HR 7644 — Opportunities for Success Act of 2024

(a) Allocation based on previous allocation (1) From the amount appropriated pursuant to section 1087–51(b) of this title for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall first allocate to each eligible institution for each succeeding fiscal year, an amount equal to 100 percent of the amount such institution received under subsections (a) and (b) of this section for fiscal year 1999 (as such subsections were in effect with respect to allocations for such fiscal year). (2) (A) From the amount so appropriated, the Secretary shall next allocate to each eligible institution that began participation in the program under this part after fiscal year 1999 but is not a first or second time participant, an amount equal to the greater of— (i) $5,000; or (ii) 90 percent of the amount received and used under this part for the first year it participated in the program. (B) From the amount so appropriated, the Secretary shall next allocate to each eligible institution that began participation in the program under this part after fiscal year 1999 and is a first or second time participant, an amount equal to the greatest of— (i) $5,000; (ii) an amount equal to (I) 90 percent of the amount received and used under this part in the second preceding fiscal year by eligible institutions offering comparable programs of instruction, divided by (II) the number of students enrolled at such comparable institutions in such fiscal year, multiplied by (III) the number of students enrolled at the applicant institution in such fiscal year; or (iii) 90 percent of the institution’s allocation under this part for the preceding fiscal year. (C) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph, the Secretary shall allocate to each eligible institution which— (i) was a first-time participant in the program in fiscal year 2000 or any subsequent fiscal year, and (ii) received a larger amount under this subsection in the second year of participation, an amount equal to 90 percent of the amount it received under this subsection in its second year of participation. (3) (A) If the amount appropriated for any fiscal year is less than the amount required to be allocated to all institutions under paragraph (1) of this subsection, then the amount of the allocation to each such institution shall be ratably reduced. (B) If the amount appropriated for any fiscal year is more than the amount required to be allocated to all institutions under paragraph (1) but less than the amount required to be allocated to all institutions under paragraph (2), then— (i) the Secretary shall allot the amount required to be allocated to all institutions under paragraph (1), and (ii) the amount of the allocation to each institution under paragraph (2) shall be ratably reduced. (C) If additional amounts are appropriated for any such fiscal year, such reduced amounts shall be increased on the same basis as they were reduced (until the amount allocated equals the amount required to be allocated under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection). (4) (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Secretary may allocate an amount equal to not more than 10 percent of the amount by which the amount appropriated in any fiscal year to carry out this part exceeds $700,000,000 among eligible institutions described in subparagraph (B). (B) In order to receive an allocation pursuant to subparagraph (A) an institution shall be an eligible institution from which 50 percent or more of the Pell Grant recipients attending such eligible institution graduate or transfer to a 4-year institution of higher education. (b) Allocation of excess based on share of excess eligible amounts (1) From the remainder of the amount appropriated pursuant to section 1087–51(b) of this title after making the allocations required by subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall allocate to each eligible institution which has an excess eligible amount an amount which bears the same ratio to such remainder as such...

(a) Agreements required The Secretary is authorized to enter into agreements with institutions of higher education under which the Secretary will make grants to such institutions to assist in the operation of work-study programs as provided in this part. (b) Contents of agreements An agreement entered into pursuant to this section shall— (1) provide for the operation by the institution of a program for the part-time employment, including internships, practica, or research assistantships as determined by the Secretary, of its students in work for the institution itself, work in community service or work in the public interest for a Federal, State, or local public agency or private nonprofit organization under an arrangement between the institution and such agency or organization, and such work— (A) will not result in the displacement of employed workers or impair existing contracts for services; (B) will be governed by such conditions of employment as will be appropriate and reasonable in light of such factors as type of work performed, geographical region, and proficiency of the employee; (C) does not involve the construction, operation, or maintenance of so much of any facility as is used or is to be used for sectarian instruction or as a place for religious worship; and (D) will not pay any wage to students employed under this subpart 1 that is less than the current Federal minimum wage as mandated by section 206 of title 29; (2) provide that funds granted an institution of higher education, pursuant to this section, may be used only to make payments to students participating in work-study programs, except that— (A) for fiscal year 2000 and succeeding fiscal years, an institution shall use at least 7 percent of the total amount of funds granted to such institution under this section for such fiscal year to compensate students employed in community service, and shall ensure that not less than 1 tutoring or family literacy project (as described in subsection (d) of this section) is included in meeting the requirement of this subparagraph, except that the Secretary may waive this subparagraph if the Secretary determines that enforcing this subparagraph would cause hardship for students at the institution; and (B) an institution may use a portion of the sums granted to it to meet administrative expenses in accordance with section 1096 of this title, may use a portion of the sums granted to it to meet the cost of a job location and development program in accordance with section 1087–56 of this title, and may transfer funds in accordance with the provisions of section 1095 of this title; (3) provide that in the selection of students for employment under such work-study program, only students who demonstrate financial need in accordance with part F of this subchapter and meet the requirements of section 1091 of this title will be assisted, except that if the institution’s grant under this part is directly or indirectly based in part on the financial need demonstrated by students who are (A) attending the institution on less than a full-time basis, or (B) independent students, a reasonable portion of the grant shall be made available to such students; (4) provide that for a student employed in a work-study program under this part, at the time income derived from any need-based employment is in excess of the determination of the amount of such student’s need by more than $300, continued employment shall not be subsidized with funds appropriated under this part; (5) provide that the Federal share of the compensation of students employed in the work-study program in accordance with the agreement shall not exceed 75 percent, except that— (A) the Federal share may exceed 75 percent, but not exceed 90 percent, if, consistent with regulations of the Secretary— (i) the student is employed at a nonprofit private organization or a government agency that— (I) is not a part of, and is not owned, operated, or controlled by, or under common ow...

