§1161a Project Grad

Summary

Provides money for a five-year contract with Project GRAD USA, a nonprofit that works to raise high school graduation and college attendance and completion for low-income students. The contractor must hire local nonprofit partners that serve many low-income students, help them run Project GRAD programs in whole school “feeder patterns” (a high school and the elementary and middle schools that send students to it), and directly run and expand services. Project GRAD programs offer research-based reading, math, and classroom management work; campus social services and family/community engagement; and college-access supports such as scholarships, outreach to students and families, and help applying for financial aid. The contractor must give each local partner an average of $200 per student served (adjusted for local resources and need). Each partner must match that money dollar for dollar, in cash or in-kind, unless the contractor agrees to a waiver. The contractor may spend no more than 5 percent of the funds, or $4,000,000 if that is less, on administration. Every three years an independent evaluator chosen by the Secretary must compare Program GRAD students to similar students who did not participate, looking at reading, math, graduation, and college attendance and completion. Local partners must also report student results and financial information to the contractor, who will share reports with the Secretary and the authorizing committees. Low-income student: a student a local school agency says is from a low-income family under 20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5). Feeder pattern: a secondary school plus the elementary and middle schools that feed into it. Funds are authorized for fiscal year 2009 and the five following fiscal years.