offer #a or more types of scholarships2 and 7ii7 shall describe1 for each type of scholarship-- 7,i7 the minimum and maximum awards for the scholarships1 consistent with section #djd;,e7d71 based on criteria and disbursement priorities established by the eligible entity2 7,,ii7 the duration of the scholarships1 which may be single-year or multi-year awards2 7,,iii7 the enrollment requirements for participating students1 which may include providing scholarships for participating students who are enrolled in an institution of higher education on less than a full-time basis during any award year2 and 7,,iv7 notwithstanding subsection 7g71 any additional student eligibility criteria established by the eligible entity for earning and maintaining scholarships under this section1 including-- 7aa7 financial need2 7bb7 meeting participation milestones in the activities offered by the eligible entity under section #djd;,d2 7cc7 meeting and maintaining satisfactory academic milestones2 and 7dd7 other criteria aligned with ,state and local goals to incentivize postsecondary readiness1 access1 and success4 2 and 7iii7 in paragraph 7#c71 as redesignated by clause 7i71 by striking may award and inserting may use not less than #aj percent and not more than #ej percent of funds made available under this chapter to award2 7,b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7i7 in the subsection heading1 by inserting ,state before ,limitation2 and 7ii7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking eligible entity demonstrates and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following3 eligible entity-- 7,i7 demonstrates that the eligible entity has another means of providing the students with the financial assistance described in this section or eligible students have reasonable access to ,state and local financial assistance programs2 and 7,,ii7 describes such means or access in the application submitted under section #djd;,c4 2 7,c7 in subsection 7e7-- 7i7 by striking paragraph 7#a7 and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,scholarship plan ,each eligible entity described in section #djd;,a7c77#a7 that receives a grant under this chapter shall hold in reserve1 for the students served by such grant as described in section #djd;,b7d77#a77;,a7 or #djd;,d7d71 an estimated amount that is based on the eligible entity's scholarship plan described in subsection 7a77#a74 7,b7 ,interest use ,interest earned on funds held in reserve under subparagraph 7,a7 may be used by the eligible entity to administer the scholarship program during the award period and through the post-award period described in paragraph 7#d74 2 7ii7 in paragraph 7#b77;,b71 by inserting 1 or been accepted for enrollment1 after enrolled2 and 7iii7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7,i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking and after the semicolon2 7,,ii7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,b7 as subparagraph 7,c72 and 7,,iii7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,a7 the following3 7,b7 the costs associated with enrolling in an institution of higher education2 and 2 and 7,d7 in subsection 7g7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7,i7 by inserting or1 if the eligible entity chooses1 in another program of study or credential program for which an individual could use funds received under a ,federal ,pell ,grant to attend1 before that is located2 and 7,,ii7 by striking except that1 at the ,state's option and inserting except that1 at the eligible entity's option2 and 7ii7 in paragraph 7#d71 by inserting and qualifies for an award1 consistent with the eligible entity's scholarship plan as described in subsection 7a77#a7 after #djd;,d7a72 7#f7 in section #djd;,g 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a-#bg7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking and after the semicolon2 7ii7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7iii7 by inserting after paragraph 7#b7 the following3 7#c7 include the following metrics3 7,a7 ,the number of students completing the ,free ,application for ,federal ,student ,aid under section #dhc4 7,b7 ,if applicable1 the number of students receiving a scholarship under section #djd;,e4 7,c7 ,the graduation rate of participating students from high school4 7,d7 ,the enrollment of participating students into postsecondary education4 7,e7 ,such other metrics as the ,secretary may require4 2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7i7 in the subsection heading1 by inserting and technical assistance after ,federal evaluation2 7ii7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a7-- 7,i7 by inserting after consultation with the community of eligible entities receiving grants under this chapter and after ,secretary shall12 7,,ii7 by striking #j4ge and inserting #a2 and 7,,iii7 by striking evaluate the effectiveness of the program and1 as appropriate1 disseminate the results of the evaluation4 ,such evaluation shall include a separate analysis of2 7iii7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 as subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b71 respectively1 and indenting the margins appropriately2 and 7iv7 before subparagraph 7,a7 7as redesignated by clause 7iii771 by inserting the following3 7#a7 provide pre-application technical assistance workshops for eligible entities and potential applicants in any year in which new awards are expected to be made2 7#b7 support initiatives designed to improve the research1 data collection and infrastructure1 and evaluation capacity of eligible entities2 and 7#c7 evaluate the effectiveness of the program and1 as appropriate1 disseminate the results of the evaluation4 ,such evaluation may include a separate analysis of-- 2 and 7#g7 in section #djd;,h 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a-#bh71 by striking #bjji and inserting #bjbj4