Transition-to-Success Mentoring Act
- Bill Number
- S. 375
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-03: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2025-04-21T12:24:17Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Transition-to-Success Mentoring Act (S. 375) aims to support at-risk middle school students in transitioning successfully to high school by funding school-based mentoring programs. It seeks to improve academic performance, behavior, and preparation for college or careers, particularly for students facing challenges like poverty, crime, or trauma.
Key Provisions
- Grant Awards: The U.S. Secretary of Education awards grants to eligible entities (local educational agencies or partnerships with nonprofits) to create, expand, or support mentoring programs in middle schools.
- Eligibility and Priorities: Grants prioritize entities serving students in high-poverty, high-crime, rural, or high-violence areas; those offering college/career preparation (e.g., job training, internships, higher education visits); programs with at least one-year mentor-student matches; and those involving student input in program design.
- Required Program Elements:
- Assign each eligible (at-risk) student a "success coach" (trained employee or volunteer) who develops a personalized success plan with the student, parents, and school staff. The plan covers academic, personal, college, and career goals.
- Success coaches must sign agreements with parents, meet students monthly to support goals and transition needs (e.g., attitude toward school, behavior management), and hold quarterly reviews with families and school staff.
- Coaches also help with higher education and career exploration.
- Authorized Uses of Funds:
- Train coaches on topics like trauma-informed care (approaches sensitive to students' past hardships), cultural competency, supporting homeless or foster youth, privacy laws, and disability inclusion.
- Recruit, screen, and compensate coaches; hire staff; fund youth activities (e.g., field trips, career visits, school engagement events); and evaluate program outcomes.
- Grant Duration and Reporting:
- Grants last up to 5 years.
- Grantees submit annual reports on student participation, demographics, academic progress, dropout/truancy rates, arrests, employment, postsecondary enrollment, contact hours, disability services, and social-emotional development (measured by validated tools).
- The Secretary submits an interim report to Congress after 3 years and a final report after 5 years.
- Coordination and Resources: The Secretary collaborates with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to provide grantees with mentoring best practices, training, and information on reentry services for justice-involved youth or those with disabilities.
- Definitions:
- Eligible student: At-risk middle schooler (grades 6-9, excluding below grade 6 or above grade 9).
- School-based mentoring: School-coordinated activities involving staff referrals to improve academics, school attitudes, and reduce discipline issues.
- Success coach: Screened and trained individual (with background checks) from schools or nonprofits.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Part D of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA, which funds programs for disadvantaged students) by adding a new Subpart 4. It introduces a dedicated grant program for middle school-to-high school transitions, which did not previously exist in this form. It also updates the ESEA table of contents to include the new section (Sec. 1441).
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Department of Education gains responsibility for administering grants, reviewing applications, and reporting to Congress, potentially increasing workload and funding needs. Collaboration with the Justice Department could enhance resource sharing.
- Citizens: At-risk students may see improved academic success, lower dropout rates, better behavior, and stronger postsecondary/career readiness, especially in underserved areas. Parents and schools benefit from structured involvement and support tools. Broader societal effects could include reduced youth crime, truancy, and long-term economic costs from dropouts.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic education.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Students: Primarily at-risk middle schoolers in high-need schools, including those with disabilities, from low-income, high-crime, rural, or violent areas.
- Educational Entities: Local educational agencies (public school districts eligible for ESEA funds) and nonprofit/community partners implementing programs.
- Success Coaches and Staff: School employees, volunteers, and hired personnel who deliver mentoring after training and screening.
- Families and Communities: Parents (via agreements and meetings) and local businesses/nonprofits (through partnerships for internships and activities).
- Federal Government: Department of Education (grant oversight) and Congress (receiving reports).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Emphasizes compliance with privacy laws (e.g., for student records) and screening requirements (e.g., criminal background checks for coaches), aligning with existing child protection standards. Reporting mandates ensure accountability but may require new data collection protocols without overriding state education laws.
- Constitutional: Supports equal educational opportunity under the Constitution's general welfare clause, targeting disadvantaged groups without infringing on free speech or due process. No challenges to federalism apparent, as it builds on ESEA's cooperative federal-state framework.
- Political: Promotes equity in education for vulnerable youth, potentially appealing across party lines by addressing dropout prevention and workforce development. It could influence debates on federal education funding, with priorities for high-need areas highlighting urban/rural divides. If enacted, success metrics in reports may inform future policy expansions or budget justifications.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-03: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-02-03: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Transition-to-Success Mentoring Act — issued 2025-02-03 — PDF (13 pages)