Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 1347
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-08: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2025-05-19T12:54:42Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2025 aims to make higher education more affordable and reachable for high school students by increasing access to dual or concurrent enrollment programs (where students earn both high school and college credits simultaneously) and early college high school programs (small schools designed for students to complete high school and some college courses together). It does this through grants that support partnerships between local school districts and colleges or universities.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program: The U.S. Secretary of Education can award grants to colleges or universities (called "eligible institutions") to run or expand these programs. Grants last up to 5 years and can be renewed if the institution shows positive results, like increased student participation and credit earning.
- Application Requirements: Institutions must apply describing their partnerships with local school districts and plans to expand access, with a focus on underserved students.
- Priority for Funding: Preference goes to programs serving low-income students, those in rural schools (defined by specific location codes from the Department of Education), or first-generation college students (those whose parents did not attend college).
- Allowed Uses of Funds: Grant money can support:
- Training for teachers, counselors, and school leaders to deliver college-level courses.
- Designing courses that match college standards and involve input from high school and college educators.
- Creating processes to approve courses for credit at both 2-year and 4-year colleges.
- Outreach to middle and high school students, parents, and educators about program eligibility and benefits.
- Helping students meet entry requirements and understand credit transfers.
- Aligning school schedules for smoother transitions.
- Covering student costs like tuition, fees, books, and materials (to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for college courses), plus limited transportation (no more than 20% of funds).
- Evaluation and Reporting: Grantees must conduct independent evaluations tracking enrollment, credits earned, and credit transfers, then report to the Secretary. The Secretary must summarize findings in reports to Congress starting 3 years after enactment and every 2 years after.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Part B of Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (which funds innovative education programs) by:
- Adding a new Section 745 specifically for dual enrollment and early college programs.
- Redesignating an existing section (745 to 746) and updating a funding reference from fiscal year 2009 to 2025.
These changes introduce a dedicated grant program that did not previously exist in this form, building on definitions from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) for consistency.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Department of Education gains responsibility for administering grants, reviewing applications, and reporting to Congress, potentially increasing workload and federal spending on education equity.
- On Citizens: High school students, especially from low-income, rural, or first-generation backgrounds, could earn free college credits earlier, reducing future college costs and time to degree. This may boost college enrollment and completion rates overall.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. education systems.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Students and Families: Particularly underserved groups like low-income, rural, and first-generation students who gain easier access to affordable college credits.
- Educational Institutions: Local school districts (public high schools) and colleges/universities, which must form partnerships and may receive funding for program expansion.
- Educators and School Staff: Teachers, counselors, and principals who benefit from training and resources to support these programs.
- Federal Government: The Secretary of Education and Congress, involved in grant oversight and policy evaluation.
- Parents and Communities: Through outreach efforts that inform them about opportunities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill promotes educational equity without mandating participation, relying on voluntary grants and partnerships. It uses existing federal definitions (e.g., from ESEA) to ensure clarity and avoid conflicts with state education laws. No new enforcement mechanisms are added beyond reporting requirements.
- Constitutional: Aligns with the federal role in supporting education under the Spending Clause (Article I, Section 8), as it provides optional funding without infringing on states' primary authority over schools.
- Political: Introduced bipartisanship (by Senators Peters, D-MI, and Boozman, R-AR) signals broad support for expanding access to higher education. It could influence future debates on federal education funding, emphasizing affordability amid rising college costs, but may face scrutiny over grant costs and effectiveness.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR], Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-08: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-04-08: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act of 2025 — issued 2025-04-08 — PDF (8 pages)