Tuition-free community college grant and support program

(a) In general The Secretary shall establish a program to provide grants to each State that submits a complete application under subsection (b) to— (1) facilitate tuition-free community college for eligible students; (2) award subgrants to eligible institutions for the improvement of the capacity of institutions to provide supportive services; and (3) award subgrants to eligible institutions for the provision of direct grants to student to address non-tuition costs to meet the growing demand from employers for workers with postsecondary credentials. (b) Application To be eligible for a grant under this section, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary determines appropriate, including a State plan describing the following: (1) Interagency committee (A) In general A plan to formalize an interagency committee within such State to— (i) evaluate gaps and opportunities in the State workforce, higher education, childcare, and human services systems; and (ii) maximize Federal and State resources to support pathway development that increases economic mobility and recognized postsecondary credential attainment. (B) Membership An assurance that such committee shall consist of members from the following entities: (i) State unemployment insurance agency. (ii) Office of the State higher education executive officer and public college boards. (iii) State community college system. (iv) State departments of health and human services. (v) State departments of economic development. (vi) Workforce development agencies. (vii) State or local housing authorities. (viii) Students enrolled in community colleges in the State. (ix) Other relevant State agencies as determined by the State. (2) Education alignment A plan to— (A) with respect to eligible individuals without a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, facilitate the completion of such diploma or recognized equivalent at a community college; (B) ensure that credits received for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes are applied to an equivalent community college course; and (C) otherwise align the requirements between secondary schools and community colleges in order to increase the accessibility of community college for eligible individuals. (3) Development A plan to— (A) improve career pathway development, with special attention to career pathways related to in-demand industry sectors or occupations identified under paragraph (14); (B) increase economic mobility of State residents; and (C) provide access to affordable postsecondary education for State residents through a network of coordinated State and Federal support systems designed and implemented by State agencies in partnership with public institutions of higher education and public higher education systems. (4) Credential attainment A plan to prioritize secondary and recognized postsecondary credential attainment through— (A) integrated education and training models; (B) dual enrollment programs; and (C) an increased number of navigators. (5) Priority A plan to prioritize assistance to individuals— (A) with a barrier to employment; (B) with incomes below 200 percent of the poverty level; or (C) without a recognized postsecondary credential. (6) Public resources A plan to maximize public resources to support the attainment of a recognized postsecondary credential, including with respect to— (A) transportation; (B) on-campus or off-campus housing; (C) childcare; (D) food assistance; and (E) other support programs. (7) Outreach A plan to reach eligible individuals without a recognized postsecondary credential, including with respect to individuals who— (A) live in high-poverty areas; (B) are first-generation students; (C) are low-income students; and (D) identify as belonging to other underrepresented student groups. (8) Recognized postsecondary credential enrollment, persistence, retention and completion A plan to increase enrollment, persistence, retention, and credential completion by— (A) developing new, or expanding existing, degree and credential programs based on the needs of in-demand industry sectors or occupations identified under paragraph (14); (B) increasing the number of career counselors and navigators; (C) ensuring that eligible students enrolled in community colleges— (i) are not charged tuition or fees; and (ii) are not required to apply Federal, State, or private financial assistance (including scholarships) to pay for the cost of tuition or fees; and (D) ensuring that the eligibility of an eligible student enrolled in community college for a Federal Pell Grant under subpart 1 of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.) or other financial assistance is not affected by funds provided under this Act or private scholarship awards unless the total amount of such student’s Federal Pell Grant, other financial assistance, and private scholarships exceeds the student’s annual cost of attendance. (9) Cost analyses Cost analyses for— (A) providing tuition-free community and technical college pathways to individuals who have not attained— (i) a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent; or (ii) a recognized postsecondary credential, up to and including a bachelor’s degree; and (B) expanding institutional capacity to meet an increased demand for recognized postsecondary credentials by expanding supportive services, including with respect to hiring additional— (i) career