S 3155 — Success for Rural Students and Communities Act of 2020

Summary

Success for Rural Students and Communities Act of 2020 This bill establishes a grant program through which the Department of Education may award funds to eligible partnerships to support rural postsecondary education and economic growth and development in rural communities. A grant recipient must be a partnership whose members represent at least three designated types of organizations, specifically (1) a local educational agency or educational service agency serving a rural area, (2) an institution of higher education (IHE), (3) a regional economic development entity, or (4) a rural community-serving organization with demonstrated success supporting rural students in accessing higher education and attaining degrees. A grant recipient must use awarded funds to carry out no less than two specified activities, namely (1) improving postsecondary enrollment rates for rural secondary school students, (2) increasing enrollment and completion rates of rural nontraditional students in degree programs at IHEs, (3) creating or strengthening academic programs at rural serving IHEs to prepare graduates to enter into high-need occupations in the regional and local economies, or (4) generating local and regional economic development that creates employment opportunities for rural students with postsecondary degrees.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in Senate Current html January 08, 2020

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a new rural postsecondary and economic development grant program, expanding upon existing provisions to include additional purposes, definitions, and eligibility requirements.

• 20 U.S.C. 1161q

  SEC. 862. RURAL POSTSECONDARY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are to-- (1) increase enrollment and graduation rates of secondary school graduates and nontraditional students from rural areas at 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education, their articulation from 2-year degree programs into 4-year degree programs, and their attainment of market-relevant credentials and certificates; (2) ensure rural communities benefit from their students' success by advancing rural economic development and cultivation of a skilled local workforce with employment opportunities for college graduates; (3) promote economic growth and development in the rural United States through partnership grants to consortia of rural serving institutions of higher education, local educational agencies, and regional economic development entities; (4) foster innovation and development of effective practices, identify and document effective practices for the purpose of continuous quality improvement, and ensure that additional rural areas benefit from innovations through dissemination of practices that are most effective in rural areas; and (5) foster elevated levels of investment in rural students and communities by State, private sector, and philanthropic partners.

  This addition outlines broader purposes for the rural postsecondary and economic development grant program, emphasizing workforce development and partnerships.

• 20 U.S.C. 1161q

  The term 'regional economic development entity' means an entity working to promote economic development in, or employing residents of, a rural area, which may include local boards (as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), Chambers of Commerce, and employers in the rural region covered by the grant.

  This definition adds clarity around potential partners involved in economic development efforts tied to the grant program.

• 20 U.S.C. 1161q

  an eligible partnership shall include partners representing not less than 3 of the following types of organizations: (A) A local educational agency or educational service agency serving a rural area; (B) An institution of higher education; (C) A regional economic development entity; (D) A rural community-serving organization, including a philanthropy, with demonstrated success supporting rural students in accessing higher education and attaining 2-year or 4-year degrees.

  This change establishes a more robust partnership structure for grant applications, requiring diverse organizational representation.

• 20 U.S.C. 1161q

  No grant awarded under this section shall be in an amount less than $1,000,000.

  This sets a new minimum grant amount for the program, significantly increasing the funding threshold.

• 20 U.S.C. 1161q

  Each eligible partnership applying for a grant shall secure and document commitments of matching funds, in cash or in kind, totaling not less than 20 percent of the amount of grant funding that the eligible partnership is requesting in the application.

  This requires partnerships to demonstrate financial commitment through matching funds, enhancing accountability.

• 20 U.S.C. 1161q

  For the purposes of this section, the Secretary may award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to carry out the activities described in subsection (f).

  This specifies that grants can be awarded to partnerships rather than just individual institutions, promoting collaboration.

Action History

1. January 08, 2020

   Introduced in Senate

2. January 08, 2020

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S95-96)

Sponsors

• Susan M. Collins · Primary

Subjects