Postsecondary Student Success Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9300 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9300

   To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to create
     evidence-based student success programs designed to increase
 participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2026

  Ms. Stansbury (for herself, Ms. Pettersen, Ms. Norton, Mr. Moulton,
 Mrs. McBath, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Velazquez,
and Ms. Bynum) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
                  Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to create
     evidence-based student success programs designed to increase
 participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.

    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 ``Postsecondary Student Success Act of
2026''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to support evidence-based
participation, retention, and completion activities designed to ensure
the postsecondary success of high-need students.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Completion rate.--The term ``completion rate'' means--
                    (A) the percentage of students from an initial
                cohort enrolled at an entity that is a 2-year
                institution who have graduated from the institution or
                transferred to a 4-year institution of higher
                education; or
                    (B) the percentage of students from an initial
                cohort enrolled at an entity in the State that is a 4-
                year institution who have graduated from the
                institution.
            (2) Dual or concurrent enrollment program.--The term ``dual
        or concurrent enrollment program'' has the meaning given the
        term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (3) Early college high school.--The term ``early college
        high school'' has the meaning given the term in section 8101 of
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
        7801).
            (4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a public institution of higher education;
                    (B) a partnership between a nonprofit educational
                organization and an institution of higher education; or
                    (C) a consortium of institutions of higher
                education.
            (5) Eligible indian entity.--The term ``eligible Indian
        entity'' means the entity responsible for the governance,
        operation, or control of a Tribal College or University.
            (6) Evidence-based.--The term ``evidence-based'' has the
        meaning given the term in section 8101(21)(A) of the Elementary
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(21)(A)).
            (7) Evidence tiers.--
                    (A) Evidence tier 1 reform or practice.--The term
                ``evidence tier 1 reform or practice'' means a reform
                or practice that prior research suggests has promise
                for the purpose of successfully improving student
                achievement or attainment for high-need students.
                    (B) Evidence tier 2 reform or practice.--The term
                ``evidence tier 2 reform or practice'' means a reform
                or practice described in subparagraph (A), or other
                reform or practice meeting similar criteria, that
                measures impact and cost effectiveness of student
                success activities, and, through rigorous evaluation
                (including through the use of existing administrative
                data, as applicable), has been found to be successfully
                implemented.
                    (C) Evidence tier 3 reform or practice.--The term
                ``evidence tier 3 reform or practice'' means a reform
                or practice described in subparagraph (B), or other
                reform or practice meeting similar criteria, that has
                been found to produce sizable, important impacts on
                student success and--
                            (i) determining whether such impacts can be
                        successfully reproduced and sustained over
                        time; and
                            (ii) identifying the conditions in which
                        such reform or practice is most effective.
            (8) First generation college student.--The term ``first
        generation college student'' has the meaning given the term in
        section 402A(h) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
        1070a-11(h)).
            (9) High-need student.--The term ``high-need student''
        means--
                    (A) a student from a low-income background;
                    (B) a first generation college student;
                    (C) a caregiver student;
                    (D) a student with a disability;
                    (E) a student who dropped out before completing;
                    (F) a reentering justice-impacted student; or
                    (G) a military-connected student.
            (10) Institution of higher education.--The term
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (11) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
        of Education.
            (12) Tribal college or university.--The term ``Tribal
        College or University'' has the meaning given the term in
        section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
        U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3)).

SEC. 4. RESERVATION OF FUNDS FOR ELIGIBLE INDIAN ENTITIES.

    From the total amount appropriated to carry out this Act for a
fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 2 percent for grants to
eligible Indian entities to increase participation, retention, and
completion rates of high-need students.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF POSTSECONDARY STUDENT SUCCESS COMPETITIVE
              GRANTS.