(a) Carry-over authority (1) Of the sums granted to an eligible institution under this part for any fiscal year, 10 percent may, at the discretion of the institution, remain available for expenditure during the succeeding fiscal year to carry out programs under this part. (2) Any of the sums so granted to an institution for a fiscal year which are not needed by that institution to operate work-study programs during that fiscal year, and which it does not wish to use during the next fiscal year as authorized in the preceding sentence, shall remain available to the Secretary for making grants under section 1087–53 of this title to other institutions in the same State until the close of the second fiscal year next succeeding the fiscal year for which such funds were appropriated. (b) Carry-back authority (1) Up to 10 percent of the sums the Secretary determines an eligible institution may receive from funds which have been appropriated for a fiscal year may be used by the Secretary to make grants under this part to such institution for expenditure during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the sums were appropriated. (2) An eligible institution may make payments to students of wages earned after the end of the academic year, but prior to the beginning of the succeeding fiscal year, from such succeeding fiscal year’s appropriations. (c) Flexible use of funds An eligible institution may, upon the request of a student, make payments to the student under this part by crediting the student’s account at the institution or by making a direct deposit to the student’s account at a depository institution. An eligible institution may only credit the student’s account at the institution for (1) tuition and fees, (2) in the case of institutionally owned housing, room and board, and (3) other institutionally provided goods and services. (d) Flexibility in the event of a major disaster (1) In general In the event of a major disaster, an eligible institution located in any area affected by such major disaster, as determined by the Secretary, may make payments under this part to disaster-affected students, for the period of time (not to exceed one academic year) in which the disaster-affected students were prevented from fulfilling the students’ work-study obligations as described in paragraph (2)(A)(iii), as follows: (A) Payments may be made under this part to disaster-affected students in an amount equal to or less than the amount of wages such students would have been paid under this part had the students been able to complete the work obligation necessary to receive work study funds. (B) Payments shall not be made to any student who was not eligible for work study or was not completing the work obligation necessary to receive work study funds under this part prior to the occurrence of the major disaster. (C) Any payments made to disaster-affected students under this subsection shall meet the matching requirements of section 1087–53 of this title, unless such matching requirements are waived by the Secretary. (2) Definitions In this subsection: (A) The term “disaster-affected student” means a student enrolled at an eligible institution who— (i) received a work-study award under this section for the academic year during which a major disaster occurred; (ii) earned Federal work-study wages from such eligible institution for such academic year; (iii) was prevented from fulfilling the student’s work-study obligation for all or part of such academic year due to such major disaster; and (iv) was unable to be reassigned to another work-study job. (B) The term “major disaster” has the meaning given such term in section 5122(2) of title 42.

(a) Agreements required (1) The Secretary is authorized to enter into agreements with eligible institutions under which such institution may use not more than 10 percent or $75,000 of its allotment under section 1087–52 of this title, whichever is less, to establish or expand a program under which such institution, separately or in combination with other eligible institutions, locates and develops jobs, including community service jobs, for currently enrolled students. (2) Jobs located and developed under this section shall be jobs that are suitable to the scheduling and other needs of such students and that, to the maximum extent practicable, complement and reinforce the educational programs or vocational goals of such students. (b) Contents of agreements Agreements under subsection (a) of this section shall— (1) provide that the Federal share of the cost of any program under this section will not exceed 80 percent of such cost; (2) provide satisfactory assurance that funds available under this section will not be used to locate or develop jobs at an eligible institution; (3) provide satisfactory assurance that funds available under this section will not be used for the location or development of jobs for students to obtain upon graduation, but rather for the location and development of jobs available to students during and between periods of attendance at such institution; (4) provide satisfactory assurance that the location or development of jobs pursuant to programs assisted under this section will not result in the displacement of employed workers or impair existing contracts for services; (5) provide satisfactory assurance that Federal funds used for the purpose of this section can realistically be expected to help generate student wages exceeding, in the aggregate, the amount of such funds, and that if such funds are used to contract with another organization, appropriate performance standards are part of such contract; and (6) provide that the institution will submit to the Secretary an annual report on the uses made of funds provided under this section and an evaluation of the effectiveness of such program in benefiting the students of such institution.

