119-hr1409

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1409 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1409

 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program for 
 skills-for-success courses for all first-year students enrolled at 
 certain institutions of higher education.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 18, 2025

 Mrs. Foushee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program for 
 skills-for-success courses for all first-year students enrolled at 
 certain institutions of higher education.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``College Thriving Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED; APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Grant Program Authorized.--From the amounts available under 

section 5, the Secretary of Education shall award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to eligible institutions to carry out skills-for-
success courses for all first-year students enrolled at such 
institutions.

    (b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to eligible institutions in which at least 50 
percent of all students enrolled during the most recent academic year 
were eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant under 

section 401 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) for the award year 
applicable to such academic year.
            (c) Grant Period; Minimum Grant Amount.--

    (1) Grant period.--A grant awarded to an eligible 
 institution under this Act shall be for a 5-year grant period.

    (2) Grant amount.--A grant awarded to an eligible 
 institution under this Act shall be awarded in such an amount 
 as determined necessary by the Secretary for the institution to 
 carry out the activities described in 

section 3.
            (d) Application Requirements.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this Act, an eligible institution shall submit an application at 
such time, and in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require, which shall include a

    (1) description of--
        (A) the skills-for-success course that the 
 institution will develop and implement with the grant; 
 and
        (B) the activities the institution will carry out 
 under each phase described in 

section 3

    (b) ; and

    (2) a request for a specific grant amount, and a 
 justification for such amount.

    (e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall, upon request, 
provide technical assistance to eligible institutions in applying for a 
grant under this Act. In providing such technical assistance, the 
Secretary shall prioritize eligible institutions described in 
subsection

    (b) .

SEC. 3. USES OF FUNDS; REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Each eligible institution receiving a grant under 
this section shall develop and implement a skills-for-success course by 
carrying out the activities listed in each of the 4 phases described in 
subsection

    (b) .

    (b) Phases for Uses of Funds.--

    (1) Preparation phase.--During the first year of the grant 
 period, the eligible institution shall use such grant to 
 develop the skills-for-success course and carry out the 
 necessary preparation activities, which may include--
        (A) the promotion of relationship building among 
 students who have similar dates of enrollment;
        (B) identifying and training instructional staff;
            (C) obtaining support from faculty, staff, or 
 institution administration for the curricular 
 adaptation;
            (D) developing infrastructure for implementation, 
 including obtaining necessary course and syllabus 
 approvals;
        (E) determining how student registration will be 
 handled;
        (F) establishing a course evaluation model; and
        (G) designating appropriate classroom space.

    (2) Pilot phase.--During the second year of the grant 
 period, the eligible institution shall use such grant to 
 implement--
        (A) a pilot skills-for-success course; and
        (B) a pilot of methods for evaluating the course 
 that includes an evaluation of the impact of such 
 course on student behavior and other impacts, such as 
 observation and solicitation of feedback from course 
 instructors, students, and identified campus community 
 leaders.

    (3) Implementation.--During the third, fourth, and fifth 
 years of the grant program, the eligible institution shall use 
 such grant to--
        (A) fully implement the skills-for-success course 
 that--
            (i) is made available for each first-year 
 student enrolled at the institution, at the 
 beginning of such students' first term of 
 enrollment at such institution, to the extent 
 practicable; and
            (ii) incorporates the improvements 
 identified--
            (I) in the case of the third year 
 of the grant program, during the pilot 
 skills-for-success course; or
            (II) in the case of the fourth and 
 fifth years of the grant program, 
 during the evaluation of the course 
 during the preceding grant year; and
        (B) evaluate the full implementation of such course 
 using the methods identified as being most effective 
 for such an evaluation--
            (i) in the case of the third year of the 
 grant program, during the pilot skills-for-
 success course; or
            (ii) in the case of the fourth and fifth 
 years of the grant program, during the 
 preceding grant year.
            (c) Report.--Each eligible institution that receives a grant under 
this Act shall submit to the Secretary a report upon the completion of 
the 5-year grant period, which shall include--

    (1) an evaluation of the pilot skills-for-success course, 
 and each of the evaluations completed pursuant to subsection

    (b)

    (3)
        (B) ; and

    (2) a description of how such grant was used during each 
 year of the grant period.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Eligible institution.--The term ``eligible 
 institution'' has the meaning given the term ``institution of 
 higher education'' in 

section 101

    (a) of the Higher Education 
 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001

    (a) ) and 

section 102

    (a)

    (1)
        (B) of 
 such Act (20 U.S.C.1002

    (a)

    (1)
        (B) ).

    (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Education.

    (3) Skills-for-success course.--The term ``skills-for-
 success course'' means a course offered by an eligible 
 institution for first-year students (including transfer 
 students) at the beginning of such students' first term of 
 enrollment at such institution that--
        (A) has a low student-to-teacher ratio;
        (B) is not graded or is pass-fail; and
            (C) provides skills for success in college, and 
 includes each of the following topics:
            (i) Development of connections with campus 
 partners (academic advisors) or engagement with 
 campus resources (campus mental health 
 counselors).
            (ii) Mental wellbeing.
            (iii) Time management skills.
            (iv) Planning and organization skills.
            (v) Coping with stress and setbacks.
            (vi) Managing conflict and difference.
            (vii) Goal setting.
            (viii) Building and maintaining healthy 
 interpersonal relationships.
            (ix) Self-care and compassion.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

 There are authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 to carry out 
this Act, which shall remain available until expended.
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