College and University Rural Education (CURE) Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to partnerships between rural institutions of higher education (IHEs) and rural local educational agencies, rural education service agencies, regional employers, or rural education nonprofit organizations for activities to: (1) improve the rural IHE enrollment rates of rural high school graduates and former attendees; and (2) encourage nontraditional students' participation in rural IHE degree programs.
Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to partnerships between rural IHEs and regional employers to: (1) provide additional training to rural IHE attendees in careers relevant to the regional economy; and (2) encourage regional businesses to employ rural IHE graduates.
Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to rural IHEs to create or strengthen academic programs that prepare graduates to enter high-need occupations in the regional and local economies.
Requires the General Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate, and make recommendations to Congress regarding the improvement of, rural access to four-year IHEs and degree programs.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4139 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4139
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve participation in
higher education of, and increase opportunities in employment for,
residents of rural areas.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 9, 2007
Mr. Space (for himself, Mr. Hare, and Mr. Loebsack) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve participation in
higher education of, and increase opportunities in employment for,
residents of rural areas.
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 and University Rural
Education (CURE) Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.
The Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following new title:
``TITLE VIII--RURAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS FOR RURAL COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES
``SEC. 801. PURPOSE.
``The purposes of this title are--
``(1) to increase--
``(A) enrollment and graduation rates from 2-year
and 4-year colleges, and articulation from 2-year
degree programs into 4-year degree programs of
graduates of rural high schools; and
``(B) degree completion for nontraditional students
from rural areas; and
``(2) to promote economic growth and development in rural
America through partnership grants to consortia of rural
colleges and universities and other entities, such as local
educational agencies, employers, education service agencies,
and nonprofit organizations.
``SEC. 802. DEFINITIONS.
``For the purposes of this title:
``(1) Rural institution of higher education.--The term
`rural institution of higher education' means an institution of
higher education (as such term is defined in section 101) that
primarily serves rural areas.
``(2) Rural area.--The term `rural area' means an area in
which there is located a rural local educational agency.
``(3) Rural local educational agency.--The term `rural
local educational agency' means a local educational agency (as
such term is defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965) that is designated with a
metrocentric locale code of 41, 42, or 43 as determined by the
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in conjunction
with the Bureau of the Census, using the NCES system for
classifying local educational agencies.
``(4) Nontraditional student.--The term `nontraditional
student' means an individual who--
``(A) delays enrollment in an institution of higher
education by 3 or more years after completing high
school;
``(B) attends an institution of higher education
part-time or less than part-time; or
``(C) attends an institution of higher education
and--
``(i) works full-time;
``(ii) is an independent student;
``(iii) has one or more dependents other
than a spouse;
``(iv) is a single parent; or
``(v) does not have a high school diploma
or a general equivalency diploma (GED).
``(5) Regional employer.--The term `regional employer'
means employers qualifying as businesses or other entities
employing individuals within a rural area.
``SEC. 803. ENSURING COLLEGE ACCESS FOR RURAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.
``(a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Education is authorized
to make grants in accordance with this section to partnerships formed
between one or more rural institution of higher education and any of
the following entities:
``(1) One or more rural local educational agencies.
``(2) One or more rural education service agencies.
``(3) One or more regional employers.
``(4) One or more nonprofit organizations with expertise in
rural education.
``(b) Eligible Partnerships; Applications.--To be eligible for a
grant under this section, a partnership that meets the requirements of
subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary an application in such
form and containing such information as the Secretary shall prescribe.
In determining which applications to approve for a grant under this
section, the Secretary shall consider--
``(1) the percentage of graduates, attendees, or former
attendees of high schools from rural local educational agencies
enrolled or otherwise affiliated with the entity;
``(2) in the case of employers, the percentage of employees
that are graduates of high schools in rural local educational
agencies.