(a) Community service-learning Each institution participating under this part may use up to 10 percent of the funds made available under section 1096(a) of this title and attributable to the amount of the institution’s expenditures under this part to conduct that institution’s program of community service-learning, including— (1) development of mechanisms to assure the academic quality of the student experience, (2) assuring student access to educational resources, expertise, and supervision necessary to achieve community service objectives, and (3) collaboration with public and private nonprofit agencies, and programs assisted under the National and Community Service Act of 1990 [42 U.S.C. 12501 et seq.] in the planning, development, and administration of such programs. (b) Off-campus community service (1) Grants authorized In addition to funds made available under section 1087–53(b)(2)(A) of this title, the Secretary is authorized to award grants to institutions participating under this part to supplement off-campus community service employment. (2) Use of funds An institution shall ensure that funds granted to such institution under this subsection are used in accordance with section 1087–53(b)(2)(A) of this title to recruit and compensate students (including compensation for time spent in training and for travel directly related to such community service). (3) Priority In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to applications that support postsecondary students assisting with early childhood education activities and activities in preparation for emergencies and natural disasters. (4) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years.

(a) Purpose The purpose of this section is to recognize, encourage, and promote the use of comprehensive work-learning-service programs as a valuable educational approach when it is an integral part of the institution’s educational program and a part of a financial plan which decreases reliance on grants and loans. (b) Source and use of funds (1) Source of funds In addition to the sums appropriated under subsection (f) of this section, funds allocated to the institution under this part and part E of this subchapter may be transferred for use under this section to provide flexibility in strengthening the self-help-through-work element in financial aid packaging. (2) Activities authorized From the sums appropriated pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, and from the funds available under paragraph (1), eligible institutions may, following approval of an application under subsection (c) of this section by the Secretary— (A) support the educational costs of qualified students through self-help payments or credits provided under the work-learning-service program of the institution within the limits of part F of this subchapter; (B) promote the work-learning-service experience as a tool of postsecondary education, financial self-help and community service-learning opportunities; (C) carry out activities described in section 1087–53 or 1087–56 of this title; (D) be used for the administration, development and assessment of comprehensive work-learning-service programs, including— (i) community-based work-learning-service alternatives that expand opportunities for community service and career-related work; and (ii) alternatives that develop sound citizenship, encourage student persistence, and make optimum use of assistance under this part in education and student development; (E) coordinate and carry out joint projects and activities to promote work service learning; and (F) carry out a comprehensive, longitudinal study of student academic progress and academic and career outcomes, relative to student self-sufficiency in financing their higher education, repayment of student loans, continued community service, kind and quality of service performed, and career choice and community service selected after graduation. (c) Application Each eligible institution may submit an application for funds authorized by subsection (f) of this section to use funds under subsection (b)(1) of this section at such time and in such manner as the Secretary, by regulation, may reasonably require. (d) Match required Funds made available to work-colleges pursuant to this section shall be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis from non-Federal sources. (e) Definitions For the purpose of this section— (1) the term “work college” means an eligible institution that— (A) has been a public or private nonprofit, four-year, degree-granting institution with a commitment to community service; (B) has operated a comprehensive work-learning-service program for at least two years; (C) requires students, including at least one-half of all students who are enrolled on a full-time basis, to participate in a comprehensive work-learning-service program for at least five hours each week, or at least 80 hours during each period of enrollment, except summer school, unless the student is engaged in an institutionally organized or approved study abroad or externship program; and (D) provides students participating in the comprehensive work-learning-service program with the opportunity to contribute to their education and to the welfare of the community as a whole; and (2) the term “comprehensive student work-learning-service program” means a student work-learning-service program that— (A) is an integral and stated part of the institution’s educational philosophy and program; (B) requires participation of all resident students for enrollment and graduation; (C) includes learning objectives, evaluation, and a record of work performance as part of the student’s college record; (...