Jumpstart on College Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2892
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:43:49Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Jumpstart on College Act aims to boost the number of students—particularly low-income students and those from groups underrepresented in higher education—who earn a recognized postsecondary credential (such as an associate degree, bachelor's degree, or industry certification) within the standard time frame for completion. It does this by funding programs that let high school students take college-level courses early.
Key Provisions
- Funding Authorization: Authorizes $250 million annually for fiscal year 2026 and the next five years. Funds are allocated as follows: at least 40% for grants to partnerships (eligible entities), 55% for grants to states, and 5% for national activities like evaluations and technical assistance.
- Grants to Eligible Entities (Partnerships):
- Awarded competitively to partnerships between colleges/universities and local school districts (or educational service agencies) to start or expand early college high schools (small schools where students earn both a high school diploma and college credits) or dual/concurrent enrollment programs (where high school students take college courses for dual credit).
- Grants last 6 years, up to $2 million each (with up to 15% for data system improvements).
- Requires matching funds from grantees, starting at 20% of the grant amount in years 1–2 and rising to 50% in year 6; at least half must come from non-federal sources, and in-kind contributions (like donated services) are allowed.
- Funds cannot replace existing federal, state, or local funding (supplement, not supplant rule).
- Priorities for applications: Serving at least 51% low-income students; schools needing improvement under federal law; states that help cover college costs; programs meeting national or state quality standards.
- Ensures equitable distribution across urban/rural areas, regions, and types of colleges (2-year and 4-year).
- Required Uses: Build student support systems (academic, social, career readiness); professional development for teachers and faculty; partnerships via agreements; outreach to at-risk students, first-generation college-goers, and underserved groups (e.g., students with disabilities, English learners); data collection (following privacy laws like FERPA); program reviews to improve curriculum, assessments, course sequences, and schedules.
- For new programs: Design curricula with input from educators and employers; create credit-transfer agreements.
- Allowed Uses: Buy textbooks/equipment; cover tuition/fees for students (per assurance); add work-based learning like internships or apprenticeships; provide transportation; train teachers for dual roles; allow collaboration time for educators.
- Application Requirements: Describe partnerships, student demographics, curriculum leading to credentials, credit transferability, outreach, student readiness assessments (using multiple factors), and sustainability plans. Assurances include: no tuition/fees for students; credits recorded on transcripts; instructors meet college standards.
- Grants to States:
- Awarded competitively to help states expand access to these programs, focusing on underrepresented students.
- Last 6 years, with amounts sufficient for activities (up to 15% for data systems); requires 50% non-federal matching funds.
- Follows supplement, not supplant rule.
- Required Uses: Develop statewide strategies to raise graduation and credential rates; identify legal/policy barriers; provide technical assistance (e.g., building partnerships, training leaders); improve policies on eligibility, funding, data, and quality; align high school diplomas with college standards; add program access/completion metrics to state school accountability systems; share best practices; collect and report disaggregated data; run outreach via accessible websites.
- Allowed Uses: Offset costs for low-income/underrepresented students (tuition, tests, supports); create credit transfer systems across colleges; incentivize schools to credential teachers or use college instructors; assess instructor shortages; align programs with quality standards.
- Application Requirements: Detail strategy implementation, coordination with other federal laws (e.g., career education, workforce programs, special education), addressing achievement gaps, resource leveraging, barrier removal, and sustainability.
- Reporting and Oversight:
- Grantees (states and entities) submit annual reports on student enrollment, credentials earned with diplomas, credits applied toward credentials, graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment—disaggregated by subgroups like race, income, disability.
- Secretary of Education issues guidelines for uniform reporting.
- National Activities:
- Annual reports to Congress analyzing grantee data, identifying best practices, and sharing evaluation results.
- Contract for independent evaluation of student outcomes by background and progress from high school to college.
- Provide technical assistance and disseminate best practices to grantees and schools.
- Allow reservation of funds for administrative costs.
- Definitions: Borrows terms from existing laws (e.g., "dual or concurrent enrollment" from Elementary and Secondary Education Act; "recognized postsecondary credential" from Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act). Defines low-income students based on federal poverty guidelines.
- Rules of Construction: Protects employee rights under labor laws and agreements; counts on-time early college graduates in high school graduation rates.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces new federal grant programs not previously authorized at this scale, building on laws like the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Higher Education Act (HEA), and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Key additions include:
- Mandating states to incorporate early college/dual enrollment metrics into school accountability systems under ESEA.
- Requiring alignment of high school diploma standards with college entrance requirements.
- Ensuring credits from these programs are transferable within states via agreements.
- Counting early college graduates in federal four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates if completed on time.
- No direct amendments to existing laws, but it coordinates with them (e.g., integrating with career technical education and disability laws).
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Department of Education gains responsibilities for administering competitive grants, evaluations, technical assistance, and reporting to Congress, potentially increasing workload and requiring data system upgrades. States must develop strategies, provide assistance, and report data, which could strain education departments but foster better coordination.
- Citizens: High school students, especially low-income and underrepresented groups, gain free access to college courses, potentially accelerating credential attainment, reducing time/cost to degrees, and improving job prospects. Families benefit from outreach and supports. Teachers and faculty may need new credentials or training, affecting professional development.
- International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic education.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Students: Primarily low-income, first-generation, at-risk, and underrepresented groups (e.g., racial minorities, English learners, students with disabilities, those in juvenile detention).
- Educational Institutions: Local school districts, high schools, community colleges, and universities partnering on programs.
- Educators: Teachers, principals, college faculty, and counselors needing training, collaboration, or credentials for dual teaching.
- States and Governments: State education agencies implementing strategies, policies, and data systems; local agencies receiving incentives.
- Other Groups: Nonprofits, businesses (for work-based learning and input), and workforce entities aligning programs with job needs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Emphasizes privacy (e.g., FERPA compliance for data sharing) and non-discrimination in outreach/reporting. Assurances ensure fair credit transcription and instructor quality, potentially reducing disputes over credit validity. Matching funds and supplement rules prevent misuse of federal dollars.
- Constitutional: Supports equal protection by targeting underserved populations, aligning with education access principles under the 14th Amendment without mandating quotas.
- Political: Promotes educational equity and workforce readiness, which could influence state policies on funding and standards. As a bipartisan-introduced bill (by Sens. Markey and Durbin), it encourages cross-party support for expanding college access, but implementation depends on appropriations and state buy-in. No overt partisan elements in the text.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Jumpstart on College Act — issued 2025-09-18 — PDF (27 pages)