``(c) Use of Grant Amounts.--Funds made available by a grant under
this section to a partnership that meets the requirements of shall be
used--
``(1) to improve enrollment rates for graduates and former
attendees of rural high schools at rural institutions of higher
education, including--
``(A) programs to provide information about college
costs and financial aid options, assistance with
college enrollment applications, and assistance with
financial aid applications;
``(B) programs or initiatives that provide such
individuals of rural high schools access and exposure
to campuses, classes, programs, and facilities of rural
institutions of higher education, including covering
the cost of transportation to and from institutions of
higher education;
``(C) the formation of groups or other initiatives
that create support groups of such students expressing
interest in attending rural institutions of higher
education;
``(D) extra curricular activities, such as
internships, community service, and other activities
for such individuals in advance of attending
institutions of higher education; and
``(E) other initiatives that assist such
individuals in applying and developing interest in
attending rural institutions of higher education; and
``(2) to encourage participation of nontraditional students
in degree programs at rural institutions of higher education,
including--
``(A) programs to provide information about college
costs and financial aid options, assistance with
college enrollment applications, and assistance with
financial aid applications for institutions of higher
education;
``(B) outreach to nontraditional students through
community initiatives; and
``(C) formation of support groups for
nontraditional students enrolling in 2-year degree
programs and articulating from 2-year degree programs
to 4-year degree programs.
``SEC. 804. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS.
``(a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Education is authorized
to make grants in accordance with this section to partnerships formed
between one or more rural institutions of higher education and one or
more regional employers.
``(b) Eligible Partnerships; Applications.--To be eligible for a
grant under this section, a partnership that meets the requirements of
subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary an application in such
form and containing such information as the Secretary shall prescribe.
In determining which applications to approve for a grant under this
section, the Secretary shall consider--
``(1) the potential of the employer to employ graduates of
rural institutions of education after graduation;
``(2) the potential of the employer engaged in the
partnership to spur economic development in the region; and
``(3) the relevance of the employer to the regional
economy.
``(c) Use of Grant Amounts.--Funds made available by a grant under
this section to a partnership that meets the requirements of subsection
(a) shall be used--
``(1) to provide additional career training to attendees of
rural institutions of education in fields relevant to the
regional economy; and
``(2) to encourage regional businesses to employ graduates
of rural institutions of education.
``SEC. 805. QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL AREAS.
``(a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Education is authorized
to make grants in accordance with this section to rural institutions of
higher education.
``(b) Use of Grant Amounts.--Funds made available by a grant under
this section to a partnership that meets the requirements of subsection
(a) shall be used to create or strengthen academic programs to prepare
graudates to enter into high-need occupations in the regional and local
economies
``SEC. 806. ALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) Grant Considerations.--In making grant allocations under this
title to qualifying institutions and partnerships, the Secretary shall
consider--
``(1) the percentage of graduates of rural high schools
attending rural institutions of higher education in proximity
to the entity receiving the grant;
``(2) employment needs of regional employers in proximity
to entities receiving the grant; and
``(3) the health of the regional economy of the region
surrounding the entity receiving the grant.
``(b) Maximum and Minimum Grants.--No grant awarded by the
Secretary under this title shall be less than $200,000 or more than
$500,000.
``(c) Grant Duration.--A grant awarded under this title shall be
awarded for one 3-year period.
``SEC. 807. GAO STUDY.
``Commission a study to be completed in 5 years to identify the
challenges and solutions to increasing the availability of and access
to 4-year degree programs and institutions in rural America. The GAO
shall investigate and make recommendations to Congress regarding--
``(1) the existing number of 4-year institutions of higher
education and 4-year degree programs in rural America;
``(2) access to 4-year degree programs and institutions in
rural America;
``(3) the cost, availability of resources and challenges
associated with the establishment and expansion of 4-year
degree programs in rural America; and
``(4) the role of rural America in contributing to overall
bachelor's degree attainment in the United States, as a measure
of United States global competitiveness.
``SEC. 808. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated--
``(1) for fiscal year 2009--
``(A) $15,000,000 to cary out section 803;
``(B) $10,000,000 to carry out section 804; and
``(C) $5,000,000 to carry out section 805; and
``(2) such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4
succeeding fiscal years to carry out such sections.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line