counselors; (ii) navigators; and (iii) other support staff. (10) Data collection (A) In general A plan for data collection efforts to measure program outcomes and evaluate program success, including by leveraging existing administrative data to track any change in participation in recognized postsecondary credential programs at community colleges. (B) Content An assurance that the State that awards subgrants under this title will collect the following data: (i) With respect to each public institution of higher education— (I) the number and percentage of students receiving emergency aid; and (II) the average grant amount for each student. (ii) With respect to each semester or quarter at a public institution of higher education— (I) rate of retention; and (II) rate of completion of a recognized secondary credential. (iii) The grade point averages of students receiving emergency aid subgrants. (iv) Other data reported by the State. (v) Other data required by the Secretary. (11) Data sharing A State shall— (A) provide an interagency data-sharing agreement that facilitates statewide data collection efforts between— (i) State agencies that oversee the dispersal of State and Federal benefits; (ii) the State educational agency; (iii) the State higher education system; (iv) the State board; and (v) other agencies determined by the Secretary to be necessary; and (B) detail how such agreement will promote cross-agency collaboration and improve recognized postsecondary credential completion. (12) Transfer agreements A description of— (A) transfer agreements between 2-year and 4-year public institutions of higher education in such State; and (B) the ways in which the State will expand the number of transfer agreements, including with respect to the facilitation and improvement of credit transfers between institutions. (13) Sustaining funds The State shall describe— (A) the ways in which such State will sustain a tuition-free community college model; and (B) the amount of Federal assistance needed to sustain the model described in subparagraph (A). (14) In-demand industry sectors or occupations A plan to— (A) identify in-demand industry sectors or occupations in such State; and (B) develop and provide access to pathways to credential and degree programs for jobs in such industries, giving priority to credential and degree programs that correspond to high-quality jobs in consultation with— (i) the State board; (ii) the State health and human services agency; (iii) the State board of higher education; and (iv) business industry groups within the State. (15) Federal programs (A) In general A description of how the State will use amounts under covered programs, to the extent otherwise permitted by law, to reduce eligibility and participation requirement barriers in such programs in order to— (i) treat the pursuit of a recognized postsecondary credential as meeting any compliance, work participation, and core activity requirements for each such program; and (ii) increase access to and completion of recognized postsecondary credential programs. (B) Covered programs defined In this paragraph, the term covered programs means— (i) the temporary assistance for needy families program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601); (ii) the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training Program under section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015); (iii) the Child Care Development Fund under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.); and (iv) housing assistance programs carried out by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (c) Grant amounts The Secretary shall determine grant amounts under subsection (a) with respect to each State based on the following: (1) Statewide unemployment and underemployment rates that are 1 percentage point above the national average. (2) The number of local educational agencies in a State that elect to receive special assistance payments under section 11(a)(1)(F) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1759a(a)(1)(F)). (3) A statewide official poverty rate that is 1 percentage point above the national average. (4) As of the date on which the application is submitted under subsection (b), whether the State carries out a tuition-free community college program. (d) Funds (1) Timing A grant under this title shall be awarded for a period of 5 years, of which— (A) a maximum of 1 year may be used for planning; and (B) a minimum of 4 years shall be used for implementation. (2) Federal cost share The Federal cost share of facilitating tuition-free community college for eligible students pursuant to a grant awarded under subsection (a) shall be not less than 100 percent for costs incurred during the 5-year grant period described in paragraph (1). (e) Grant uses An eligible State shall use grant funds awarded under this section— (1) to implement the State plan submitted as part of the application under subsection (b), including with respect to data collection and reporting in accordance with paragraph (10) of such subsection; and (2) to award subgrants to— (A) eligible institutions in accordance with section 102; and (B) eligible students in accordance with section 103. (f) Eligible student defined In this section, the term eligible student means an individual who— (1) is at least 18 years of age; (2) does not have a postsecondary credential that is less than a bachelor’s degree; and (3) when used with respect to a State, is a resident of the State.