    (a) Grant Authorization.--For each of fiscal years 2027 through
2032, the Secretary shall award, on a competitive basis, grants to
eligible entities to provide student services to increase
participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.
    (b) Notification and Application.--An eligible entity or eligible
Indian entity desiring a grant under this Act shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
containing the information required under subsection (c).
    (c) Content of Application.--An application submitted under this
section shall include the following:
            (1) A plan to increase, with respect to all students
        enrolled at the eligible entity or Tribal College or
        University, attainment and completion rates or graduation
        rates, including--
                    (A) a description of the evidence-based reform or
                practice that would be used and whether the reform or
                practice would be an evidence tier 1 reform or
                practice, evidence tier 2 reform or practice, or
                evidence tier 3 reform or practice; and
                    (B) a particular focus on serving high-need
                students through student services and collaboration
                among 2-year programs, 4-year programs, and workforce
                systems.
            (2) Annual benchmarks for student outcomes with respect to
        the evidence-based reform or practice that would be used.
            (3) A plan to evaluate the evidence-based reform or
        practice that would be used.
            (4) Rates of enrolled students who received a Federal Pell
        Grant under subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Higher
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.).
            (5) Demographics of enrolled students, including high-need
        students.
            (6) A description of how the eligible entity or eligible
        Indian entity will, directly or in collaboration with other
        institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations,
        use the grant funds to implement one or more of the following
        evidence-based reforms and practices:
                    (A) Providing comprehensive academic, career, and
                student services, which may include mentoring,
                advising, or case management services.
                    (B) Providing accelerated learning opportunities,
                which may include dual or concurrent enrollment
                programs and early college high school programs.
                    (C) Reforming course scheduling, or credit-awarding
                policies.
                    (D) Improving transfer pathways between the
                eligible entity, or Tribal College or University, and
                other institutions of higher education.
            (7) A description of how the evidence-based reform or
        practice will be sustained once the grant expires.
    (d) Evidence-Based Student Success Programs.--From the total amount
appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year and not reserved
under section 4, the Secretary shall reserve not less than 20 percent
to award grants to eligible entities with applications that propose to
include evidence-based reforms and practices--
            (1) at least 1 of which is an evidence tier 3 reform or
        practice; and
            (2) the rest of which are evidence tier 1 reforms or
        practices or evidence tier 2 reforms or practices.
    (e) Required Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity or eligible Indian
entity that receives a grant under this Act shall use the grant funds
to carry out the plans submitted under subsection (c) and for evidence-
based reforms and practices for improving participation, retention, and
completion rates of students that may include the following:
            (1) Student services to support retention, completion, and
        success, which may include--
                    (A) faculty and peer counseling;
                    (B) use of real-time data on student progress;
                    (C) improving transfer student success; and
                    (D) incentives for students to re-enroll or stay on
                track.
            (2) Direct student support services, including a
        combination of--
                    (A) tutoring, academic supports, and enrichment
                services; and
                    (B) emergency financial assistance.
            (3) Efforts to prepare students for a career, which may
        include--
                    (A) career coaching, career counseling and planning
                services, and efforts to lower student to advisor
                ratios;
                    (B) networking and work-based learning
                opportunities to support the development of skills and
                professional relationships;
                    (C) utilizing career pathways; and
                    (D) boosting experiences necessary to obtain and
                succeed in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry
                sectors or occupations, as described in section
                135(b)(3) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
                Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2355(b)(3)).
            (4) Efforts to recruit and retain faculty and other
        instructional staff.
    (f) Permissive Use of Funds.--From the total amount appropriated to
carry out this Act for a fiscal year and not reserved under section 4
or subsection (d), the Secretary may set aside--
            (1) not more than 5 percent for administration, capacity
        building, research, evaluation, and reporting; and
            (2) not more than 2 percent for technical assistance to
        eligible entities and eligible Indian entities.
    (g) Evaluations.--
            (1) In general.--For the purpose of improving the
        effectiveness of the evidence-based reforms and practices
        carried out by eligible entities and eligible Indian entities
        pursuant to a grant under this Act, the Secretary shall make
        grants to or enter into contracts with 1 or more organizations
        to--
                    (A) evaluate the effectiveness of such evidence-
                based reforms and practices; and
                    (B) disseminate information on the impact of such
                evidence-based reforms and practices in increasing
                completion and retention activities of students, as
                well as other appropriate measures.
            (2) Issues to be evaluated.--The evaluations required under
        paragraph (1) shall measure the effectiveness of the evidence-
        based reforms and practices carried out by eligible entities
        and eligible Indian entities pursuant to a grant under this
        subsection in--
                    (A) whether such entity implemented the plans, and
                carried out the activities, described in subsection
                (c); and
                    (B) comparing the completion and retention rates of
                students who participated in such reforms and practices
                with the rates of students of similar backgrounds who
                did not participate in such reforms and practices.
            (3) Results.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a final
        report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
        Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and
        Workforce of the House of Representatives.
    (h) Grant Limit.--An eligible entity that has a branch campus may
only receive a grant under this Act for 1 campus of the entity at a
time.
                                 <all>